The C126 coup was Bruno Sacco at his most confident. No B-pillar, no wasted line, nothing shouting. In black, dropped over polished split-rims and wearing a full AMG body kit, it becomes something else entirely: the car that sat outside the right restaurants in 1988 and made everything parked next to it look like it was trying too hard. This is a genuine AMG car, and the distinction matters. In the 1980s AMG was still an independent operation in Affalterbach, building cars to order for customers who wanted more than Stuttgart was prepared to offer. That era ended when AMG became part of Mercedes-Benz, which is why period cars like this one are now collected rather than modified. The body kit is all genuine AMG, as is the exhaust system and the AMG dash, and anyone who has tried to source original Affalterbach parts for a 126 will know what that combination is worth. Reproductions are everywhere. This is the real thing. Underneath sits the M117 5.0-litre V8, an engine built for crossing countries rather than winning traffic lights, delivering its performance in one long uninterrupted shove with the AMG exhaust adding the right amount of menace behind it. With 60,000 km covered, this remains a low-mileage example of a car that is increasingly difficult to find unabused, let alone in full period AMG specification. At a glance 60,000 km / approx. 37,300 miles Genuine AMG model Full genuine AMG body kit Genuine AMG exhaust system Genuine AMG dash