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Kamis, 01 Januari 2009

fastfivecars TRIVIA: The History of the SLK-Class - PART I

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Apr 04, 2005

Not just for the ladies: the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

* May 1955: Start of production of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

* 25,881 units of the elegant roadster produced

In time for the summer of 1955, production of the four-cylinder-engined 190 SL sports car was begun at the Sindelfingen plant. Designed as a sporty, elegant two-seater for touring, the car, internally designated W 121, rapidly acquired great popularity, also and especially among the ladies. Initially, only a roadster with soft-top was available (price in 1955: DM 16,500). It was joined in the fall by a coupe with removable hardtop, available with or without a soft-top (prices in September 1955: DM 17,650 / DM 17,100). By the time production was discontinued in February 1963, 25,881 units had been built, and most of these had been shipped to the USA. The 190 SL initiated the post-war tradition of small roadsters from Mercedes-Benz � a tradition which is continued most successfully today by the second-generation SLK roadster.

At the International Motor Sports Show in New York (February 6 � 14, 1954), the new 300 SL super sports car (W 198) was the star on the Mercedes-Benz stand. But it did not overshadow the 190 SL roadster, presented at the same time and often referred to as the Gullwing�s �little brother�. The 190 SL equally enjoyed a highly positive response, prompting the decision in favor of large-scale production. The 190 SL and the 300 SL were designed on the initiative of the American Mercedes importer Maximilian (�Maxi�) E. Hoffman who made out excellent sales prospects for the two models in the US market � and he was proved right: both series sold very well indeed. The 190 SL was developed on the basis of the three-box bodied Mercedes from the W 120 series and designed as a roadster right from the start. Unlike the Gullwing, it was not meant to be a thoroughbred sports car but a sporty, elegant two-seater for touring and everyday use.

The bodywork of the 190 SL was designed by Karl Wilfert and Walter H�cker who modeled it closely on that of the 300 SL. The car displayed in New York in February 1954 was a prototype, neither matured in its styling nor fully tested in terms of its engineering. The 190 SL was carefully revised in both respects, and the final version was presented by Mercedes-Benz at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1955. It differed significantly from the prototype: the stylized air intake on the engine hood had been omitted, the front edge of the engine hood had been relocated toward the rear, �eyebrows� now also featured on the rear wheel cut-outs, and the bumpers, indicators and rear-light units had been modified. The pre-production series was built at the Sindelfingen plant from January 1955, and production of the main series began in May.

The trade press praised the safe handling characteristics of the 190 SL. These were ensured, among other things, by the single-joint swing axle with a low pivot point adopted from the 220a. The front axle suspension complete with subframe had been adopted from the 180 with which the 190 SL also shared the floor unit, though in shortened form.

The 1.9 liter gasoline engine had been newly developed. The four-cylinder powerplant featured an overhead camshaft and is regarded as the archetype of an entire family of engines. In the 190 SL, it developed 105 hp (77 kW) at 5700/min and accelerated the roadster from standstill to 100 km/h in 14.5 seconds. The roadster�s top speed was 170 km/h � a highly respectable speed on the roads of the 1950s and 60s. At 8.6 liters per 100 km/h, fuel consumption was fairly moderate, and the 65 liter tank provided the car with an adequate range.

Throughout its production period, the 190 SL was improved in numerous detail features. Among the more conspicuous modifications were the broad chrome trim strips at the upper door edges (March 1956) and larger rear-light units (June 1956, also used on models 220a, 219 and 220 S). In July 1957, the rear number plate illumination was relocated to the bumper horns to permit the attachment of the broad number plates introduced at the time. The rear bumper horns were incorporated in the standard specifications while those at the front were available at extra cost. They had been standard all round on the US versions right from the start. From October 1959, a new hardtop with a larger rear screen on the coupes provided a clearly improved view toward the rear. In August 1960, the trunk lock was modified and the previously used bow was replaced by a shell-shaped handle. In 1963, the last 190 SL came off the assembly line, bringing the total production volume to 25,881 units.

The first brochures included photos of a sports version of the 190 SL, with doors made of light alloy and a small racing-car windshield made of Perspex. The omission of soft-top, bumpers, heat exchanger and insulating material reduced the car�s weight to some 1,000 kilograms, roughly ten percent less than the production roadster�s. In engineering terms, the lightweight 190 SL differed only slightly from the production version, the modifications extending to little more than a bit of fine-tuning of the engine, lowering of the bodywork and fitting of sports shock absorbers and modified springs. There are no records of the number of units produced, and few sports versions were sold to customers. The sports version of the 190 SL scored its greatest successes in 1956, in the Grand Prix for sports cars in Macau, entered by the Daimler-Benz importer in Hong Kong. The right-hand-drive roadster won the race ahead of a Ferrari Mondial and several Jaguars and Austin-Healeys. In the same year, the Moroccan general distributor of Mercedes-Benz won the GT class (up to two liters displacement) in the Grand Prix of Casablanca. Due to racing regulations, however, the idea of a 190 SL for motor sport was not pursued any further: the car, modified as described above, would have been allocated to the cate-gory of production sports cars in many competitions and would there-fore have been without a chance. What�s more, a decision made by the FIA (F�d�ration Internationale de l'Automobile) racing authority prevented the car from being allocated to the GT category, the decision requiring a Gran Turismo to be completely enclosed � a condition the converted 190 SL was unable to fulfill.

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fastfivecars TRIVIA: Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - Complete story collection

For an easy reach of all the articles related to the "Coupes by Mercedes-Benz" subject, we've compiled all the links heading to them in one single post. Roll down and start reading. Enjoy!

1. Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART I

2. Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART II

3. Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART III

Copyright � 2009, fastfivecars. All rights reserved.

fastfivecars TRIVIA: Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART III

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 03, 2008

Coupes in every class

* Whether compact, mid-sized or luxury class, coupes enhance the product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz

* Mercedes-Benz CLS: The first four-door coupe made its debut in 2004

After the Second World War the coupe became a permanent feature in particular of the Mercedes-Benz mid-series, as well as of its premium-class models. Among the forerunners of today�s CL-Class were vehicles such as the 300 S coupe (W 188, 1952 to 1955) and the coupes of the 180 and 128 �three-box body� series, whose self-supporting bodies were fully in tune with the tastes of the day. 1961 saw the launch of coupes in the premium-class 111 series, then the following year that of the 112 series, all of them highly sought-after vehicles today. An intermediate step was the 107 series of the 1970s, which was based not a four-door premium-class sedan, but on the SL, so providing seats for two people only. The C 126 series on the other hand offered four proper seats, a feature that has been continued to the present day in the successor series C 140, C 215 and C 216.

In the Mercedes-Benz mid-series there has been an almost continuous coupe tradition since the late 1960s, represented today by the CLK series. The first mid-series coupe was the 114 series, more familiarly known as the Stroke Eight, since internally it bore the abbreviation �/8� to denote the year of its appearance, 1968. The car was also successfully exported to North America. The 123 series (1977 to 1985) followed seamlessly on and even offered a first-ever diesel-powered coupe � initially reserved for North American customers with a view to improving Corporate Average Fuel Economy there. The coupe tradition was continued by the 124 series from 1987 to 1996.

Thereafter the first CLK (208 series) took over, launched in 1997 and built until 2002. In advance of its development, Mercedes-Benz sounded out the market with the aid of a coupe study, presented in 1993 at the Geneva Motor Show and revealing to an enthusiastic public the brand�s new �four-eyed� face. The decision was taken to go ahead with the design. The current CLK 209 series, first produced in 2002, seamlessly built on the success of its predecessor.

The presentation of the Vision CLS at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003 caused a sensation and gave the motoring public a foretaste of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, which appeared the following year. This car combined the best of two worlds, offering the spaciousness and four doors of a sedan, while at the same time exhibiting its clear coupe roots with a skillfully designed body. The CLS has already established itself as a modern automotive icon. And it has opened up a new market segment, with other carmakers producing four-door coupes in its wake.

No review of the coupe history of Mercedes-Benz would be complete without mention of three exceptional sports coupes. In 1954 came the 300 SL (W 198). Not just the gullwing doors and timeless body design place this car in a class of its own in the automotive world � the whole vehicle remains today both a dream car and a dream coupe in one. Then in 1969 the company presented the C 111, initially as a test vehicle for the Wankel engine. This coupe unleashed a storm of interest and Mercedes-Benz even received numerous blank checks from eager buyers. But the car never went into production. Finally, although the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (199 series) of 2003 was no direct descendant of the 300 SL, it still bears the genes of the Gullwing. For it is both a dream sports car and an original coupe design. In both cases, the roadster versions were later additions.

Every Mercedes-Benz coupe is a classic, whether it has historic roots or hails from the current model portfolio. These vehicles round off the automotive product range and target a clientele for whom style and elegance retain a particular importance. Coupes are a lifestyle statement on wheels.

fastfivecars TRIVIA: Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART II

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 03, 2008

The �Sindelfingen body� prevails

* Stylish and elegant cars supplied by the company's own body workshop

* Variants such as the motorway courier are wheeled sculptures of timeless elegance

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, Mercedes-Benz offered a variety of vehicle models where the designation primarily characterized chassis and engine; for these a variety of body variants were then available ex factory, often with up to ten or more different designs. At the same time, it was the age of the coachbuilder in automotive design, with many owners having customized bodies fitted to a chassis to meet their own specifications. Eventually the company�s own �Sindelfingenbody� gained general acceptance. It reflected not only the stylistic self-assurance of the vehicle owners, but also of the Mercedes-Benz designers � those �stylists�, as they were then officially titled, who created mobile sculptures of timeless elegance. Not every series featured a coupe; but in most cases there was at least one variant aimed at a similar category of buyers. There was the Mercedes-Benz 290 (W 18 series), for example, built in the mid-1930s, which in the long-wheelbase version with streamlined body had the appearance of a coupe � except it had four doors providing access to the interior. Decades later the CLS was to revive a similar principle, creating an even more coupe-like impact with its low, stretched roofline. The sports sedan, very popular in competitions, was available in smaller series such as the 130 model (W 23) or the 230 (W 153) � both two-door versions.

One body design to enjoy a certain star status with coupe genes in the 1930s was that of the motorway courier, created for the luxury 500 K (W 29) and 540 K (W 29) models. The design took its name from the new high-speed motorways that were under construction in Germany at the time; compared with today, of course, these new long-distance roads had much less traffic, and with its streamlined body the motorway courier could occasionally be seen almost literally flying into the distance. The motorway courier was the last word in state-of-the-art design � not to mention exclusivity, since anyone able to afford such a vehicle at the time certainly enjoyed grand appearances and a mobile lifestyle. A popular choice was to use as a basis a chassis with the engine set back, since with a lengthened engine hood the front end created a more elongated appearance, thus emphasizing the vehicle�s coupe character. In most cases the rear wheels also had fairings. Any motorway courier remains an object of fascination to this day. One world-famous model is the 540 K motorway courier of 1939 owned by Arturo Keller, one of only few units of an already extremely rare species to have survived. Keller�s flawless model continues to thrill audiences at classic car events and regularly garners trophies, as in 2006 at the Concours d�Elegance in Pebble Beach, California/USA, where it was awarded the prize for most elegant closed vehicle. Two doors give access to four seats. A novelty of the motorway courier that featured in the predecessor model, the 500 K motorway courier � and is nowadays a standard feature of coupe design � is the curved rear side window that emphasized the rapidly tapering rear end. The 540 K was also available as a classic coupe with two seats. There was even also a so-called combination coupe with two interchangeable roofs.

fastfivecars TRIVIA: Coupes by Mercedes-Benz - PART I

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 03, 2008

Individual and stylish: Coupes by Mercedes-Benz

* Coupes make an unambiguous statement about a lifestyle characterized by beauty and elegance

* The Mercedes-Benz CLC demonstrates new class while revealing its roots in a rich coupe history

* Classics in their own lifetime

The coupe is an exclusive body design. This was true even in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, when the coupe � presumably so-called because it resembled a four-seater carriage with its front end cut-off (French: �coup�) � offered two seats in the comfort of the cab with the coachman seated up front on the open box seat. People who chose this mode of travel clearly liked to demonstrate a sense style and individuality.

The early automobiles borrowed heavily from various styles of horse-drawn carriage. The coupe retained a strong focus essentially on two persons traveling in style, and to this day it typifies an exclusive form of transportation. Use of a coachman eventually gave way to owners who preferred to take control of their vehicle themselves; today�s coupes are also driver-oriented. So would it be entirely wrong to suggest that one decides upon a coupe rather as one might choose an elegant coat � with the aim of wearing it for comfort and self-confidence?

Flowing lines for a dynamic appearance

The term coupe has evolved and grown over the decades. Early coupes, for example, generally only had room for two people; since the 1950s, however, they have more usually had four seats. But the body incorporates a number of basic features that persist to this day. A coupe generally has very low, flowing lines which create a stretched silhouette. It often dispenses with the B pillar altogether, and the C pillar slopes gently into the tail. The roof is generally shorter than in the case of a sedan, and curved at the rear. The side windows are usually frameless.

Nowadays, owning a coupe and enjoying utility value are no longer mutually exclusive aspirations. Although many coupe enthusiasts would contest the fact, even in a coupe a spacious trunk, folding rear seat bench and ski bag are popular equipment features. After all, the body does not reveal externally the paraphernalia of modern leisure activities that now also vie for space alongside the passengers.

Coupes by Mercedes-Benz and predecessor brands carry the self-image of this exceptional vehicle type in every detail � right through to the new Mercedes-Benz CLC, which makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008. Although a member of the compact class, the vehicle demonstrates the size and spaciousness befitting a coupe. It fits comfortably into the family of other Mercedes-Benz coupes and perfectly rounds off the brand range. The CLC demonstrates new class. At the same time it is rooted in the brand�s rich coupe heritage, even though it has �only� one direct sports coupe predecessor.

Throughout its history Mercedes-Benz has offered coupes in a variety of designs. The 10 hp Benz Mylord coupe of 1901, for example, still bore close resemblance to the horse-drawn carriage, with a seat for the driver open to the elements. One not uncommon feature for the day was the folding roof above the passenger seats, which could be opened in good weather to enhance enjoyment of the journey � and which at a top speed of 35 to 40 km/h detracted only minimally from the elegance of the Mylord coupe�s appearance.