What: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG Hammer ‘Galdi Coupe’
Color: Pearl Black (Blauschwarz); metallic uni; 199; Mercedes-Benz)
VIN: WUAC6AFH5EN900954
Mileage: 36,000 miles
Price Estimate: $750,000 to $900,000
Location: Lilburn, GA
Listing: RM Sotheby’s
Offered by RM Sotheby’s with an estimate of $750,000 to $900,000, this 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG Hammer Coupe belongs firmly in the latter category. Known as the “Galdi Coupe,” it is one of just three 6.0-liter Hammer Coupes constructed by AMG North America in Westmont, Illinois and the only example fitted with the firm’s distinctive molded ducktail rear spoiler. More importantly, it remains one of the most extensively documented and comprehensively sorted AMG Hammers in existence.
To understand the significance of this car requires understanding what the AMG Hammer represented when new. During the late 1980s, Ferrari offered the Testarossa, Lamborghini had the Countach and Porsche built the 930 Turbo. AMG offered something entirely different: a Mercedes-Benz capable of supercar performance while retaining the comfort, practicality and discretion of a luxury coupe. It was a formula that transformed AMG from a niche tuner into a globally recognized performance brand.
This example began life as a 300 CE before being sourced through RBM Atlanta and transformed at AMG North America’s Westmont facility. Commissioned by Arizona financier Joseph C. Galdi II through Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories, the car underwent a complete conversion that extended far beyond cosmetic modifications. The original chassis was extensively reworked to accommodate AMG’s flagship 6.0-liter, 32-valve M117 V8 producing approximately 380 horsepower, paired with an upgraded transmission and reinforced driveline components.
The conversion included custom subframe modifications, revised suspension geometry, upgraded brakes, AMG-specific instrumentation and aerodynamic enhancements. Finished in Pearl Black over gray leather, the result was a machine capable of humiliating contemporary supercars while carrying four passengers in complete comfort.
The Galdi Coupe quickly developed a reputation of its own. In 1990, it was supplied for testing by IMSA GT driver Steve Millen and Road & Track’s Exotic Cars Quarterly. The publication’s conclusion was unequivocal, describing the Hammer Coupe as a car without rivals in its combination of speed, handling, comfort and build quality. By then, the AMG Hammer had already established itself as one of the defining performance cars of its era.
Unlike many tuner cars of the period, the Galdi Coupe’s ownership history is exceptionally well documented. Following its original ownership, it passed through several notable collections before being acquired in 2016 by Jonathan Hodgman of Blue Ridge Mercedes, one of the foremost specialists in pre-merger AMG automobiles. During his stewardship, more than $160,000 was invested in mechanical restoration, servicing and reliability improvements while maintaining the car’s authenticity and character.
The work touched virtually every major system. The original AMG-specification 6.0-liter V8 received extensive servicing and refurbishment. The transmission, suspension, brakes, cooling system, fuel system and electronics were comprehensively rebuilt. Interior components including the Recaro sport seats and period Nakamichi audio equipment were carefully restored, creating what is arguably one of the most mechanically prepared AMG Hammers currently in existence.
That preparation was not merely cosmetic. The car has continued to be driven and exercised, including a lengthy road trip following an AMG North America reunion event in 2025. It remains exactly the sort of machine AMG originally intended: a high-speed grand tourer rather than a static museum piece.
Showing fewer than 36,000 miles and accompanied by extensive documentation, service records and a Certificate of Authenticity issued by AMG North America founder Richard Buxbaum, the Galdi Coupe occupies a unique place in AMG history.
Collectors have increasingly recognized the significance of pre-merger AMG automobiles over the past decade, particularly the Hammer models that established the company’s reputation long before its integration into Mercedes-Benz. Yet even within that rarefied category, opportunities such as this are exceptionally uncommon.
One of three. The only one with the Westmont ducktail. Retaining its original drivetrain and documented from new. For collectors seeking what may be the definitive American-market AMG Hammer Coupe, it is difficult to imagine a more compelling example.
Photo Gallery: Keenan Eugenio, Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
