: ''See
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as ''Sonderklasse'' (German for "special class", abbreviated as "S-Klasse"), is a series of full-sized luxury vehicle, luxury sedans, limousines and Armored car (VIP), armored sedans produced by the Germa ...
for a complete overview of all S-Class models.''
The Mercedes-Benz W111 was a chassis code given to a range of
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
vehicles produced between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959-1968) and two-door coupés and cabriolets (1961 to 1971). Their bodywork featured distinctive
tailfins
The tailfin era of automobile styling encompassed the 1950s and 1960s, peaking between 1955 and 1961. It was a style that spread worldwide, as car designers picked up styling trends from the US automobile industry, where it was regarded as the ...
that gave the models their ''Heckflosse'' nickname — German for "fintail".
Introduced with a 2.2-litre
inline 6-cylinder engine, the W111 spawned a pair of variant lines which bracketed it in 1961: downscale entry-level
inline 4-cylinder engined vehicles sharing the W111 chassis and bodies, designated the
W110; and the
W112, a high-end luxury saloon built on the W111 chassis with its body but exclusive features, elaborate appointments, and the
Mercedes-Benz 300d
: ''See Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a complete overview of all S-Class models.''
The Mercedes-Benz W189 model 300 was a four-door luxury tourer produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1957 and 1962. It was the company's flagship model at the time, equiv ...
''Adenauer's'' fuel-injected 3-litre
M189 six-cylinder engine – at the time the company's largest.
Somewhat confusingly, both the W111 and W112 lines included vehicles with different
Paul Bracq
Paul Bracq (born December 13, 1933, Bordeaux, France) is an automotive designer noted for his work at Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Citroën, and Peugeot.
Career
Bracq's career began in the design studio of Philippe Charbonneaux, serving as his assistan ...
-designed bodywork, the 2-door coupé and cabriolet.
Design
Mercedes-Benz emerged from
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as an automaker in the early 1950s with the expensive
300
__NOTOC__
Year 300 (Roman numerals, CCC) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Valerius (or, less frequently, ...
''Adenauers'' and exclusive
300 S grand tourers that gained it fame, but it was the simple unibody
Pontons which comprised the bulk of the company's revenues.
Work on replacing the Pontons began in 1956 with a design focused on passenger comfort and safety. The basic Ponton cabin was widened and squared off, with a large glass greenhouse improving
driver visibility
A blind spot in a vehicle or vehicle blind spot is an area around the vehicle that cannot be directly seen by the driver while at the controls, under existing circumstances. In transport, driver visibility is the maximum distance at which the dr ...
. A milestone in car design were front and rear
crumple zone
Crumple zones, crush zones, or crash zones are a structural safety feature used in vehicles, mainly in automobiles, to increase the time over which a change in velocity (and consequently momentum) occurs from the impact during a collision by a ...
s for absorbing
kinetic energy
In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion.
It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its accele ...
on impact. The automaker also patented retractable
seatbelts
A seat belt (also known as a safety belt, or spelled seatbelt) is a vehicle safety device designed to secure the driver or a passenger of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result during a collision or a sudden stop. A seat belt reduc ...
.
Production history
Saloon
![P060 Mercedes-Benz 220 W111](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/P060_Mercedes-Benz_220_W111.jpg)
Series production of the 4-door saloon began in August 1959, which made its debut at the
Frankfurt Auto Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
in the autumn. Initially the series consisted of the 220b, 220Sb, and 220SEb. These replaced the (
W105) 219, the (
W180) 220S and the (
W128) 220SE Ponton saloons respectively. The 220b was an entry-level version with little chrome trim, simple hubcaps, and basic interior trim that lacked pockets in the doors. Prices were
DM16,750, 18,500 and 20,500, with a rough sales ratio of 1:2:1.
All models shared the 2195 cc
M127 straight-six engine
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine bala ...
carried over from the previous generation, producing at 4800 rpm and capable of accelerating the heavy car to 160 km/h (155 if fitted with optional
automatic gearbox
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
). The 220Sb featured twin
carburettors
A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meterin ...
and produced at 5000 rpm, raising top speed to () and improving 0–100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration to 15 seconds (16 on the 220b). The top of the range 220SEb featured
Bosch fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
producing at 4800 rpm, with a top speed of ( for auto) and a 0–100 km/h (62 mph) time of 14 seconds.
![Mercedes-Benz-Museum 2015-01 by-RaBoe 155](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Mercedes-Benz-Museum_2015-01_by-RaBoe_155.jpg)
In 1961, the W111 chassis and body were shared with the even more basic 4-cylinder
W110 and a luxury
W112 version built on the W111 chassis with its body and the
Type 300 series' 3-litre
M189 big block 6-cylinder engine, many standard power features, and a high level of interior and exterior trim. The body of the W110 featured a shorter bonnet, compared to the W111.
![Mercedes W111 220SB rear MTP07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Mercedes_W111_220SB_rear_MTP07.jpg)
In May 1965, the 220Sb and 220SEb were replaced by the new 230S. It was visually identical to the 220S, with a modernised 2306 cm
3 M180 engine with twin Zenith carburettors producing at 5400 rpm. Top speed is ( for the auto), acceleration from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) is 13 seconds (15 with automatic transmission). As a successor to the 220b, Mercedes-Benz also introduced the
230
Year 230 (Roman numerals, CCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Agricola and Clementinus (or, less frequently, year ...
, with the 2306 cm
3 engine fitted into the W110 series car. A total of 41,107 230S models were built through January 1968, when the last of 4-door fintails left the production line.
During its ten-year run between 1959 and 1968 a total of 337,803 W111s were built.
Coupé and cabriolet
![Heckflosse280se](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Heckflosse280se.jpg)
Design of a replacement for the two-door Pontons began in 1957. Since most of the chassis and drivetrain were to be unified with the saloon, the scope was focused on the exterior styling. Mercedes chose the work of engineer
Paul Bracq
Paul Bracq (born December 13, 1933, Bordeaux, France) is an automotive designer noted for his work at Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Citroën, and Peugeot.
Career
Bracq's career began in the design studio of Philippe Charbonneaux, serving as his assistan ...
, which featured a more square, subtle rear-end treatment, more evocative of the later squarish styling of the subsequent
W108/W109 than the sharp-edged tailfins of the saloon.
Production began in late 1960, with the coupé making its debut at the 75th anniversary of the opening of
Mercedes-Benz Museum
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automobile museum in Stuttgart, Germany. It covers the history of the Mercedes-Benz brand and the brands associated with it. Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz brand and the international headquarters of the Merc ...
in
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
in February of the next year. The convertible followed at the
Frankfurt Auto Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
a few months later. Almost identical to the coupé, its soft-top roof folded into a recess behind the rear seat and was covered by a tightly fitting leather "boot" in the same color as the seats. Unlike the previous generation of two-door ponton series, the 220SE designation was used for both the coupé and convertible; both received the same version of the 2195 cc M127 engine. Prices in 1962 were 32,500 for the coupé and 36,000
Dutch Guilders
The guilder ( nl, gulden, ) or florin was the currency of the Netherlands from the 15th century until 2002, when it was replaced by the euro.
The Dutch name ''gulden'' was a Middle Dutch adjective meaning "golden", and reflects the fact that, wh ...
for the cabriolet. Options included a sliding sunroof for the coupé, automatic transmission, power steering, and individual rear seats.
![MERCEDES-BENZ 280 SE-tył-sł](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/MERCEDES-BENZ_280_SE-ty%C5%82-s%C5%82.jpg)
In March 1962, Mercedes-Benz released the exclusive two-door M189-powered 300SE. Like the 300 saloon, it was based on the W111 chassis but shared both Daimler's top-range 2996 cm
3 fuel-injected engine and the unique
W112 chassis designation, efforts on Mercedes' part to distance it from the maker's modest W110 and W111 lineups and link it to the prestigious
W188 300S two-door luxury sports tourer. It was distinguished by a chrome strip, and featured air suspension and a higher level of interior trim and finish. Prices were 45,000 and 48,500 for the hard and soft roofs respectively.
In summer of 1965 Mercedes-Benz launched replacements for both W111 and W112 saloons, the
W108 and W109 respectively. With the tailfin fashion well eroded by the mid 1960s, the new design was based on the restrained W111 coupé, widened and squared off. Work on a future new chassis that would fully replace the Ponton-derived W111/W112 and W108/W109 was well under way. With a concept car of the first
S-Class was shown in 1967, Daimler declined to develop a two-door W108/W109 vehicle, instead continuing production of the aging W111/W112 with modest changes. The 220SE was superseded in early autumn 1965 by the 250SE, which featured the new 2496 cm
3 M129 engine. Producing at 5500 rpm, it gave the vehicle a significant improvement in top speed, ( with automatic transmission), and 0–100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 12 seconds (14 with automatic transmission). Visible changes include new 14-inch wheels, which came with new hub cabs and beauty rings accommodating the larger disc brakes and new rear axle from the W108 family.
![3-4 dalas 12 pie zoga](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/3-4_dalas_12_pie_zoga.JPG)
In November 1967 the 250 SE was superseded by the 280 SE. It was powered by the new 2778 cc
M130 engine, which produced at 5500 rpm. Top speed was hardly affected, but acceleration from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) improved to 10.5 seconds (13 with automatic transmission). Inside, the car received a wood veneer option on the dashboard and other minor changes, including door lock buttons and different heater levers. The hubcaps were changed yet again to a new one piece wheelcover, and the exterior mirror was changed.
Despite its smaller engine, the 280 SE could outperform the early 1950s M189 powered 300 SE, resulting in the more expensive model's retirement.
The 280 SE 3.5
![1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE (W 111) coupe (2010-07-25)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/1969_Mercedes-Benz_280_SE_%28W_111%29_coupe_%282010-07-25%29.jpg)
A final model was added in August 1969, the 280 SE 3.5, the first Mercedes post-War coupé with more than 3 litres. The car was fitted with the brand-new
M116 3499 cc
V8. It produced at 5800 rpm, and a top speed of ( with automatic transmission) and a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) at 9.5 seconds (11.5 for the automatic transmission). As one of several changes to modernize the aging design a lower, wider grille was incorporated and the facelifted model is often by the Germans referred to as the "flachkühler". The new grill was not a side-effect of enlarging the engine compartment to accommodate the V8 despite popular belief. Front and rear bumpers were also modified with the addition of rubber rub strips; the rear lenses changed to a flatter cleaner design. This change was carried across to the standard 280 SE. As the top of its range, the 280 SE 3.5 is seen as an ideological successor to the W112 300 SE, though it lacked the W112's
air suspension
Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an electric or engine-driven air pump or compressor. This compressor pumps the air into a flexible bellows, usually made from textile-reinforced rubber. Unlike hydropneumatic suspension, ...
.
There were plans to place the larger M117 V8 engine in the W111 (the model would have been called 280 SE 4.5).
The last 280 SE was produced in January 1971, with the 280 SE 3.5 ending in July. The total production over the decade was: 220 SEb - 16,902, 250 SE - 6,213, 280 SE - 5,187, and 280 SE 3.5 - 4,502 units. Not including 3,127 W112 300 SE models, the grand total of 2-door W111 models was 32,804 of which 7,456 were convertibles.
The indirect replacement for the coupé was the
C107 ''SLC'', which was a hardtop coupé version of the SL roadster, with no link with the S Class range. The true successor of the W111/12 coupé was the
C126 (SEC) coupé of 1981. As the R107 SL grew bigger and more luxury oriented, it assumed the position of the top of the range convertible, which meant the four-seater convertible would disappear from Mercedes-Benz's lineup for nearly two-decades, until the
A124
List of A roads in zone 1 in Great Britain beginning north of the River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longe ...
in 1992.
Models
Model timeline
References
Notes
Bibliography
General
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Workshop manuals
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External links
''Curbside Classic:'' 1966 Mercedes 250SE Cabriolet (W111) – The Classiest Mercedes Of Them All?– a retrospective of the W111 cabriolet
{{Mercedes-Benz CL-class lineage
W111
: ''See Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a complete overview of all S-Class models.''
The Mercedes-Benz W111 was a chassis code given to a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959-1968) and two- ...
W111
: ''See Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a complete overview of all S-Class models.''
The Mercedes-Benz W111 was a chassis code given to a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959-1968) and two- ...
Executive cars
1960s cars
1970s cars
Cars introduced in 1959
Limousines