All Entries Tagged With: "Daimler-Benz"
Fat Cat Capsizing: Much Fun Had In Benzland
By Gunnar Heinrich
I’VE run out of platitudes to praise Johannes Schlorb. Needless to say, he’s a great photographer.
The blogger and very talented photographer runs a site featuring the magnificent Mercedes-Benz 560SEL. Occasionally, his camera lens will find other classic Benzes in addition to W126 generation S-Class sedans and the content – to use gray media language – proves to be every bit as entertaining.
From what I got out of Babelfish (his site’s in German), Herr Schlorb attended a “safety training” get together orchestrated by a local Benz Club somewhere south of the former West German capital Bonn.
As many of the Teutons taking part in the Tri-Star slip ‘n slide were old enough to carry the label “Made in West Germany,” (a practice discontinued after 1985) the location was apt.
It’s not every day that you see a W108 SE drifting running over traffic cones or an R107 SL sideways; which is part of why the event’s shots are so compelling!
Many more polished images are available for sale or simply to peruse through via his website. Never has safety training looked like so much fun.
[Linked: Fuenfkommasechs.de]
Most Popular W126 Benz
By Gunnar Heinrich
280SE is not a model we typically associate with an 80′s S-Class – Stateside.
Europe being even more gas starved than America in the late 70s had a more urgent need to run on less dino-juice for longer stretches of kilometers. While interior space and luxury mattered, acceleration wasn’t a top priority.
Hence the strong desire in the first production years (1979 -1985) for the 2.8 liter, 12 valve, straight-six that powered the 280SE – a model that was sold worldwide save for these United States.
Manufacturing two versions, one using a carburetor and another featuring fuel injection, the 280′s engine made 154 and 185 1980s horsepower, respectively, and would haul the big Benz to 60 mph in a casual 11 and 10 seconds.
Amazingly, given enough time and tarmac the engines were good for pushing on to 124 and 130 mph, out running BMW’s 177 hp 733i.
In total Mercedes-Benz built 133,955 units of the 280SE. That’s more than 20,000 units over the next most popular W126 model which we in America did receive – the 300SE (105,422 units). By contrast, Stuttgart manufactured just 78,725 300SD turbodiesels
[Source: Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, vol.4. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag, 112-113 via Wikipedia | IMG via Ian Dunross' S-Class Page]
Brock Yates & The 450SEL 6.9
By Gunnar Heinrich
BACK in the day (late 70s), Mercedes-Benz of North America paid renowned auto rag writer Brock Yates to compose an advertising piece on the most powerful S-Class Stuttgart had yet built – the monumental 450SEL 6.9.
In Mr. Yates, MBNA found, “one of the most respected writers in the automotive community, to devise a no-holds-barred evaluation. One that would reveal the full potential of this extraordinary car.”
Happily, the adoration seemed mutual.
In a Daimler-Benz product, Mr. Yates waxed adoringly, “I know before driving the machine that high standards of quality and fabrication will be met; I know too that road-holding, steering, stopping and passenger safety will not be compromised; and I am confident that the new automobile will attempt to make some major engineering statement that transcends simple commercial instincts.”
Considering that Mr. Yates had previously saluted the standard 450SEL as, “the best all-around car in the world,” MBNA had some assurance to have confidence in Mr. Yates’ paid-for appraisal.
“In accepting this assignment, Mr. Yates imposed only one condition: that he be permitted to describe negative aspects as well as the strengths of the 6.9. We had confidence enough in the 6.9 that we readily agreed. The observations in the following article, then, are Brock Yates’ own.”
Tap the link to read the article in full.
(Thanks for the link, HD!)
[Linked: Brock Yates' 6.9 Evaluation | Just What Is The Difference Between a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL v. 450SEL 6.9? ]
Funfkommasechs Strikes Again! Superlative PhotoShopping
By Gunnar Heinrich | Image von Johannes Schlörb
SIX HOURS of labor went into the photo shopping.
Not too mention the time taken to shoot the same magnificent navy blue Mercedes-Benz 560SEL time lapse style over the course of 10 minutes – just before the sun rose over Germany’s verdant lands.
I’ve spent my own time waxing enthusiastic on just how talented I find Herr Schlörb’s photography. Lucky for him, I’m not the only one. The image you see will be the front cover of one Germany’s Mercedes enthusiast publications.
Johannes seems circumspect about just which one that is…
There’s poetic justice to the photo’s location. Apparently, to replenish the 23.8 gallon tank full of premium unleaded requires a stout heart and pockets deep enough to stomach $200 fill-ups.
Dark times to be sure. But as we’re shown, even the grayest horizon can act as canvas for the most brilliant rainbow.
Now if only there’s a Shell card on the other end.
[Linked: fuenfkommasechs]
Vintage Benz Photo Montage For The Enjoyment of Online Teutonophiles
By Gunnar Heinrich
I could go on writing posts about late 80s Benzes. So, I will.
What registers most about the amount of good content featuring old German cars is that there’s a severe lack of good content featuring old German cars.
For the Teutonic aficionado, the online absence of professional photos, thoughtful commentary, and accurate data on the late model cars that many of us love is sad, to be sure.
So, ADL is doing its part to fix that.
And considering the number of ADL posts written last week that featured some of Stuttgart’s finest, yours thought it best to consolidate the various scanned images from my own 1986 Mercedes-Benz North America brochure and to create one, centralized post to encapsulate the whole lot.
Click to enlarge. And enjoy.
You know I do.
Completing The 560 Range: Benz’s Magnificent 560SEC
By Christopher P. Davis
IN a perfect world, the elves from the Black Forest pictured a three-car garage.
In it sat a 560SEL – which would propel you to your daily slayings in the corporate world – to the right, a 560SL – for open-top boulevard cruising and of course the occasional weekend picnic – and, finally, the 560SEC.
Sporty yet refined. Classic yet modern. Sadly, one of Benz’s best is now just some forgotten coupe. Perfect for a night at the opera, and maybe a Friday car, like the current CL-Class, the SEC was an expensive, low volume choice. So much so, the “E” is SEC should have stood for “exclusive.”
Arriving in an S-Class coupe, you made a statement, frankly, that money was no object and that practicality was for “the little people.” Sure, for a little less money (the coupe’s MSRP was north of $70,000) you could have a 560SEL and two more doors, but who bothered to count? You had accountants for that.
Confronted by a 560SEC, there’s little room to doubt that it is a true Mercedes-Benz. The Tri-Star logo, representing land, air, and sea is prominently featured, much in the way it currently is on the CL and on the new C-Class Sport.
The star has an angular front, which through former Benz Design Chief Bruno Sacco’s genius avoids being overtly “sporty” or ostentatious. Simply told, it’s the embodiment of the balanced design ethic that was part of every model Mercedes produced in the 80s.
On the headlamps rest diminutive wiper blades, a feature that I always thought to be rather cool and somewhat practical, but overall, just plain cool. On top of the hood where a star ornament would usually stand, is a larger blue-white star and laurel roundel that’s featured on nearly every Mercedes two-door.
From the side, your eye sweeps across the car, as the design is completely fluid, there is no rough spot, just one beautiful automobile. The 560 SEC is a pillarless coupe, a fact that greatly enhances that sweep.
In a December 2006 edition of British Mercedes-Benz magazine Mercedes Enthusiast, Bruno Sacco was reported to have recently acquired, as the writer put it, “(A) low mileage 560SEC in Anthracite with black leather and burr walnut. ‘It is now almost perfect,’ he murmured, eyes twinkling.”
From the rear, the 560SEC is very similar to any other W126. The only difference between the rear of sedan is that the coupe sports a slightly larger rear windscreen.
On the interior, a 560SEC has all the sharp fit and finish of its four door sibling.
One novel feature is a seat belt presenter – a think black plastic arm that extends the belt out for you from a chrome ringed cavity beneath the rear window sill. Although novel in the 80s, it’s a feature that time has shown to be just a tad temperamental.
Between the back seats of the SEC was a beautiful burled wood retractable console. Similar to that found on current CL-Class models, although on the 560SEC it is much larger; the amount of burled wood is stunning!
The 560SEC is a big car by any measure. It weighs in at over 3960 pounds and covers just over 199.2 inches of asphalt stem to stern.
In today’s world of Prius’ (or is it Prii?) the 560SEC is a throwback to a bygone era – the decadence of the 80’s.
Supreme excess.
Owning one today is as much a statement as it was then. It denotes success, style, intelligence, and class. It’s a designer tank, engineered unlike any other car in the world and styled to please even the most fashion conscious.
“Luxury cars” abound, but 560SECs do not – with only 28,929 of these beauties made. What’s more, a well cared-for example will mechanically stand the test of time at least as well as its classic good looks.
The 560SEC is the perfect coupe to complete anyone’s garage.
[Images: 1986 Brochure by Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.]
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*Note* An avid reader since early 2007, Mr. Davis is a new contributor to Automobiles De Luxe.
Turbo 80′s To The Max (Headroom): Benz 300SDL Commentary + Period Pics To Match
By Gunnar Heinrich
GOTTA love the 80s. As any Saab aficionado will attest, it was the decade when turbo was king.
It really didn’t matter how fast your car was or wasn’t; as long as it wore a “Turbo” badge, you and everyone else could think your car was quick because Turbo = Speed!
Trouble was getting up to speed. In the case of the “300SDL Turbo Sedan,” that meant 10 seconds to 60.
That’s quick time in its day for a 3,800 pound diesel, but generally lagging four seconds or so behind what was then considered a fast naught to 60 time.
And despite being “the most supremely civilized diesel ever designed,” the 300SDL was a W126 generation S-Class that – along with the premium powered 380SE – didn’t really sell.
Mercedes brought the 300SDL to market in ’86 to 86 the legendary 300SD, whose five cylinder engine was (and remains broadly) a true, stout, bomb-proof workhorse of an oil burner.
But die volk auf Stuttgart were looking for a little, no, a lot more refinement and a bit more balance. So, they engineered a sixth cylinder and constructed some sound deadening measures around the engine to keep down das funk.
“The 300SDL simply refuses to sound like a typical diesel-engined automobile -even at idle,” The US MB brochure intones, “The engine is acoustically encapsulated within its compartment, and even underneath, to absorb and contain running noise. These and other ingenious measures help make it one of the more quietly capable automobiles in the world, gasoline or diesel.”
Having driven two examples of the 300SD and witnessed one 300SDL at idle and then under acceleration, the extra cladding really paid off.
For US based diesel collectors, this softer spoken Benz that rests on a longer (121.1″ wheelbase) represents the last of the great and grand diesel powered S-Classes.
The following 350SDL introduced in ’88 tarnished Benz’s sterling reputation for die-hard diesels by dying hard before the clock saw 100K (heresy for the typical Benz diesel which sees more than 300,000 miles).
By the time the dreaded 3.5 liter powerplant had been put to not working in the W140 generation’s 300SD and 350SD, owners of both gens brought a class action lawsuit against Mercedes-Benz – and won.
The 300SDL, theretofore, is likely any S-Class aficionado’s prime diesel choice. Even if the performance promise behind the Turbo badging is just a little lagging.
[Click brochure spec sheet to enlarge]
Mercedes-Benz 560SEL US Brochure Pictures
By Gunnar Heinrich
“REPOSING in the rear seat of the 560SEL Sedan, basking in near-limousine spaciousness and an atmosphere of blissful peace and quiet with almost every conceivable amenity at hand, you might find it difficult if not impossible to think of this as anything but one of the most supremely livable automobiles ever built.”
When can I move in?
Truth in disclosure, your faithful publisher owns one 1986 navy blue over grey 560SEL which helps fuel an everlasting adoration of three box German sedans.
These are some scanned images from a period US brochure showcasing the former flagship that set the modern benchmark for what a solid luxury grand touring motor car should be.
The standard of excellence that Bruno Sacco penned and the volk auf Stuttgart manufactured has endured long after the W126 series ended in 1991.
Perhaps that’s why so many are still in service, cared for, and remain “supremely liveable.”
[Linked: fuenfkommasechs.de]
Shots From Brochures Past: Benz 560SL
By Gunnar Heinrich
PHOTOGRAPHY being the artful demarcation of time and place that it is, there’s something about this image that’s at once period and on the other hand, indelibly timeless.
Pictured above is a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL shot in the great American West in red over cream; popular for topless Teutons of that era.
These three SL photos are scanned facsimiles from an old US S-Class brochure that a friend gifted me nearly nine years ago.
The brochure itself is a testament to an unapologetic era of status assertion.
It reads as follows:
“The legendary SL Coupe/Roadster has earned its unique niche in the motoring world by blending two rich automotive themes: the lure of a lithe and eager top-down sporting machine and the reassurance of a strong, secure, supremely livable Mercedes-Benz. For 1986, the most confirmed SL advocate will revise his opinion upward.”
Much of the rest of the promotional text talks with the same über confidence that can only come from successfully selling a model line that sold virtually free from competition in the US market for two decades.
Timeless, indeed.
[Linked: March 1994 R&T Review of R107 Line]
Benz’s Best > Top Ten Postwar Models
10) Geländewagen a.k.a. “G-Wagen” W460/461/463 (1979 – )
The ultimate survivor. Built to military spec., there’s solid reason why the UN and NGO peace organizations use the G-Wagen to get the job done. Utilitarian looks as timeless as the Range Rover County and Hummer H1.
9) S-Class W116 (1972-1979)
This solid, stolid generation of flagships included the legendary might-makes-right 450SEL 6.9. The classic three box German saloon, the 70′s S-Class rolls on as a great vestige of the marque’s grand heritage.
S-Class W140 (Sedan) (1991-1999)
Despite being chastised for running out of step with the times, the W140 saloons set the standard for the 90s. Big and beautiful, these chariots were commodious, luxurious, and represented the last generation of Mercedes sedans to embody the vaunted “vault-like” feel.
7) E Class W210 (1995-2002)
Not as solid as its W124 predecessor, but miles ahead in style. No other model in contemporary Mercedes history generated as much excitement or so revolutionized the marque as this generation E. Hugely popular, the line included the torque rich E55 AMG.
6) SL Class R230 (2002- )
Elegant yet sporty, the current generation SL embodies a classic blend of pure style. The SL is the most comfortable and luxurious roadster Mercedes-Benz has yet built and is also the most powerful. The SL55 and 65 AMG models lifted the bar on performance.
5) 300S W188 (1951-1958)
The start of the greatest flagship series the world has known. Subtle design belies solid quality and luxurious craftsmanship. The first of postwar Benz’s opened topped tourers stands as one of the 20th Century’s grandest.
4) SL Class R107 (1971-1989)
An icon for two generations. Greater than the previous W113 “Pagoda”, this roadster rolls with class, style, and substance. The 500SL and 560SL V8s produced performance times that rivaled Ferrari and Porsche. Among the ultimate boulevardiers of all time.
3) 250/280/300SE cabriolet W111/W112 (1961-1967)
Perhaps the best 2+2 convertible ever built. Precious few cars can rival the SE cabriolet’s classic panache. Instantly collectible and reliably solid, this generation will be remembered as among the finest cars Stuttgart ever built.
2) 300SL Gullwing and Roadster W198 (1954-1963)
Sex on wheels. The roadster may rank as the most beautiful car ever built. The Gullwing may rank as the most iconic Benz ever. The symbol of revival to postwar Germany’s auto industry. The straight-six’s performance set the bar for supercar performance for more than 30 years. It’s easy to justify six to seven figure price tags.
1) S Class W126 (Sedan and Coupe) (1979-1991)
The greatest generation. The longest lived S-Class and among the most commercially successful model lines in Mercedes history. Part of Benz’s golden era of over-engineering, the 80s S-Class rank among the most solid cars ever built. The 300SD, 500/560SEC, 500/560SEL are icons. Bruno Sacco’s grand sedan and coupe – penned in the 70s – influenced industry design through the 90s.
