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Of course you W116-lovers know the "normal" versions of these legendary
Mercedes-Benz model, the sedans with the
regular wheelbase and with the long wheelbase.
But do you know the crash testing, the design studies and the special
versions ?
If you don't, you're on the right page. Here you get info and photos
you will see nowhere else on the whole internet.
Guaranteed.
But let's begin now with the W116 specialties. At first we will have
a look at the only spy-photo I could get hold of and the design studies.
All these show how the car nearly would have looked.
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Photo from reference #1, page 76. The text says:
"Most probably at the beginning of the year 1972 Mercedes will present a completely new sedan. It will replace the 300SEL and will have its 3.5-litre engine or a 4.5-litre engine developed at the same time and in the most costly version the 6.3-litre V8 engine. It will also have a diagonal strut rear axle and a body in mild wedge shape". Note C-pillar, windshield wipers and front air intake. |
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Photo from reference #2, page 150. The text says:
"A 350SE after a 50 km/h crash test - the passenger section remained intact". The photo is from 1972 and the car obviously was frontally crashed into a wall. In the beginning 1970`s car safety began to play a big role in the public and led to many drastic enhancements in the construction of new models.
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Photo from ref. #9.
The car was presented in 1973 as successor to ESF 05 and ESF 13 which both were W114-based.
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Photo from reference #3, page 172. The text says:
"1:5 scale model of the W116 sedan - still with the finally not realized third side window in the style of the SLC-coupes - is going to be scanned three-dimensional in the ESEM-method." Note front and rear bumpers, C-pillar and hub caps. |
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"February 1969: The new car begins to take shape. A similarity to the predecessor can almost not be seen." Actually despite the hubcaps I can`t see any similarity at all. |
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"The fine tuning of the designers concentrated to the shape of the turn signals and the side-line." Note the line of the rear lights and also the front turn signals.
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"Greetings from the SLC: Note the C-pillar with lamellas and the "corrugated iron-doors"." Note the distance between upper and lower rear bumpers, the skirt below the rear bumper and that the lower rear bumper doesn`t reach forward until the wheelhouses. |
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"Until the end the designers tested new variations of the turn signal- and chrome trims". Note the chrome trim on the horizontal edge and again the C-pillars - the designers seem to have had their problems with these... |
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"Despite the (too small) front air intake and the windshield wipers nearly ready". Note the additional little ventilation windows in the front doors and also the license plate below the bumper, exactly in front of the very small air intake. |
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Photo from reference #4, page 11. The text says:
"Only the missing door for the gas tank and some details reveal the 1:1 scale model". Note the windshield wipers here resting at the left hand side of the car and that the little ventilation windows are no more existent. |
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Photo from reference #3, page 298. The text says:
"So in private initiative a W116 becomes a W126. This product of a noble-do-it-yourselfer had been spotted in Taipei, Taiwan".
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Photo from reference #2, page 158. The text says:
"280SE fitted-out as station wagon by Crayford in the UK". The Westerham-based company Crayford called the car "Mercedes Estate". The additional side windows obviously are derived from Ford Consul/Granada station wagon. |
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Photo from reference #2, page 159, The text says:
"Rear view of the Crayford-Estate which was built in 1977". The photo is a promotional picture from Crayford. The text of the same photo in reference #3 page 298 says: " Crayford in the UK converted some W116 sedans into formally well turned out station wagons." Both references are from the same author. Here you can see the back door hinges also are derived from Ford Consul/Granada. |
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Photo from reference #5, page 67. The text says:
"[Crayford is a] Coachbuilder who specialized in ... conversions of Mercedes-Benz sedans into station wagons...". The price of the MB estates started at British Pounds 12,500, the conversion alone at BP 2,200. This long-wheelbase car was for export to the USA. |
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Photo from reference #2, page 122. The text says:
"Unique specimen of a noble station wagon from the British coachbuilder Crayford on the basis of a 450SEL, USA-version 1978". The car is the same as on the photo above still wearing the oval German customs license plates. The rear window obviously is from Ford Consul/Granada station wagon. |
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Photo from reference #5, page 34. The text says:
"...There is still no luxury station wagon in the upper class, read S-Class ... . A solution is given by Norddeutsche Karosseriefabrik ((Conrad Pollmann, Bremen, Germany)) specialized in custom bodies (e.g. hearses). All sedans of the W116 series can be converted into station cars. The price for the conversion is DM 20.000,-- ...". |
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Photo left from reference #2, page 148. The text says:
" USA-version of the 116 series: Beginning with modelyear 1974 the voluminous bumpers contained hydraulic crash dampers. The not so nice double headlights followed American light regulations. Photo below from reference #2, page 149. The text says: "S-Class for the North American market - an impact with 8 km/h ((5mph)) onto a stiff barrier the cars had to survive completely intact".  |
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Photo left from reference #2, page 150. The text says:
"The start of the sale of the 300SD with the five-cylinder turbocharged-engine was in spring 1978 but for the American market only". The OM 617 Turbo - known from the W123-series 300TDT with 125hp - had 115hp and allowed a maximum speed of 165 km/h (103 mph). The acceleration of the car equipped with a 4-step automatic transmission from 0-62 mph took only 17 secs despite the cars weight of 1.815kg. |
| Same photo in ref.#6, p.524 and in ref.#3, p.189 |
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| Photo above from reference #2, page 161. The text says: "...The lengthening
of the not so small Mercedes sedans. This
450SE "Custom Phaeton Limousine" is a creation of the "Horseless Carriage Shop" in the US-state of Florida". |
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| Photo above from reference #5, page 144. The text says: "Since 1972
the Mercedes 600 (see W100
in all its variants) because of the US safety-regulations is no
longer imported into the country which especially for the High Society
of
New York City and Los Angeles leaves an unreasonable gap in the market. This gap was filled by the "Horseless Carriage Shop" with a version lengthened by 81,3 cm to 6,12m of the Mercedes 450SEL (Mercedes W100 600 Pullmann = 6,24 m). Edward Josey, owner of the shop, buys brand new 450SELs or converts customer`s cars. Despite length he offers some more things: e.g. colour TV, additional seats, maybe a small bar with refrigerator in the car`s rear - all to customer specification. For a complete 450SEL Josey asks USD 56.077". |
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| Photo above from reference #8, page 165. The text says: "Amongst the now numerous conversion specialists the "Phaeton Coach Corporation" is one of the older companies with a very reputed name. They offer the different conversions on the basis of American, European and Japanese models. Phaeton Coach mainly supplies after the catalogue, but is also ready to deliver every requested conversion for a negotiated price. Most wanted are lengthened representation limousines, e.g. the pictured lengthened Mercedes 450SEL". |
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Photo from reference #2, page 123. The text says:
"At the Olympic Winter Games 1976 the "Olympic Flame" was brought from Vienna to Innsbruck by two 280SE instead of ((human)) torchbearers". Remove the flag from the hood and the only provisionally mounted top from the roof and its a normal car. The license plate is for demo only because it doesn`t have the necessary sticker of the German authorities required for road use of the car.
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| Photo from reference #2, page 145. The text says: " For such big trailers,
too, the 450SE proves to be a suitable tow car".
This is one of many photos showing the W116 towing a caravan, but this shows the by far biggest trailer. W116`s were very famous amongst fairground showmen to tow their big trailers. |
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| Graphics from Mercedes-Benz ads in Germany in the late 1970`s. The
headline is: About the ideal size of automobiles.
Very good to be seen how the gas tank is located behind the rear seats to ensure it to remain intact after a crash from the rear. |
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Photo from reference #7.
This 350SE was prepared for rally driving. It was raced in the 1985 and 1986 rally season at national German events. Things like bumpers, chrome trim and most of the interior were taken off the car to lighten it and the roll-over cage was hand-built especially for this car as was the drive for the Hella Tripmaster. The two front license plates were stipulated by the authorities. Of course the car was a bit bulky but at all rallys it was the only one having power steering, automatic transmission (!) and wood on the dashboard... Before I forget to tell: I was the co-driver. For more photos of the rally car click here |
people visiting this page. Hope you did enjoy it, but now its time to go
back to where you came from:
No, no, no! I liked it and want to go to W120
Ponton Specialties 
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