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Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3
place image here in 300 pixels | |
Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 | |
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Mercedes-Benz | |
aka | Mercedes-Benz W109 |
Production | 1968–1972 |
Class | Super Sedan |
Body Style | 4-door, 5-seat Sedan |
Length | length - type here |
Width | Width - type here |
Height | Height - type here |
Wheelbase | wheelbase - type here |
Weight | Weight - you get the point |
Transmission | transmission + drive |
Engine | engine |
Power | N/A hp @ N/A rpm N/A lb-ft of torque @ N/A rpm |
Similar | similar (competition) |
Designer | Designer (lead designer if it was a team effort) |
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 started out as a private venture in 1966 by company engineer Erich Waxenberger, which culminated in the world's first "Super Saloon" or Q-car.
Waxenberger's principle was simple: Take the powerful 6.3 litre V8 Mercedes-Benz M100 engine from the luxurious Mercedes-Benz 600 limousine, and fit it into the regular Mercedes-Benz W109 S-Class model which only had 6-cylinder engines at that time. The result was a nearly 2-tonne saloon with performance similar to most dedicated sports cars of the era. It is said that Rudolf Uhlenhaut, when invited to test drive the prototype, opened the hood at the first red light to find out how the big engine and its supporting equipment had been squeezed in there.
Surprisingly, the rather conservative company went ahead and produced this car from 1968 onwards, in order to make better use of the M100 engine production facilities. The 6,500 build of the 6.3 outnumbered the 2,700 build of the 600 by far.
What set this car apart from its contemporaries in the late 1960s though, was that it could cruise at over 200 km/h ({{#expr:200 * 0.621371192 round 0 }} mph) with 5 occupants in complete comfort within the body styled by Paul Bracq. Later, the company also fitted new, smaller V8 engines into the W109 series. The 300SEL 4.5 was only available in the USA, while the 280 SE 3.5 Coupé could also be ordered in Europe.
In the 1970s, the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was a successor to the 6.3, with even more modifications and power.
See Wikicars' comprehensive Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 Review.
Recent Changes
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Styles and Major Options
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Pricing
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Gas Mileage
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As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:
Trim | |||
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Trim1 | Trim2 | Trim3 | Trim4 |
MPG | |||
c/h | c/h | c/h | c/h |
Engine and Transmission
6.3 litre V8 with fuel injection, 250 PS DIN, 300 HP SAE
Performance
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Unique Attributes
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Interior
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Design quirks and oddities
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See Also
<--earlier | Mercedes-Benz road car timeline, 1980s-present Edit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Class | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
Supermini | A | W168 | W169 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Entry-level | C | W201 (190) | W202 | W203 | W204 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mid-size | E | W123 | W124 | W210 | W211 | W212 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
CLS | W219 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full-size | S | W126 | W140 | W220 | W221 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maybach | W240 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Roadster | SLK | R170 | R171 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SL | R107 | R129 | R230 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coupé | CLK | W208 | W209 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CL | W126 | W140 | W215 | C216 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Supercar | SLR | C199 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SUV | G | W460/W461 | W463 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Crossover SUV | GLK | GLK | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
M | W163 | W164 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GL | X164 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
MPVs | B | W245 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
R | W251 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vaneo | Vaneo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sprinter | Sprinter |
External Links
- The International M-100 Group (officially recognized by Daimler-Benz)
News and References
- Finnish Waxenberger in Keimola-racetrack
- http://www.m-100.cc/6point3/magazines/roadtest_jan1971/index.html ROAD TEST, January 1971: Mercedes Builds A Reluctant Racer
- Renaissance der "roten Sau"
Enthusiast Sites and Discussion Forums
- International Association of M-100 Owners (IAMO) (An owner-oriented special interest group)
- Mercedes W108/W109 enthusiast site