It’s the turn of the C126-Series Mercedes-Benz SEC to join the restomod ranks—and Florida’s Renntech is ensuring it makes an impact.
To that end, the company’s Sledgehammer SEC is fitted with the legendary M120 V-12 engine, as previously installed in the CLK GTR and Pagani Zonda. Not content with the 6.9-liter capacity deployed in the GTR, nor even the 7.3 liters of the Zonda, Renntech has increased the engine’s displacement to a whopping 7.5 liters.
Back in its heyday, the most serious SEC was the 560, which mustered a little under 300 hp from its 5.6-liter V-8. In the followup C140 600 SEC, Mercedes did use a version of the M120 V-12 with close to 400 horses, but the Sledgehammer from Renntech simply demolishes those numbers.
The all-aluminum, hand-built engine produces 660 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, and it features hand-formed equal-length headers for a “signature V-12 sound.” Renntech hasn’t disclosed further technical details on the Sledgehammer’s running gear, stating only that it has a “unified chassis, drivetrain, and aerodynamic package.”
The company’s renders show a wraparound bodykit and wide, box-flared fenders that are all well in keeping with original 1980s styling of the car, along with a hood bulge to accommodate that V-12. Only the rear diffuser looks a little out of context but will, no doubt, help keep the Sledgehammer grounded at speed, along with a small lip spoiler on the trunk lid. Five-spoke deep-dished alloy wheels are custom-forged in a classic AMG style. The interior will be customized to each buyer’s taste.
Renntech describes itself as “the foremost authority in AMG and Mercedes-Benz performance tuning since 1989” and has recently developed update packages for the AMG GT63 and Black Series, along with a selection of ’80s and ’90s restomods. Renntech says it only plans to build 12 Sledgehammers, with the the first due to hit the road in December 2027.