AutoCult Mercedes Benz C111 (1969) (Germany) "IAA 1969"

About the Original:

Experimental Car, Super Sports Car and Style Icon

Only a few cars, which were presented as concept cars, arouse such an enthusiasm even after decades like the type C 111 of Mercedes-Benz.

In 1969 the Swabian car manufacturer presented a extremely flat designed sports car, which was fitted with gullwing doors, a 1.8-liter three-rotor direct fuel injected Wankel engine with 280 hp and a complete fiberglass body on its booth at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The acceleration of speed from 0 to 100 km/h was listed with only 4.7 seconds and the top speed with 260 km/h. For many visitors the experimental vehicle embodied the sports car of their dreams. It had everything what they always wished for. Due to the beforehand reporting of a specialist magazine the currency to a rumor was given, that the car was supposed to go into series production in the foreseeable future. The streamlined design of Bruno Sacco fascinated sports car enthusiasts around the world, but Mercedes-Benz was still not happy with the resilience of the Wankel engine and the stability of the plastic car body.

In 1971 the decision was finalized that the C 111 is not going into mass production and the fans, who hold out hope, met with profound disappointment. Nevertheless this did not harm the myth of the gullwing at all. Even today the spectacular shape of the C 111 get numerous fans enthusiastic about it.