This rare Mercedes 560 SEL 6.0 AMG stands out despite the anthracite metallic. Thanks to a four-valve V8 from Affalterbach, the long S-Class runs at over 250 km/h. The price for it is still six figures today.
In the 80s, AMG was the go-to place for everyone who thought a Mercedes was fine but too sluggish. For the wealthy and willing clientele, not only did Affalterbach provide things that made them look faster, such as spoilers, but also four-valve cylinder heads for the good V8 engines: the staid W 124 became "The Hammer" , the W 126 a very snappy one Limousine for the left lane.
More power, wood and paint
It was also popular in Japan as a left-hand drive. For example, the 560 SEL that rolled off the assembly line at Mercedes in Sindelfingen in August 1989 and was extensively modified by AMG Japan: a six-liter V8 with a four-valve cylinder head was installed under the hood. Spoilers, rocker panels and rear spoilers migrated to the lowered body. All chrome trim parts were repainted in body color and the axles took three-piece AMG. The inside was diligently paneled with root wood. The luxury express was ready. Such a V126 could cost around 190,000 US dollars in 1989 if it had the full AMG package.
That was a particularly expensive pleasure in 1989, because the dollar stood at an average of 1.88 marks. Converted, the AMG 6.0 cost around 357,200 marks. He's not worth that anymore today; the auction house RM Sotheby's had estimated the proceeds at 90,000 to 120,000 US dollars. In the end, that wasn't enough to buy the fast long version: the purchase price is 257,600 US dollars, the equivalent of 226,688 euros. The auction took place in Miami on Saturday, December 10, 2022.
09/2022: Mercedes 560 SEL 6.0 in silver
Sometimes it's the same with cars as with people: Sometimes you first have to get to know the world in order to finally find the place where you settle down and then as a referred to as home. This Mercedes 560 SEL 6.0 AMG from model year 1991 is an example: Born in Swabia, he traveled halfway around the world to Japan to mature into a tuning classic there. In 2018, the AMG-S-Class went to the US state of Florida, where it was offered for auction in September 2022 .
Both W126 with a long body (internal code: V126) are late examples of their series, which were converted by the Affalterbachers from the standard 560 to the 6.0 AMG; the W140 with a powerful V12 engine was already in the starting blocks. As usual, the tuner gave the factory 300 hp 5.5-liter V8 two-valve engine its four-valve cylinder heads and new camshafts. The tuner thus achieved up to 385 hp and a maximum torque of 566 Newton meters, provided no catalytic converter was installed. The cost of engine tuning alone? Almost 60,000 marks.
M117-V8 with 375 HP
However, the underbody pictures and the photo of a sticker applied at the factory strongly indicate that this is the noticeably tamed catalytic converter version. Their data is actually 330 hp and a maximum of 482 Newton meters, with the sticker reporting 276 kW (375 hp). But no matter whether with or without emission control: AMG adopted the original four-speed automatic transmission from the basic 560 for its six-liter version, but installed a traction-enhancing Torsen limited-slip differential on the rear axle. The rear subframe is also reinforced. The tailpipes bear the AMG logo.
The tuned V126 shows itself in the typical chic of the time. The front and rear mounted AMG Japan bumpers are more pronounced, the matching rocker strips can be seen on the sides and the rear is crowned by the spoiler spoiler with embossed AMG lettering. In addition, there are the three-piece AMG Aero III wheels with a silver-painted surface and polished rim edges. Typical of the tuning of the 1980s, when Mercedes itself had two series at the start with the W 201 and W 124, which almost exclusively had chrome on the radiator grille, are the radiator screens and window slot strips painted in the vehicle color - in one case 172 anthracite metallic, in the other case 735 astral silver metallic.
With wooden tables in the rear
The interior is largely covered in black leather. AMG has supplemented the root wood installed by Mercedes ex works in other places, such as on the automatic selector lever and on the doors. Added to this are the folding tables and heated seats in the rear, which make this S-Class a fast chauffeur-driven sedan. The speedometer with 300 km/h scaling behind the Momo four-spoke steering wheel with AMG logo shows how fast things are going at times. A top speed of around 290 km/h should have been possible. The equipment includes, among other things, cruise control, an electric sunroof and automatic air conditioning.
By the way, this Mercedes 560 SEL 6.0 AMG is not just a collector's car. The speedometer shows 72,945 kilometres, and the underbody, which is scratched in a few places and not completely rust-free everywhere, shows that this limousine was not just in the air-conditioned garage. The last inspection was last year. All fluids were exchanged and the brake system was brought into shape. Accidents are not known since the US import.
Conclusion
A Mercedes S-Class with AMG tuning is a matter of taste and collector's item in one. On the one hand there is the timeless line from the era of chief designer Bruno Sacco, the uncompromising workmanship from the Breitschwerdt era and the fascinatingly powerful four-valve V8 from the AMG powerhouse. On the other hand, not everyone likes spoilers on a luxury sedan.
The fact that enthusiasts are willing to pay significantly more money for an AMG 126 than for a production car clearly speaks for a classic career of 80s tuning.
