1967 Mercedes W108 280SE Cabriolet Prototype:
The mid to late 1960's brought a change in the design of the big Mercedes saloon by replacing the famous W111 Mercedes Fintail with the W108 at the 1965 Frankfurt Show. The tail fins had vanished and replaced with a lowered squared off boot and low mid body section with bigger windows. This design was further enhanced by an absolute classic that was shown in 1967, the 2door 280 SE Cabriolet prototype. Unfortunately this car never made it to production and Mercedes continued building the W111 2 door cabriolet/convertible until 1971.
1969 Mercedes W109 300SEL 6.3 Coupe Pininfarina Prototype:
Hoping to duplicate the success of its attractive interpretation of a 1964 230SL, Pininfarina chose the ’60s greatest sedan, the 300SEL 6.3, for another fling at improving one of MB’s finest. Like the 1955 300B coupe, this exercise would again attempt to create a stylish coupe out of a large sedan, an endeavor few design studios seem to be able to carry off with success. The combination of Mercedes’ greatest sedan and the world’s renowned automotive design studio seemed a good recipe for success but PF’s styling staff ended up marrying the nose of Ford’s 1965 Galaxie to the tail of Rolls Royce’s upcoming Camargue. It was an unhappy marriage.
A face to forget
While the result looked more like something we would have expected from Frua at that time, the new 6.3 coupe presented a shape that was hard to stomach, particularly when compared to the just released 280SE 3.5 coupe. Mercedes’ styling staff must have been aghast upon seeing the Italian coupe for the first time. The nose was particularly jarring and featured a grille more suitable for MB’s truck division. With the exception of the dash board, the PF coupe’s interior was entirely new and sumptuously finished with high back seats – also similar to the 1975 Rolls Camargue – and beautifully trimmed door panels and headliner. This one-off failed to impress but is certainly a very collectible 6.3.
1969 Mercedes C111-1 Prototype/Concept:
The C111 was a series of experimental automobiles produced by Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, Diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning.
The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969. It used a fiberglass body shell and had a three-rotor fuel injected Wankel engine (code named M950F) mounted in the middle.
With its very low sleek body with long slender bonnet and flip up lights it was a total revolution in styling to any other Mercedes at the time.
The mid to late 1960's brought a change in the design of the big Mercedes saloon by replacing the famous W111 Mercedes Fintail with the W108 at the 1965 Frankfurt Show. The tail fins had vanished and replaced with a lowered squared off boot and low mid body section with bigger windows. This design was further enhanced by an absolute classic that was shown in 1967, the 2door 280 SE Cabriolet prototype. Unfortunately this car never made it to production and Mercedes continued building the W111 2 door cabriolet/convertible until 1971.
1969 Mercedes W109 300SEL 6.3 Coupe Pininfarina Prototype:
Hoping to duplicate the success of its attractive interpretation of a 1964 230SL, Pininfarina chose the ’60s greatest sedan, the 300SEL 6.3, for another fling at improving one of MB’s finest. Like the 1955 300B coupe, this exercise would again attempt to create a stylish coupe out of a large sedan, an endeavor few design studios seem to be able to carry off with success. The combination of Mercedes’ greatest sedan and the world’s renowned automotive design studio seemed a good recipe for success but PF’s styling staff ended up marrying the nose of Ford’s 1965 Galaxie to the tail of Rolls Royce’s upcoming Camargue. It was an unhappy marriage.
A face to forget
While the result looked more like something we would have expected from Frua at that time, the new 6.3 coupe presented a shape that was hard to stomach, particularly when compared to the just released 280SE 3.5 coupe. Mercedes’ styling staff must have been aghast upon seeing the Italian coupe for the first time. The nose was particularly jarring and featured a grille more suitable for MB’s truck division. With the exception of the dash board, the PF coupe’s interior was entirely new and sumptuously finished with high back seats – also similar to the 1975 Rolls Camargue – and beautifully trimmed door panels and headliner. This one-off failed to impress but is certainly a very collectible 6.3.
1969 Mercedes C111-1 Prototype/Concept:
The C111 was a series of experimental automobiles produced by Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, Diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning.
The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969. It used a fiberglass body shell and had a three-rotor fuel injected Wankel engine (code named M950F) mounted in the middle.
With its very low sleek body with long slender bonnet and flip up lights it was a total revolution in styling to any other Mercedes at the time.
