inboundmotorsports
Dealer
Hi everyone!
I'm looking to gather all the history and info I can find on the 1985 Mercedes 230 AMG sold last year at the Bonhams AMG Rediscovered auction. For clarity, this is the vehicle in question: Bonhams Cars : 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E AMG VIN. WDB1240231A005661
From the brief description that Bonhams provided, and from some of the research I've been able to determine, the car seems to have some potential significant and interesting history in the story of AMG. The most important (yet very loose claim) being that it was the vehicle which was effectively the prototype to the prototype of the Hammer. Whether it was just used to test the Aero kit which would ultimately find its way to on the Hammer, or if mechanical components were also being tested as well is unclear, but nevertheless the claim that it has any role in the production of the Hammer would be quite significant. This is the direct quote from the Bonhams description: " the seller believes this early example was used as a testbed for aerodynamic testing of the bodywork that would eventually be applied to the Hammer series". I have also seen more specific claims made by the estate that it was this same car that used to test and determine a 0.24CD, which was a world record at the time. I will include the screenshot of that claim to this post. I know the actual Hammer prototype was also based off of a 230E, so it would make some sense that this car "could" have theoretically also been used for testing in some capacity. Sidenote: The Aero kit on the car does not have any of the typical "AMG" stampings on it, which is both interesting as swell as confusing, but perhaps lends itself to the claim that it was indeed the "Prototype"?
The other item I would love to learn more about is how it received the nickname "The Blue Shoe". Again, from the brief description provided, the car had allegedly been in an Adidas commercial or calendar in period. However I have not been able to find any media produced with the car being featured from my research. I was however supplied with a very granular photo showing the car (or one very similar) donning ADIDAS/AMG livery on its side. There was no more factual detail provided as to what it had been used for, or where it may have been published, but any information regarding this subject would be incredibly helpful and interesting. I even went as far as to try and contact the person in charge of the Archives at Adidas for more info, with no luck in getting a response. If this was indeed the reason the car was given the "Blue Shoe" nickname, it would be nice to determine that to be the case. However I wonder if there is more to the story there, as it feels more like the nickname was perhaps given to the car first, which spawned the interest in a collaboration with Adidas after the fact (Maybe)?
Lastly, the car has confirmed AMG engine internals (photo attached), which understandably was left out of the auction listing when it was with Bonhams. I've truthfully not seen any M102 powered 124's with confirmed AMG engine upgrades, although I have known them to exist and seen the AMG claimed output sheets for the various versions of them. This point seems quite significant to the story of the car, especially if you consider the other facts and claims surrounding it. Having an AMG tuned motor would make sense in terms of any "testing" that may have been done in period, and perhaps also lend itself well to the idea that the nickname was given to the car prior to any Adidas affiliation.
If anyone has any more insight, details, photos, documents or stories about this car I would absolutely be over the moon to hear it - factual or otherwise. The points I raised were simply the points I am aware of outside of it being an objectively interesting and cool car, so if there are other aspects of it which I have not mentioned that are worth noting please feel free to share those as well, I'm looking for anything I can find on it!
I'm looking to gather all the history and info I can find on the 1985 Mercedes 230 AMG sold last year at the Bonhams AMG Rediscovered auction. For clarity, this is the vehicle in question: Bonhams Cars : 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E AMG VIN. WDB1240231A005661
From the brief description that Bonhams provided, and from some of the research I've been able to determine, the car seems to have some potential significant and interesting history in the story of AMG. The most important (yet very loose claim) being that it was the vehicle which was effectively the prototype to the prototype of the Hammer. Whether it was just used to test the Aero kit which would ultimately find its way to on the Hammer, or if mechanical components were also being tested as well is unclear, but nevertheless the claim that it has any role in the production of the Hammer would be quite significant. This is the direct quote from the Bonhams description: " the seller believes this early example was used as a testbed for aerodynamic testing of the bodywork that would eventually be applied to the Hammer series". I have also seen more specific claims made by the estate that it was this same car that used to test and determine a 0.24CD, which was a world record at the time. I will include the screenshot of that claim to this post. I know the actual Hammer prototype was also based off of a 230E, so it would make some sense that this car "could" have theoretically also been used for testing in some capacity. Sidenote: The Aero kit on the car does not have any of the typical "AMG" stampings on it, which is both interesting as swell as confusing, but perhaps lends itself to the claim that it was indeed the "Prototype"?
The other item I would love to learn more about is how it received the nickname "The Blue Shoe". Again, from the brief description provided, the car had allegedly been in an Adidas commercial or calendar in period. However I have not been able to find any media produced with the car being featured from my research. I was however supplied with a very granular photo showing the car (or one very similar) donning ADIDAS/AMG livery on its side. There was no more factual detail provided as to what it had been used for, or where it may have been published, but any information regarding this subject would be incredibly helpful and interesting. I even went as far as to try and contact the person in charge of the Archives at Adidas for more info, with no luck in getting a response. If this was indeed the reason the car was given the "Blue Shoe" nickname, it would be nice to determine that to be the case. However I wonder if there is more to the story there, as it feels more like the nickname was perhaps given to the car first, which spawned the interest in a collaboration with Adidas after the fact (Maybe)?
Lastly, the car has confirmed AMG engine internals (photo attached), which understandably was left out of the auction listing when it was with Bonhams. I've truthfully not seen any M102 powered 124's with confirmed AMG engine upgrades, although I have known them to exist and seen the AMG claimed output sheets for the various versions of them. This point seems quite significant to the story of the car, especially if you consider the other facts and claims surrounding it. Having an AMG tuned motor would make sense in terms of any "testing" that may have been done in period, and perhaps also lend itself well to the idea that the nickname was given to the car prior to any Adidas affiliation.
If anyone has any more insight, details, photos, documents or stories about this car I would absolutely be over the moon to hear it - factual or otherwise. The points I raised were simply the points I am aware of outside of it being an objectively interesting and cool car, so if there are other aspects of it which I have not mentioned that are worth noting please feel free to share those as well, I'm looking for anything I can find on it!
