What makes a car a status symbol? High performance and eye-catching style certainly don't hurt, but speed and looks alone don't necessarily bestow status -- Corvettes, for example, have always been fast and flamboyant, but the upper crust still considers them vulgar. To make it in high society, you need pedigree, a sense of history that separates you from the noveau riche.

Mercedes-Benz, product of Daimler-Benz AG (now simply Daimler AG, following its divorce from Chrysler), has always had pedigree in spades. Founded in 1926, its corporate ancestors, Daimler Motoren Gessellschaft and Benz & Cie, were pioneers in the automotive field. In fact, Benz & Cie founder Karl Benz is generally credited with creating the first true automobile, which he patented back in 1886. Daimler, meanwhile, patented the "Mercedes" name -- suggested by distributor and racing impresario Emil Jellinek, whose daughter Adrienne was nicknamed Mercedes -- back in 1902, certainly the ground floor of the motoring era. By the 1930s, not only did Mercedes sports cars have an impressive competition record, the company's luxury models were popular with dictators and potentates the world over, including Finland's Gustav Mannerheim and Nazi Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. Despite its association with the Third Reich (and its role as a major military supplier, which made its factories prime targets for Allied bombing), Daimler-Benz was dutifully rehabilitated after the war, and by the early 1950s, the Mercedes Type 300 limousine had become the preferred conveyance of West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.


The Type 300 was popularly known as the "Adenauer Mercedes," thanks to its association with Bundesrepublik chancellor Konrad Adenauer. It is a mixture of pre- and postwar engineering and style; it has the postwar 3.0L (183 cu. in.) six and swing-axle rear suspension, but it still has a separate chassis, rather than unibody construction. Priced at over $10,000 in the 1950s -- the price of two Cadillac sedans -- it was produced in very small numbers between 1951 and 1962. (Photo © 2007 300b; released to the public domain by the photographer)

Daimler-Benz's bread and butter were always the Mercedes sedans, but, although they were extremely well crafted and finely engineered, they weren't quite snobbish enough for a few well-heeled customers. The reason was simple: they didn't cost enough. The idea of a Mercedes being too cheap may seem a puzzling one -- particularly to Americans, who have often had to pay substantially more than a German buyer would for the same cars. Elsewhere in the world, however, the price of entry is not as high, and low-line Mercedes sedans, particularly diesels, have long been popular for taxi service and other proletarian duties. Thanks to Daimler-Benz's much-vaunted philosophy of design continuity, there was not a substantial visual distinction between a lowly 190D and a posh 300SEL. Such similarities did wonders for the sales volume of the low-end models, but it was a real poser for the wealthy. How is anyone supposed to know you're rich if your luxury car is constantly being mistaken for a taxicab?

Fortunately, Daimler-Benz thoughtfully offered an array of two-door coupes and cabriolets for customers looking for something a little more distinctive than a sedan. Other than the splendid "Gullwing" 300SL sports car, most of the two-door models rode the same platforms as the sedans. They were sometimes shortened a few inches in wheelbase for better proportions, but they were otherwise mechanically identical. As Car & Driver's Karl Ludvigsen remarked in December 1969, the two-door Mercedes' "main appeal is an air of discreetly overblown lushness both in line and chrome" that clearly emphasized its higher price.

In the mid-1950s, Mercedes had several different two-door lines: coupe and cabriolet versions of both the "Ponton" sedans and the big Type 300, and coupe and roadster versions of the four-cylinder 190SL and six-cylinder 300SL sports cars. Even for a company with reputation for cost-no-object engineering, the proliferation of models was expensive, particularly given that their combined annual production was never more than about 6,000 units (two-thirds of them the two-seat 190SL). By 1957, Daimler-Benz management decided to reduce costs by consolidating their big two-doors on a single platform, to be shared with the next generation of the large Mercedes sedans, known internally by the code numbers W111 and W112. The 190SL and 300SL, meanwhile, would be replaced by a single series of two-seat roadsters, code-named W113.

The W111/W112 sedans were a technical and stylistic evolution of the Ponton, which had been Mercedes' first unibody cars. Although they were considered large executive cars in Europe -- the ancestors of the modern S-class -- the new cars were only slightly bigger than American compacts like the Chevrolet Corvair and Buick Special. Like the Ponton, the W111 and W112 had unitary construction, with a rubber-isolated subframe carrying the engine, transmission, and front suspension. They also had designed-in crumple zones and a rigid passenger structure, a safety innovation that Mercedes had pioneered a few years earlier. Rear suspension was Mercedes' low-pivot swing-axle arrangement, like that of the 300SL convertible, and all models had front disc brakes. The more expensive W112 was nearly identical to the W111, but substituted air suspension for the W111's coil springs. All were powered by inline six-cylinder engines (although a four-cylinder W110 version was added in 1962), and the high-end models had Bosch mechanical fuel injection. The styling of the W111/W112 sedans was notably Americanized, with slightly wrapped front windshields and modest tailfins, which earned them the nickname Heckflosse, "Fintail."


The public debut of the 220SE coupe was in early 1961, during the opening of the redesigned Daimler-Benz museum. It was part of a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Karl Benz's original Motorwagen. This early magazine ad encourages buyers to take advantage of Mercedes' European delivery program and collect their new coupe at the factory in Stuttgart.

Although the sedans went into production in 1959, the two-door models didn't appear until 1961. The coupe and cabriolet were designed by Paul Bracq, who had joined Mercedes from Citroën in 1957. Unlike the big Type 300 two-doors they effectively replaced, the W111/W112 two-doors shared the same wheelbase as the sedans. The ostensible reason was that the coupe and cabriolet would sell better if they offered true four-place seating, but the shared dimensions also reduced costs, and helped to avoid overlap with the upcoming W113 roadsters. The inevitable result of all that commonality, though, was that the two-doors looked a great deal like their sedan counterparts. Their main distinction was the omission of the sedan's finned rear fenders; by the time the coupes debuted, it was clear that the American fascination with fins had cooled, and even Cadillac was starting to back away from them.

The coupes and convertibles were offered in two forms. First up were the W111 versions, the 220SE, which had steel springs and a 2.2 L (134 cu. in.) six with 120 horsepower (DIN; its SAE gross rating was 134 hp, 100 kW). The 220SE coupe bowed at the Geneva auto show in March 1961, the cabriolet at the Frankfurt show that fall. The fancier W112 versions, the 300SE, had air suspension, power steering, and a 3.0 L (183 cu. in.) six with 160 hp (180 hp SAE gross, 134 kW); they appeared the following March.


After the end of the war, Daimler-Benz director Wilhelm Haspel insisted that the styling department retain the traditional Mercedes grille, although it evolved subtly over the years. This is an early "Hochkuhler" (high grille) model; in 1969, the W111 cars got a lower, wider "Flachkuhler" (flat grille) front clip, with a lower hood line. The difference is hard to spot unless you see them side by side. The prewar grandeur is appropriate, given the prices: the 250SE coupe cost $8,959 POE New York, the convertible a whopping $9,748.

Despite their vaguely sporting air, the coupes were actually a little heavier than the comparable sedans, thanks to the reinforcement necessary for their pillarless hardtop roofs. The 220SE coupe needed about 12.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) sprint, with a top speed of 105 mph (169 kph) -- entirely adequate, but hardly exceptional. The 300SE was more powerful, but also heavier, so it was only fractionally quicker. The cabriolets, which weighed around 150 pounds (68 kg) more, were even slower, as were models with Mercedes' new four-speed automatic transmission, which became available in 1962.


The 250SE replaced the earlier 220SE in late 1965, but it proved to be short-lived. The 2.5 L M129 engine soon acquired a reputation for high oil consumption and valvetrain noise, and it was dropped in 1967 in favor of the later 2.8 L M130. They both had Bosch mechanical fuel injection, although the 2.8 L had 10 more horsepower (7 kW more) and stronger mid-range torque. Both were somewhat over-matched by the W111's weight in U.S.-style stop-and-go traffic, particularly with automatic.

The two-door models were classy-looking, beautifully assembled, and had above-average handling, brakes, and ride quality. On the other hand, the same could be said for the sedans, which were more practical and substantially less expensive. With such high prices, the coupe and cabriolet were not huge sellers -- 2,539 for 1961, 4,618 for 1962, 4,385 for 1963 -- but exclusivity was the whole point, and those numbers were more than double the combined annual sales of the two-door Pontons and 300s they replaced.


The W111 coupe has a surprising amount of rear overhang; since it's the same length as the sedan and shares the same wheelbase, its close-coupled proportions have been achieved by shifting the greenhouse forward. With a wheelbase of 108.3 inches (2,750 mm) and an overall length of 192 inches (4,876 mm), the 250SE is almost the same size as the contemporary Plymouth Valiant compact sedan -- the Mercedes is about two inches (51 mm) taller, but other dimensions are within an inch (25 mm). Curiously, the six-cylinder Mercedes is about 150 pounds (68 kg) heavier than a V8 Valiant Signet; Mercedes' vaunted structural integrity did not come for free.

In 1965, the W111/W112 sedans got a very modest visual and mechanical makeover, losing their fins and getting new chassis designations (W108/W109). The two-doors were largely unchanged, but the 220SE got a new, seven-bearing 2.5 L (152 cu. in.) engine with 150 hp (170 SAE gross), and was renamed 250SE. The 300SE got 10 more horsepower, and all models got 14-inch wheels and four-wheel disc brakes. In late 1967, the slow-selling 300SE was dropped, and the 250SE became the 280SE, with a 2.8L (179 cu. in.) six making 160 horsepower.

By then, Mercedes' position was being challenged by BMW, which had finally emerged from its postwar doldrums to become a formidable rival. The Bavarian automaker's new six-cylinder sedans and 2800CS coupe had better performance than Stuttgart's finest, similar craftsmanship, more modern styling, and significantly lower prices. Something needed to be done if Mercedes was to keep pace.

In August 1968, Car and Driver editor Brock Yates, driving a 250 sedan, complained about the labored performance of the Mercedes six and automatic transmission in U.S. traffic, noting that a small V8 would be a dramatic improvement. Daimler-Benz was already preparing such an engine, which finally appeared in the fall of 1969. Known internally as the M117, it was a 3.5 L (214 cu. in.) overhead-cam V8 with aluminum heads and Bosch D Jetronic fuel injection, making 200 hp (230 SAE, 172 kW). The M117 soon found its way into the W111 coupe and cabriolet, which were confusingly badged "280SE 3.5." The V8 brightened their performance considerably, cutting about 1.5 seconds off the 0-60 mph sprint and raising top speed to around 125 mph (201 kph). Inevitably, it also boosted the bottom line. The U.S. sticker price was an eye-watering $13,430 POE, enough to buy a Porsche 911 and a Mustang.


Mercedes' early 1950s cars used swing-axle rear suspensions, which had a somewhat diabolical reputation. By 1957, Daimler-Benz had begun to switch to the Eingelenkpendelachse ("single-pivot") layout, which hinged the axles at a common point under the differential, rather than on either side, and added twin trailing arms for better wheel control. A "camber compensator" spring was also added to support part of the weight of the rear end, allowing the regular rear springs to be softer. The result was far less of the tuck-under and resultant vicious oversteer that made the 300SL Gullwing such a handful, although the tail could still step outward at the limit.

The M117 was actually the second Mercedes V8; the first was the big 6.3 L (386 cu. in.) M100 found in the big 600 limousine. Back in 1967, Daimler-Benz experimental engineer Erich Waxenburger had stuffed the M100 engine into the long-wheelbase W109 sedan, creating the 300SEL 6.3, a stately looking sedan capable of 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) in less than 7 seconds and a top speed of more than 135 mph (217 kph). Had Mercedes really wanted to trounce BMW, they could have shoehorned the big engine into the mechanically similar coupe, although the result would likely have cost far more than even the 300SEL 6.3 sedan's towering $14,000 price tag. It might also have invited unflattering comparisons with the E-Type Jaguar or even (horror of horrors) the Corvette Sting Ray. It probably didn't matter -- people didn't buy big Mercedes coupes to drag race, any more than did Thunderbird drivers.


This car has Mercedes' four-speed automatic, introduced in 1962. Like GM's early Hydra-Matic, it has a fluid coupling, not a torque converter, and has four forward speeds (although it achieves them with only two planetary gearsets, rather than the Hydra-Matic's three). It was lightweight and relatively efficient, but neither as smooth nor as flexible as a contemporary Chrysler TorqueFlite or GM Turbo Hydramatic. The throttle had to be floored to make the transmission start in first gear or to force a downshift, which was a serious handicap with the modest torque of the six-cylinder engines; a part-throttle kickdown would have been a big help.

Despite the V8, the 280SE coupe and cabriolet were becoming distinctly dated in both styling and engineering. Production of the W111 coupes finally ended in 1971. In all, 28,918 coupes and 7,013 cabriolets were built on the W111/W112 platform. That was not a large number, even for Mercedes, but they were undoubtedly profitable cars.


Toward the end of their lifespan, the W111 coupes competed with the newer W114 Strichacht ("Slash 8") coupes, which were introduced in 1969. The ancestor of the modern E-class, the Strichacht car were slightly smaller than the W111 (the wheelbase was the same, but overall length was about eight inches shorter), with a more modern chassis and suspension.

Mercedes didn't offer another big coupe until the W126 S-class of 1981, although they have remained a staple of the Mercedes line-up since then, spawning the current CL and four-door CLS series. Just as they did forty years ago, they carry a significant price premium, despite being mechanically identical to their sedan counterparts -- as always, the price of exclusivity is high.


The big S-class coupes were renamed CL ("Comfort Leicht") in 1998. Unlike their predecessors of 40 years earlier, they needed few apologies for their performance. This is one of the last of the W215 series of 2000-2006, a CL65 AMG powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5 L V12 engine, making a genuinely absurd 604 horsepower (450 kW) and 738 lb-ft (1000 N-m) of torque. Buyers need not fear the stigma of low price; the CL65 started at $179,000, although its depreciation has been staggering.

For all that, we must confess a certain irrational fondness for the old W111/W112 coupes. As conservative as they are, they're less stodgy-looking than the contemporary sedans, and less precious than the SL roadsters. Their performance is unexceptional, but we have to admit they do have class, and it's hard to put a price tag on that.

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