The 1979 Mercedes-Benz 500 TE AMG from the Youngtimer Collection will be featured at RM Sotheby’s Upcoming Auction, “Essen 2019” to be held during the Techno-Classica on April 11-12, 2019 in Essen, Germany. “AMG was a Mercedes-Benz company for the 1970s and early 1980s. The W123 chassis with a 5.0-liter V-8, costing a whopping 65,000 German Marks, is one of their most celebrated. It is rumored that only a pair of wagons, sedans, and a single coupe were converted. While its early history is not known, this example was discovered in early 2013 by Henric Nieminen, a California-based AMG enthusiast. The previous owner was not aware of the history of the car but after seeing it in person, he thought it was far more special than the ad let on,” stated the auction house in their press release. This 1979 Mercedes-Benz 500 TE AMG is believed to have been converted to AMG specifications in period, and it is known to have been driven on BBC America's show Top Gear America. “The very early M117 5.0-liter V-8 fitted to the car has been fitted to any specific chassis, yet booted tubular headers, downpipes, secondary oil coolers, and engine mounts have been custom-designed to fit the W123 wagon's engine bay. AMG body kit, OE skid plate, cast aluminum rear suspension, date-stamped 1979 Recaro seats with upholstery that matched the door cards, taxi upper console for additional gauges, and other hallmarks are indicative of early AMG conversion,” mentioned RM Sotheby’s while describing the intricate features of this car. The auction house further added, “The sum of these parts suggests the car was built in period by AMG itself, or by someone who had intimate knowledge of Mercedes-Benz and AMG products at a time when few people would have had knowledge outside AMG. However, there is no conclusive proof or documentation to support this. The car was cosmetically refreshed over the course of 2013, and remained by Nieminen for the next four years. Interestingly, it was used by BBC America's Top Gear America, celebrating 50 years of AMG. In 2017, it was purchased by the consignor and imported to Switzerland, where it has remained ever since as one of the highlights of its collection of pre-merger AMGs.” The pre-auction estimate of this car is calculated around € 60,000 - € 70,000, and it will offered in one of the featured lots at the auction. http://www.blouinartinfo.comFounder: Louise Blouin Read more