- HWA AG, the team behind reimagined versions of the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II, has released a preview of its next project.
- The German motorsports specialist’s new teaser image shows the side profile of what appears to be a Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer from the late ‘80s.
- The original W124-based Hammer had AMG-specific bodywork and a 355-hp 5.5-liter V-8 that sent it to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds on the way to a 178-mph top speed.
The same way that Singer has become famous for “reimagining” classic versions of the Porsche 911, HWA AG has followed a similar formula with iconic AMG-tuned Mercedes-Benz models. Based in Affalterbach, Germany, HWA has a long history with Mercedes and AMG, and the motorsports specialist recently released its first street car, the 190E 2.5-16 Evo II, and earlier this year it revealed the track-focused Evo R. Now, HWA is teasing its next project, which looks to step up from the W201-based sedan to the larger W124 chassis.
If you’re familiar with HWA’s background and the Mercedes x AMG back catalog, one look at the new teaser image featured at the top of this story will have you thinking one thing: HWA is developing a new version of the legendary AMG Hammer from the late 1980s. In a post on its Instagram account, the company wrote: “Following the HWA EVO, we are revisiting another extraordinary chapter of our engineering heritage. Staying true to its origins while exploring the possibilities of modern technology, a familiar idea is taking on an entirely new form.”
Like HWA’s previous projects, this new “reimagined” AMG Hammer won’t be a restomod but rather as close to an all-new car as you can get. Like with the Evo II, the new Hammer’s dimensions may be stretched, and we wouldn’t be surprised if most of the body panels are made of carbon fiber. The chassis will likely be reinforced for improved stiffness and enhanced with modern-day suspension parts.
It’s unclear what will power the new Hammer, but the original version featured a 5.5-liter V-8 that was adopted from the Mercedes-Benz S-class and heavily modified to make 355 horsepower and 388 pound-feet of torque. The one Car and Driver tested back in the day hit 60 mph in an impressive 5.0 seconds and went on to reach a top speed of 178 mph—faster than exotics of that era like the Porsche 911 Turbo and Lamborghini Countach.
HWA says it will be revealing more details about its new car down the road. And if you’re wondering how much it might cost, Kalshi or Polymarket would probably put the figure on the high end of the six-figure spectrum, considering the Evo II was said to start around the equivalent of $770K.
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Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.