- Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3
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Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 
Manufacturer Daimler-Benz Production 1968–1972 Successor Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 Platform Mercedes-Benz W109 The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 started out as a private venture in 1966 by company engineer Erich Waxenberger.
Contents
Concept
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 launched the car into the marketplace at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968,[1] 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 (124 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 1975, the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was introduced as a 300SEL 6.3 successor with larger displacement, modifications to the equipment, and more power.
Features
M100 engine
6.3 litre V8 with Bosch fuel injection, 250 PS (184 kW; 247 hp), 300 HP SAE
Performance
- 0-62 mph (100 km/h): 6.3 seconds
- 0-100 mph (160 km/h) : 14.6 seconds
- Standing 1/4 mile (~400 m) : 14.2 seconds
- Top Speed : 229 km/h (142.3 mph)†
† Factory figures
Transmission
4-speed automatic gearbox
Other
Air suspension, ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels, power windows, central locking and power steering all came standard. Air conditioning, power sunroof, writing tables (for rear seats), window curtains, audio tape deck and rear seat reading lamps were available as optional equipment.
6,526 of these vehicles were produced, and though quite costly to maintain, they are very collectible today.Motor racing
AMG, now the sports tuning subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, but then a small local tuning company founded by former Mercedes engineers, produced special versions of the 6.3 to compete in racing events, usually with the engine enlarged to 6.8 liters or more. The car had an impressive, but short-lived racing career, due to the lack of suitable tires, or rule changes preventing the use of them.
AMG's so-called "Red pig" finished 2nd in the 24 Hours of Spa in 1971. This heavy vehicle with 6834 cc and 420 hp (313 kW) was fast, but frequent refuelling was necessary, and tire wear was also high. The car was sold to French company Matra, they used it for tests of jet fighter landing gear.
References
External links
- The International M-100 Group (officially recognized by Daimler-Benz)
- Mercedes W108/W109 enthusiast site
- 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"
Categories:- Mercedes-Benz vehicles
- Racing cars
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