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The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 was a full-sized luxury performance car built by Mercedes Benz from 1968 to 1972. It featured the company's powerful 6.3-litre M100 V8 from the flagship 600 (W100) limousine installed in the normally six-cylinder powered (but still premium) Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL (W109). The result was a nearly 2-ton sports sedan with muscle car performance. At the time of its release it was one of the world's fastest four-door cars.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3
Overview
ManufacturerMercedes-Benz
Production1968–1972
Body and chassis
ClassFull-size luxury car
LayoutFR layout
PlatformMercedes-Benz W109
Powertrain
Engine6,332 cc (386.4 cu in) M100 V8
Transmission4-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,865 mm (112.8 in)
Length5,000 mm (196.9 in)
Width1,810 mm (71.3 in)
Height1,420 mm (55.9 in)
Curb weight1,765 kg (3,891 lb)
Chronology
SuccessorMercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9

A total of 6,526 300 SEL 6.3s were produced, and though quite costly to maintain are very collectible today.


Concept


The car started out as a private venture in 1966 by company engineer Erich Waxenberger. His principle was simple: take the powerful 6.3 litre Mercedes-Benz M100 V8 from the massive 600 saloon and limousine, and fit it into the engine bay of the top-end 6-cylinder 300 SEL W109 model. The result was an impressive level of performance for the era and for the style of automobile.

The company turned the prototype into a production model, introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968.[1] This not only enhanced Mercedes-Benz's reputation for performance vehicles, languishing since the demise of the iconic Gullwing and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadsters of the 1950s, but made better use of the M100 engine production facilities.[citation needed] By the end of line's production the 6,500 built for the 300 SEL 6.3 far outnumbered the 2,700 turned out for the 600.[citation needed]

The 6.3 was known for its ability to cruise at over 200 km/h (124 mph) with five occupants in complete comfort. Later, the company also fitted new, smaller V8 engines into the W109 series. The 300 SEL 4.5 was only available in the United States, while the 280 SE 3.5 Coupé could also be ordered in Europe.

In 1975, the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 was introduced as a 300 SEL 6.3 successor with a larger displacement engine for more power and various modifications to the equipment.


Features


M100 engine in a 300 SEL 6.3
M100 engine in a 300 SEL 6.3

The 300 SEL 6.3 was an extremely luxurious vehicle for its era. Standard features included air suspension, ventilated 4-wheel power disc brakes, power windows, central locking and power steering. Air conditioning, power sunroof, audio tape deck, and rear window curtains, writing tables, and reading lamps were available as options.


Engine



Performance



Test results

Auto, Motor und Sport published the following test results for the 300 SEL 6.3 in March 1968:[2]


Motor racing


Rote Sau car at Legendy 2014 car show in Prague
Rote Sau car at Legendy 2014 car show in Prague

Originally not intended for motor sports, a few cars were built for racing, usually with the engine enlarged to 6.8 litres or more. The car had an impressive, but short-lived racing career, due to the lack of suitable tyres, or rule changes preventing the use of them.

AMG, now the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, but then a small local tuning workshop founded by two former Mercedes engineers, modified a makeshift car to compete in racing events, nicknamed "Red Sow" (German: Rote Sau) which finished 2nd in the 24 Hours of Spa in 1971. At the end of its racing career the 6,834 cc engine yielded 428 PS (315 kW; 422 hp). The car was sold to French company Matra who used it for tests of jet fighter landing gear.[3][4] Five examples were built: three racers and two test cars.


References


  1. "News: New V-8 Mercedes". Motor. Vol. nbr 3430. 16 March 1968. p. 58.
  2. Auto, Motor und Sport 6/1968 16 March 1968 https://web.archive.org/web/20090526134958/http://www.einszweidrei.de/mercedes/mb300sel631091969-1.htm
  3. Tom Grünweg (19 May 2006). "Renaissance der "Roten Sau"". Der Spiegel (in German).
  4. http://www.mbig.de/fileadmin/Dateien/Clubleben/Ponton-Kurier/1999/PK1999_1_Vorsicht_bissiger_Benz.pdf Oldtimer-Markt 7/98



На других языках


[de] Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3

Der Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 war das Spitzenmodell der S-Klasse Modellreihe W 109.
- [en] Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3

[es] Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3

El Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 era un automóvil de lujo fabricado por Mercedes Benz de 1968 a 1972. Presentaba el potente motor M100 V8 de 6.3 litros de la lujosa limusina 600 instalada en el Mercedes Benz 300 SEL de seis cilindros con motor. El resultado fue una berlina de casi 2 toneladas con un rendimiento similar al de la mayoría de los autos deportivos especializados y de los muscle cars estadounidenses de la época. En el momento de su lanzamiento, era el automóvil de cuatro puertas más rápido del mundo.

[fr] Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3

La Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 est une berline tricorps fabriquée par Mercedes-Benz de 1968 à 1972 et reprenant presque dans leur ensemble les caractéristiques des Mercedes W109 (en), hormis le moteur. De l’extérieur, la 300 SEL 6.3 n’est reconnaissable que par les pneus plus larges, les phares jumeaux à halogène H1, les lampes longue portée supplémentaires ainsi que le sigle "6.3" sur la malle.

[ru] Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3

Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 (S от Super — «супер», E от Einspritz — «впрыск», L от Lange — «длинный»[2]) — легковой автомобиль люкс-класса, совмещающий комфорт и мощность значимых спортивных моделей XX века[3][4], выпускавшийся автомобильным концерном Mercedes-Benz с 1968 по 1972 год[2].



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