Let’s take a closer look at the Mercedes-Benz C111 which we saw for the first time in Mercedes’ short film “A Fistful of Wolves”.
It was at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) back in September 1969 when Mercedes-Benz presented this exceptional car: the C 111. The world queued up to see this “test lab on wheels” with its wedge-shaped body and upward-opening gullwing doors. The compact car in bright orange, a shade internally called weissherbst, expressed power, elegance and speed.
In the 1960s and 1970s Mercedes-Benz was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, Diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included multi-link rear suspension, gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning. The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969. The car used a fiberglass body shell and with a mid-mounted three-rotor direct fuel injected Wankel engine. The next C111 appeared in 1970. It used a four-rotor engine producing 370 hp. The car reportedly could reach a speed of 290 km/h.
Photography by Ryan Hursh
courtesy of highsnobiety.com
