The E 36 AMG is the W124 with AMG’s 3.6-liter twin-cam straight six, 272 PS, offered from 1993 to 1997 as a coupe, cabriolet and station wagon. It was never sold in the US, where the W124 topped out at the E 320 and the 500 E. Every E 36 AMG is now over 25 years old and legal to import.
Why Americans want it
The 500 E has become a six-figure car. The E 36 AMG is the other factory-blessed W124, with the AMG body kit, 17-inch monoblocks, lowered suspension and an engine that revs like nothing Mercedes sold here. Coupes and cabriolets in particular have no US equivalent, and total production was small; estimates run to a few hundred cars across all bodies.
What was never sold in the US
- Model: E 36 AMG in every body style (C124 coupe, A124 cabriolet, S124 estate; sedans exist in small numbers through AMG conversion).
- Engine: M104 bored and stroked to 3.6 liters by AMG, 272 PS at 5,750 rpm, roughly 284 lb-ft.
- Transmission: 4-speed automatic (a 5-speed manual was available on some early cars; rare).
- Years: September 1993 to mid-1996 for coupe and estate, mid-1993 to mid-1997 for the cabriolet.
Eligible years (25-year rule)
Production ended in 1997, so every E 36 AMG is eligible now. Nothing switches over in 2027 or 2028.
What to look for
- Authenticity first. The E 36 package was factory- and dealer-installed, and AMG body kits were widely copied. We verify the engine number (M104.99x prefix), the AMG data card and, where possible, the AMG build sheet before we call a car an E 36.
- Engine: head-gasket oil seepage on M104s, wiring harness insulation (the biodegradable-loom years, 1993–1995), and the upper timing chain guides.
- Rust: rear spring perches, jack points, trunk floor and the base of the A-pillars on cabriolets. Southern cars are usually clean.
- Interior: AMG Recaro-style seats and the specific steering wheel are expensive to replace; check condition.
- Documents: Mercedes-Benz Classic data card, AMG invoice or build sheet, full history.
Typical landed price
Europe: roughly €45,000–€90,000 depending on body and provenance; cabriolets and estates at the top. Landed at Newark or Baltimore with duty at the rate in effect on entry: roughly $63,000–$121,000. Container freight recommended.
Registration notes
- California: post-1975, gasoline; CARB lab certification applies, not guaranteed.
- Fuel: gasoline.
- Title: 17-character VIN. US title from Salvage Motors LLC.
Our take
The cabriolet is the one to own: a hand-finished W124 drop-top with an AMG engine, and no 500 E tax. Pay for paperwork; without the AMG documentation it is an E 320 with a body kit, and we price it as one.
FAQ
How rare is the E 36 AMG?
No official total has been published; most sources put all bodies combined in the low hundreds. We say “roughly a few hundred” and do not go further.
Is it faster than a 500 E?
No. It is lighter, revs higher and is available in bodies the 500 E never came in.
Can I get AMG parts?
Mercedes-Benz Classic still supplies most mechanical parts; AMG-specific trim and wheels are sourced used in Europe.