What: 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE-24 AMG Wide-Body
Color: Signal Red (signalrot; non-metallic uni, 568; Mercedes-Benz)
Interior: Beige Leather with Red Piping
VIN: WDB1240511B103174
Mileage: 50,000 km (31,000 miles)
Price Estimate: $200,000 – $250,000
Location: Carmel, California
Auction Listing: Broad Arrow at The Quail
Among pre-merger AMG models, few are as instantly recognizable as the wide-body C124 coupe. Built before Mercedes-Benz formally absorbed AMG, these cars were transformed in Affalterbach to individual customer specifications, making each example a reflection of its original owner’s tastes as much as AMG’s engineering philosophy. Values have climbed steadily in recent years as collectors have increasingly sought authentic period conversions.
Originally delivered new to Japan, this 300 CE-24 was reportedly returned to AMG Japan shortly after delivery with fewer than 1,300 kilometers on the odometer. There it received the complete AMG wide-body treatment, including flared fenders, revised front and rear fascias, side skirts, rear spoiler and 17-inch three-piece AMG Aero III wheels. Unlike many period AMG conversions, the original 24-valve M104 inline-six was retained rather than replaced with one of AMG’s V8 conversions.
The car is finished in Signal Red over a beige leather interior accented by red piping, a combination that reflects the bold customization often seen on AMG commissions of the late 1980s. The cabin also features electrically adjustable Recaro front seats, AMG white-face instrumentation, AMG pedals and other period accessories completed during the original conversion.
Although the 6.0-liter “Hammer” has become the best-known pre-merger AMG, cars such as this illustrate the breadth of AMG’s bespoke offerings during the era. Customers could specify everything from cosmetic enhancements to complete drivetrain conversions, resulting in a remarkably diverse catalog of one-off and low-production automobiles. Well-documented examples completed by AMG during the period have become increasingly difficult to acquire, placing authentic wide-body coupes among the most desirable Mercedes-Benz collector cars of the era.
