This article, covering the Mercedes Benz W202 C 36 AMG – built between 1995 and 1997, originally appeared in the March / April 2015 issue of the printed SL Market Letter. Founded in 1982, the SL Market Letter has been reporting on collectible Mercedes cars of all kinds for decades. Check with the SL Market Letter Business Office to inquire about ordering back issues of the SL Market Letter for a nominal fee. This article or others in your particular model interest may be available. Call 612-377-0155 or email [email protected].
All cars start as ‘new cars’, then they become ‘used cars’ and if everything falls into place, they become collector cars. Today, the C 36 AMG is a used car at the bottom of its depreciation curve representing a lot of car for not much money.
According to the Mercedes Museum archives, there were 5,221 C 36s produced. In comparison, they produced 25,230 190E 2.3-16 valves and 10,479 E 500s. According to mercedes-amg.com’s ‘Private Lounge’ U.S. imports by year break down like this: 401 in 1995, 296 in 1996 and just 199 in 1997.
The C 36 was widely accepted by both the car buying public and automotive journalists of the day. The cars sold well, despite the fact they were $20,000 more than a regular C Class and $15,000 more than a BMW M3. In a 1996 article Road & Track magazine called the C 36 “the best of Benz taken to performance extremes”.
Let’s consider how each car came to be. C 36s started life on the regular production line, side by side with future C 280 and 230 models at Mercedes’ Bremen, Germany factory. There, they were equipped with a sturdier final drive, larger vented front discs from the SL 600, larger rears from the E 420, stiffer front and rear anti-roll bars and a quicker-ratio steering box. 17 inch AMG wheels with very wide Bridgestone Expedia tires were fitted along with front fenders that were modified on the inside to accommodate the wider wheel / tire package. The cars, without bumpers or side skirts, were then shipped south to Affalterbach. Upon arrival, special gas-pressure shocks were installed along with bumpers and ground effects. The front apron not only looked good, it was functional, housing a set of fog lights as well as air ducts to help cool the car’s massive brakes, bigger than those of a contemporary Ferrari 512TR.
The standard 2.8 liter engine producing 194 bhp was removed and replaced with an AMG modified example, bored and stroked to 3.6 liters, it had a higher compression ratio. Modifications were made to the cylinder head, block and engine-management system. It received a larger intake manifold, revised intake-valve and exhaust cam-timing, forged aluminum pistons, modified rods, a new crankshaft and additional oil-spray jets in the engine block. A freer-flowing, dual exhaust system finished things up in the back.
I was lucky enough to get to drive a 1996 C 36 during ‘Monterey Car Week’ a couple of years ago, it sure beat a rental car! 268 hp doesn’t sound like a lot today, but it’s plenty in this car. They’re quick, responsive, buttery smooth and, dare I say, practical at the same time? Buy the best original paint example you can find with service history and simply enjoy it.