Mercedes-Benz W 111

The Mercedes -Benz W111 was the first luxury class model of the tail fin series of Mercedes -Benz, also called "Big Fin " for car enthusiasts. The W 111 replaced the large pontoon models in 1959 from, and provided the technical basis for the Mercedes- models until the end of the 1960s. It was typical of the so-called unit body, so that the limousine models have 111 of the entry types on the six-cylinder W 110 W to 112 W with air suspension (Mercedes- Benz 300 SE) similar appearances. The W 111 was replaced in principle by the W 108 in 1965, only the 230 S was further produced from 1965 to 1968 as the only sedan still parallel to the models W 110 and W 108/109. The coupes and convertibles of the W 111 remained until 1971 in the program.

• 2.1 Model history

Limousine

Model history

The moderate in comparison to the then U.S. vehicles tailfins were manufacturer called " Peilstege " and Bovee Mercedes as a parking aid that mark the end of the car. The W 111 followed until 1959 built large "Ponton " series after 105 W and W 180. His straightforward yet elegant body shape comes from the then - head designer Karl Wilfert MB and his team. The body is characterized by a hitherto unknown passive safety: she had first a stable passenger cell and crumple zones effective. Mercedes did extensive crash tests, for example, they brought a vehicle at 80 km / h over a ramp to the rollover.

Production started in August 1959 with the models 220 ( b ), 220 S ( b ), 220 SE ( b), and from 1965 the 230 S. The latter has a hydropneumatic compensating spring on the rear axle. As the first Mercedes- production car, the 220 ​​SEb Coupe (series beginning in 02/ 61; Limousine from 04 /62) had disc brakes on the front wheels. The engines of the limousines are exclusively six-cylinder Mercedes -Benz M 127 95 to 120 hp: 220 b 95 hp, 220 Sb with 105 hp, 220 S with 110 hp, 220 SE and 230 S with 120 hp. The model 230 S renounced the complex injection system with the two -plunger pump and two triple distributors. It reaches the power increase of 10 hp compared to the otherwise largely the same carburetor model 220 S with an increase in displacement to 2.3 liters.

The b in the type designation 220 b or 220 Sb bordered the tail fin series from 1959 type with the same name of the previous models, the so-called "Ponton " series, from. The basic version has 220 b in contrast to their more powerful brethren smaller, above the rear center slightly slanted tail lights with less chrome trim, and simple rear bumper.

There are in addition to the Mercedes -Benz W 111 two more tail fin series: the 1961 -built "small" Mercedes -Benz W 110, which had a shorter 14.5 cm stem, as well as the Mercedes -Benz W 112 of the 300 SE, equipped with the M 189 - " aluminum motor " of the Mercedes 300 d ( W 189) and air suspension is the top model of the " fins". 300 This subject was also extended by 10 cm Model " long 300 SE ", which is rare to find.

Production end of the sedans 220 b, 220 Sb and 220 SEb was the summer of 1965. Merely the 230 S was until 1968 the assembly line. Successor was built from 1965 W 108th

Suits

In the official sales program, there were 1966 and 1967 the station wagon "Universal".

The vehicles under license from Daimler -Benz at IMA from the beginning of 1965 in Mechelen ( Belgium) were manufactured under the name " Universal" by Mercedes quality specifications were initially only station wagon. In 1965, the W -110- 190 D version was first available as only one. Later three "small" (W 110) models were offered: 200, 200 D, 230, and the only "big " (W 111) of the 230 S. Total 2754 IMA Universal tailfins station wagons were produced. In low levels, also tailfin sedans were produced at IMA. Later at IMA also ran some sedans of the successor type W 115 from the tape. The company went bankrupt in 1968.

IMA -folds are due to the cooperation agreements with Daimler -Benz as the only " official" station wagons of the tail fin models; other combos are considered alterations. For restoration shows that the corrosion protection at IMA was not quite up to Sindelfingen Level: IMA station wagons are, as evidenced by the reports and buyer's guides of the classic car club VDH, statistically worse condition than sedans and show production- and use-dependent, a high need for restoration, especially at the rear end, with the combined specific Karroserieteilen.

In addition to sedans, coupes and convertibles are available from the W 110 and W 111 also special bodies as ambulance, ambulance, hearse and station wagon. In most cases, these were delivered as part manufactured bodies without a roof, rear window and trunk lid from the Sindelfingen plant to multiple Karossieriefirmen. Binz in Lorch (Württemberg ) and Christian Meanies in Bonn made ​​ambulances, but also hearse vans and station wagons.

Pollmann, Rappold, Welsch, Stolle, Pilato and other companies produced primarily hearses. In a very small number next to commercial trucks and station wagons were of the company Jauernig ( Austria ), Marbach ( Switzerland ), Movauto (Portugal) and Haegele made ​​to order. Even Jacques Coune in Brussels ( Belgium) presented in 1964 at the auto show a combination based on the W 111 014 before.

Security

Mercedes -Benz put much emphasis on security. So there is the W 111 front and rear crumple zones further developed, for the first time ever in a car they were installed already, in principle, in the previous models. The idea had the engineer Béla Barényi. The crumple zones are designed to ensure the passenger compartment in an accident, that the impact of the soft front and rear crumple zones front and rear section and soft and therefore less dangerous runs for the vehicle occupants with high stability. In addition, the W has 111 wedge Zapf door locks. In an accident, the doors can not open due to this. Again, this supports the stability of the passenger compartment and prevents the ejection of passengers. Seatbelts were 111 special request in W.

Inside, there were also some safety precautions. The steering wheel has a baffle with padded cover. The telescoped together pushing the steering column connected to a shock -capturing impact absorber should be included but only in the course of the year 1967 in the series of follow-up models and the new "small" vehicle series. The dashboard was against it already has partially elastic or recessed controls, elements and padded.

Coupes and convertibles

Model history

In the series W 111 and W were ranked 112 in addition to the four-door vehicles ( " tail fins " sedans ), the coupe and convertible flatter bodies with rounded, recognizable only in the approach Finns. At the opening of the Daimler -Benz Museum in Untertürkheim on 24 February 1961, the new Mercedes- Benz 220 SE ( b ) Coupé was presented.

As W 111 there were coupe and convertible initially using the same technique of the limousine model 220 SE 220 SEb / C. In contrast to its predecessor, the coupe is based on the uncut frame -to-ground system of the associated sedan and was thus a full four-seater. Coupe and sedan also stylistically many similarities, still could be used for the coupe or convertible not a single of the shell parts of the four-door. For coupes and convertibles four times as many parts were made ​​by hand as for the sedan. This C- models were the last largely hand-crafted Mercedes, which is why the price of coupes and convertibles were almost twice as high as that of the sedans.

The 220 ​​SEb / C was first launched on Mercedes- production car with disc brakes on the front wheels. The original type designation " SE ( b) / C" is unique in that it demonstrates both the difference with the previous model pontoon (SE or SE (a)), on the other hand, with the introduction of nearly identical 250 SE Coupé was abandoned.

In 1965 the 250 SE Coupé models came with 150 hp with the Mercedes -Benz M 129 of the W 108 series out. They received, as well as the three-liter models, the 14 -inch wheels and larger sized disc brakes of the upper class series 108, now with disc brakes on the rear wheels. In 1967, Mercedes a new 2.8 - liter engine Mercedes -Benz M 130 with 160 hp. Consequently, the new W 111 / C was now 280 SE Coupé. There was this small changes in the interior. So far the veneered valve body was covered with leather. Another externally recognizable facelift there were in the W 111 from 1969 with the introduction of the 3.5 -liter V8 engine with 200 hp, as the front end got a lower hood line and a lower grille. The models were thus from then on the ( unofficial ) names " high- cooler " and distinguish " flat radiator ". The 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet with the eight-cylinder engine M116 is a popular vehicle of this type series.

The offered at the same time W -112- 300 SE Coupé and 300 SE Cabriolet, which were to some extent caused by a handle in the tool kit, played a minor role in the sales figures. The body of the corresponding 220 - SEb variant was provided with additional decorative elements and combined 300 SE with the technique of the type. Accordingly, the new exclusive models that belong as the underlying sedan in the W 112 series were equipped with a number of special technical features. The basic equipment includes a light-alloy engine Mercedes -Benz M 189 with three -liter displacement, a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, air suspension and a dual -circuit brake system with disc brakes on front and rear wheels. The additional chrome trim is made of a continuous from the headlights to the rear lights chrome strip in the longitudinal bead and trim on the wheel arches and sills. As of March 1963 300 SE Coupe, Cabriolet and sedan were also available on request with a manual four-speed manual transmission; the list price was reduced in this case, around 1400 Mark. In January 1964, the engine output to 125 kW ( 170 hp ) was increased. A six-plunger injection pump (instead of the previous two punch with manifolds ) allowed this increase in performance.

The air-sprung W-112 types you took in 1967 permanently from the program, and after more than ten years of construction, the total last W -111 six-cylinder coupes and convertibles were produced in May 1971. In July of the same year also ended the production of the eight-cylinder coupes and convertibles. This also ended for the time being the construction of four -seater convertible, as the successor of the W 116 was only available as a sedan. A total of 28 918 coupes and convertibles were built in 7013 at the Sindelfingen plant. The highest production quantities within the model family reached the 220 ​​SE ( b ) coupe with 14,173 units. Although the convertible only cost around 10% more during the construction period as the coupes, they are more than twice as expensive nowadays in comparable condition and motorization. On several were (and are ) therefore coupe subsequently converted into convertibles. For stability reasons, the floor assembly original convertibles is designed stiffer transmission tunnel - a change that is missing on some conversions.

Film appearances

• In the U.S. thriller Marathon Man by director John Schlesinger 's 1976 111 is driven by one of the main characters, Klaus Szell a W. This comes in a chase to life after he rammed a tanker truck.
• In the TV series For heaven's sake, the sisters of the monastery Kaltental drive a car in this series, and in the television series Großstadtrevier the officer Dirk Matthies (aka January Fedder ) also. It is to his own vehicle with H-plates.
• In the film, The Judge and His Hangman 1975 a black sedan in the W series is to see 111. This was driven by Robert Smith and Walter Tschanz.
• In the movie The Hangover a silver 280 SE Cabriolet high cooler is shown.
• In the film On Her Majesty the opponents of secret agent James Bond driving a black sedan, the 220 S. During a chase, the car spectacularly destroyed.
• In the film, Where love a brown 250 SE Cabriolet from Beau Burroughs (aka Kevin Costner ) is falls down.
• In the television series Liebling Kreuzberg Manfred Krug drives a 220 SE Convertible in season 5.

Specifications

Swell

Buyer's Guide (convertible and coupe ) in classic car market, issue 6/2011 p. 48 ff