This Mercedes-Benz E36 AMG Is Hi-Po Wagon Ripe For Import

Apr. 24, 2022 8:49 AM ET byChase Bierenkoven Classic Cars /3 Comments

It's a bargain, too.

For over 50 years, Mercedes-AMG has consistently turned out large, fast cars capable of stunning performance. Best known forits V8 engines and fast station wagons, sedans, and coupes, you could argue cars like theMercedes-AMG E63 WagonandAMG GT 43make this point the best (with an honorable mention to the AMG GT coupe).

However, AMG wasn't always owned by Mercedes. It used to be that AMG was simply somewhere you could take your Mercedes to have the Affalterbach brand give it some added juice. Those pre-merger cars are becoming consistently more valuable as time goes on. Cars like the AMG Hammer are hallowed ground, and the boxy styling of the 80's and 90's AMG cars still stands out on the road today. Now you can own one of those. This is a 1992 Mercedes-Benz E36 AMG wagon.

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The car is offered for sale in the UK for around $32,000 USD. Sorry America, this one is for the Europeans only, like so many fast wagons. Allegedly, this is one of only 171 E36 wagons produced in Brilliant Bornit Metallic. The listing says the car is brown, but you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for purple. There's no mistaking the massive flared fenders that AMGs of this era are known for, however.

The fenders are of course there to make room for larger AMG-branded wheels and upgraded brakes. These E36 wagons also had self-leveling suspension in the rear to better accommodate heavier loads. AMG did upgrade the suspension, giving it a significantly more aggressive stance than your average E36.

This AMG is powered by a significantly altered version of Mercedes' M104 inline-six. The 3.6-liter engine is hand-built with forged pistons, new intake cams, and a larger intake crossover pipe. Noise is sent out the back via another handmade part:AMG-branded排气系统. All told, the E36 AMG sent 272 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic.

Cheshire Motor Car Sales

Inside, the interior stays largely Mercedes. Mercifully, AMG didn't remove the super cool rear-facing jumpseats hidden under the cargo floor in the rear. The AMG-branded gauges show roughly 88,000 miles with the speedometer topping out at 160 mph. It's even got heated seats, a rare option for cars this old outside of your usual luxury car suspects.

While this car is sold in the UK, there's two things Americans might like to know before giving up hope on a bargain AMG wagon. First, the car is 30 years old. That means it's eligible for import to America. Second, it's left-hand drive, which means you won't' have to go through the Mickey-D's drive-through backward. However, there are some cosmetic issues-like peeling on the valve cover, and those calipers are pretty rusted-out. But it wouldn't be a bargain if it didn't need some work, right?