1965 Mercedes-Benz 250 SE W108

The new premium-magnificence version technology which includes the 250 S, 250 SE and three hundred SE have been provided in August 1965, setting up succession to the 220 Sb, 220 SEb and three hundred SE fintail fashions. All 3 fashions shared a frame designed via way of means of Paul Bracq, whose easy traces distributed with all elegant extra and whose restricted beauty has undying enchantment even today.In phrases in their engineering design, the brand new fashions have been primarily based totally to a huge volume on their predecessors. Other than the frame, but, new capabilities additionally covered the 2 2.five-liter engines, which have been evolved via way of means of growing the bore and extending the stroke of the corresponding 2.2-liter devices. Now the crankshaft changed into installed on seven bearings, and an oil-water warmness exchanger assured stepped forward warmness load withinside the oil system. In the direct-injection model a six-plunger injection pump now changed the 2-plunger pump. In evaluation to its predecessor version, but, the brand new three hundred SE changed into not geared up with air suspension. Instead, as with the 2 2.five-liter fashions, it had a hydropneumatic compensating spring at the rear axle, which changed the acquainted coil spring and ensured a steady frame peak irrespective of the load.

In March 1966 the version variety changed into extended to encompass the three hundred SEL, which had a a hundred-millimeter longer wheelbase in comparison with the fundamental version, the more area serving completely to boom legroom withinside the rear and the access width of the rear doorways. As with its direct predecessor with the equal version designation, the brand new three hundred SEL featured air suspension as standard. Internally the fashions with traditional suspension have been grouped below the W 108 version collection, the air-sprung three hundred SEL but changed into given its very own collection with the designation W 109.

Two unique variations

In 1966 and 1967 very unique variations of the three hundred SEL have been constructed in Sindelfingen, in no way supposed for collection manufacturing and in particular evolved for the Vatican. In June 1966 a landaulet with regular wheelbase changed into constructed, which differed from the collection saloon in that it had handiest a unmarried seat on the rear and a landaulet soft-pinnacle that stretched to the the front fringe of the rear doorways. Almost a yr later, in May 1967, the landaulet changed into joined via way of means of same six-seater saloons, which have been constructed on a ground meeting that have been lengthened via way of means of 650 millimetres and boasted changed rear doorways in addition to folding seats withinside the rear. The landaulet changed into supposed as a 2nd automobile to be used along the Mercedes-Benz six hundred via way of means of His Holiness himself, while the 2 Pullman saloons have been for use for transporting Vatican guests.

Production of the 250 SE and three hundred SE fashions got here to an cease on the begin of 1968, with the advent of the 2 successor fashions 280 S and 280 SE in January. These differed from their predecessors handiest in phrases in their engines and positive system details. The newly-evolved 2.eight-liter six-cylinder engine introduced a hundred and forty hp (103 kW) withinside the carburettor model, and a hundred and sixty hp (118 kW) with direct gas injection. Likewise from January 1968 onwards, an output-more desirable model of the injection engine giving one hundred seventy hp (one hundred twenty five kW) changed into geared up now no longer handiest to the 280 SL, however additionally to the three hundred SEL, in which it changed the three.zero-liter light-alloy engine in carrier to that point.

The pinnacle-of-the-variety Mercedes-Benz three hundred SEL 6.three

March 1968 noticed the advent of the pinnacle-of-the-variety three hundred SEL 6.three, presenting the V8 engine and automated transmission of the Mercedes-Benz six hundred and consequently with the overall performance capability of a pinnacle-magnificence sports activities car. Its presentation on the Geneva Motor Show prompted a sensation, in particular as there have been no bulletins made previous to the event. The 6.three's handiest distinguishing outside capabilities have been its wider tires, double halogen headlamps and a further set of excessive beams. The engine introduced 250 hp (184 kW), however of extra importance possibly changed into its effective torque of fifty one mkg (500 Newton meters), which took the saloon from zero to a hundred km/h in eight seconds and gave the automobile a pinnacle velocity of 221 km/h. Although the 6.three price over DM 10,000 extra than the three hundred SEL and changed into extra than double the fee of the 280 SE, the Mercedes-Benz three hundred SEL 6.three changed into the item of relatively energetic hobby and unit numbers totalled 6,526.

In fall 1969, the three hundred SEL with the 2.eight-liter six-cylinder engine changed into changed via way of means of the three hundred SEL three.five, whose energy unit - a very new design - changed into a "small" V8 engine with three.five-liter displacement and 2 hundred hp (147 kW). From March 1971 onwards this engine changed into extensively utilized withinside the 280 SE three.five and 280 SEL three.five which had traditional metal springs. The 280 SE with six-cylinder engine changed into additionally nonetheless to be had, however the 280 SEL changed into eliminated from the variety in desire for the eight-cylinder version. In parallel to the three.five-liter V8 engine, there has been additionally a extra effective version with 4.five-liter displacement constructed completely for the North American marketplace. This changed into introduced from May 1971 withinside the 280 SE 4.five, 280 SEL 4.five and three hundred SEL 4.five export fashions.

One unique version version withinside the W 108/109 collection now no longer to be had at the unfastened marketplace changed into constructed in 1971 - the armoured model of the 280 SEL three.five. No armoured motors have been produced at Daimler-Benz because the bullet-evidence Mercedes-Benz six hundred Pullman saloon in June 1965, however all of sudden there have been requests from numerous federal companies to increase this type of version. As a end result of the assaults executed on diplomats in Latin America in 1970 the Foreign Ministry changed into obliged to offer unique safety to the authentic automobiles of a number of its project chiefs. The end result of those measures changed into the armoured 280 SEL three.five version, of which 28 devices have been constructed among May 1971 and September 1972 and introduced to West German overseas missions in warm spots.

Production of the incredibly a hit W 108/109 collection got here to an result in September 1972. In overall 383,341 motors have been constructed. Their successor changed into the W 116 collection, the primary fashions to receive the call S-Class.