Mercedes-Benz 500 TE AMG

Mercedes-AMG today is a household name for sports car fans and motorsport enthusiasts alike. The fact that both companies once operated independently is less well known. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher had each worked for some time in the development department of Mercedes-Benz and founded their own company at June 1, 1967, in Großaspach/Germany. As company name they chose an abbreviation, consisting of the first letters of their surnames and the first letter of the city, AMG. Nine years after its founding, the tuning and development company moved to Affalterbach, where it is still located today. They mainly refurbished Mercedes-Benz vehicles, but especially in the 1980s also did some projects for other manufacturers, including Mitsubishi.

AMG became a good name for conversions, which wouldn’t be done by the factory itself. Thus luxurious equipped G Wagen were created in Affalterbach, when they originally were way less comfortable and only targeted to rangers, hunters and some craftsmen. In addition, they mounted large engines in small models. A good example of this is the Mercedes-Benz 500 TE AMG shown here, which will be auctioned during the Techno Classica Essen in April by RM Sotheby’s. Normally, the largest engine of the E-Class W123 series was a straight-six with 2.7 liters and 185 hp in the 280 E. On the displacement side there was also a three-liter turbo diesel, but with just 125 hp. Next to the sedan and the Coupé, Mercedes-Benz offered for the first time the T-Model, a sleeky designed and at the same time practical station wagon. In 1979, the car shown here rolled off the line and presumably arrived at AMG shortly after. Since documents from the early history of this car are missing, it is also possible, that the AMG conversion has taken place at an American dealer after the car reached the US. AMG offered corresponding kits in their normal program back in those days. In any case, this black painted station wagon received an extensive transplant of a five-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine (type M117). According to the price lists, this conversion cost 65,000 DM directly at AMG, plus basic vehicle and other optional equipment. Based on this price, experts assume that only two sedans, two station wagons and one Coupé were converted in this way back in the days.

As described, the exact history of this vehicle is no longer known. In 2013, AMG expert and enthusiast Henric Nieminen from California discovered it in an advertisement and soon realised that it was more than just an aftermarket tuning kit. The previous owner knew nothing about the rarity of his car. Nieminen inquired Mercedes-Benz and received the information that this very M117 V8 engine was not assigned to a special chassis number in the production books. But this engine shows tubular headers, downpipes, motor mounts and a secondary oil cooler custom designed to fit the engine bay of a series W123 vehicle. In addition, the car shows the complete body kit including engine skid plate, cast aluminium rear suspension, date-correct Recaro seats and the taxi upper console on the dashboard for additional gauges, both covered in the same cream leather as the sports steering wheel and the rest of the interior.

Since all components are from the period around 1979, the conversion must’ve been done either directly after the car was built or afterwards by a private individual with a deep knowledge of the matter and, above all, access to corresponding components. The latter is relatively unlikely. Henric Nieminen carefully refreshed the car in 2013 and drove it in the following four years. Shortly before being sold to the current owner, the founder of the Youngtimer Collection in Switzerland, the 500 TE AMG made a brief appearance at Top Gear USA. At RM Sotheby’s in Essen, the sporty station wagon is expected to reach a hammer price between 60,000 and 70,000 €.

Images: RM Sotheby’s, Tom Wood