The Mercedes-Benz W 108 and W 109 are luxury cars produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1965 through to 1972. They succeeded the W 111 and W 112 "fintail" () sedans, and upon their introduction, the manufacturer designated them as constituting a newly created "Upper Middle Class" range. The cars were successful in West Germany and in export markets including North America and Southeast Asia. During the seven-year run, a total of 383,072 units were manufactured.
As the W 108 and W 109 were only available as 4-door models, the similarly squarish, Paul Bracq-designed 2-door W 111 and W 112 coupés and cabriolets filled those niches and are frequently mistaken for W 108/W 109 two-doors. The range was complemented by the sophisticated 300 SEL, as well as the 300 SE Coupé and Cabriolet variants, which continued the renowned 300 series lineage in a modern form.
Model description
Development and body design
The car's predecessors, the four door W 111 (1959–65) and W 112 (1961–65), had helped Mercedes-Benz develop better sales and achieve economy of scale production by unifying the entire Mercedes-Benz range onto a single automobile platform and body, reducing both manufacture time and cost. The external styling with American "fintails", on the other hand have quickly gone out of fashion. Taking over the design school at Mercedes-Benz in 1957, Paul Bracq began steering the styling away from the flamboyance with sharp angles to a more contoured silhouette, with strong emphasis on function. The two door W111 and W112 models, introduce in 1961 were the first to show this approach. They was followed by the much venerated W113 Pagoda and the regal W100 Größer, showing the new corporate style. Work on the replacement of the Fintails began in parallel and by 1963 the design was finalised, as the vehicle would retain the platform and underpinnings. The development was governed by a strict hierarchy of functional considerations over stylistic or fashionable trends, a decades-long practice at Daimler-Benz. The primary goal was to increase the passenger compartment while maintaining the favourable exterior dimensions of the previous six-cylinder models, simultaneously achieving particularly high levels of driving safety, ride comfort, and performance.
While the external dimensions were only marginally increased relative to the preceding Type 220 S—specifically, an increase in length of , an increase in width of , and a reduction in height of —the utilization of interior space was radically improved. This was achieved primarily through the adoption of curved side windows and a lowered beltline. The interior width consequently increased by in the rear seating area and by in the front seating area. Furthermore, the floor in front of the rear seats was lowered by , resulting in increased footwell space. The elongated, low silhouette served the primary engineering purpose of lowering the vehicle's centre of gravity, a factor cited as being of particular importance for good road holding. Although the fins' departure was the most visible change, the lowered beltline facilitated larger window areas; the windscreen alone was 17 percent larger than that of the W 111, with total glass area increasing by 12 percent, prominent enough to be referred to as a "greenhouse." The result was a visibly newer-looking, sleeker car with an open and spacious interior.
Interior design and comfort
The seats were developed in collaboration with medical doctors, using firm cushioning to allow small posture changes and prevent the body from bouncing. The backrest followed the S-shaped curve of the spine, and the bucket-shaped design provided lateral support. The driver's seat offered three-way adjustment: fore-aft, vertical height, and infinitely adjustable backrest angle down to horizontal. Multi-layer insulation separated the engine compartment from the cabin: 18 mm at the bulkhead and over 20 mm on sections of the floor. Ventilation air passed through a dust filter; a three-speed blower operated even when stationary. Used air was extracted through slots under the rear window, keeping it free of condensation. Heating was independently adjustable for left and right sides. Luggage capacity was 610 litres. Optional extras included an electrically operated sunroof, electric window lifts, DB power steering and air conditioning. Twin high-pitched horns were standard; a third horn was fitted to the later 300 SEL 3.5 and 300 SEL 6.3. From the 1968 model year the interior received new fabric patterns, revised colour schemes, and nylon carpet on the floor and sills. was fitted with a M 108 engine with 2 compound downdraft carburetors. A significant engineering advancement was the adoption of a seven-bearing design for the crankshaft, wherein a bearing was positioned before and after each crank throw. This resulted in a crankshaft of considerably greater stiffness and smoother operation, capable of sustaining a maximum engine speed of 6,300 revolutions per minute. The compression ratio was increased, and the cylinder head received enlarged intake and exhaust ports and valves. Cooling was managed by a standard-fit oil cooler and a viscous fan clutch, a coupling designed to engage automatically only when particularly large amounts of heat required dissipation, thereby saving engine power and reducing noise under normal operating conditions. Electrical supply was provided by a three-phase alternator fitted as standard, capable of supplying power to all consumers and charging the battery even at idle. The engine produced at 5,400 rpm. Top speed was approximately .
The 250 SE had the same engine as the 250 S except for a mechanical fuel injection system utilising a Bosch 6-point mechanical fuel injection system with a six-plunger pump which calibrated the optimal fuel mixture automatically based on throttle pedal position and movement, engine speed, atmospheric pressure, water temperature, and driving conditions. Such engines received the designation (M 129). The increased engine output was at 5,500 rpm. The 250 SE was further distinguished by a standard dual exhaust system. Top speed was .
300 SE and 300 SEL models
Both the 300 SEb (standard wheelbase) and 300 SEL (long wheelbase, W 109) were fitted with the M 189 engine. This engine was an updated version of the M 186, originally developed for the 300 "Adenauer," also with a Bosch 6-point mechanical fuel injection, but featuring a light alloy cylinder block. The engine's output was at 5,400 rpm (DIN), with maximum torque rated at at 4,000 rpm. With the standard rear axle ratio of 1:3.92 and automatic transmission, top speed was approximately ; with the optionally available "faster" rear axle ratio of 1:3.69 in conjunction with the mechanical transmission, a top speed of approximately was attainable.
Whereas the outgoing W 112 300 SE and its LWB namesake were mechanically identical, this approach was abandoned. Only the W 109 300 SEL was equipped as standard with air suspension described above, as well as power steering, and the four-speed automatic transmission. A manual gearbox was available at a reduced price, and an optional limited-slip differential was offered.
Production figures
The production figures for the first series from mid 1965 to start of 1968 (spring of 1969 for the 250S) showed 129,858 of 250 S/250 SE and 5,106 of 300 SEb/300 SEL. The very small production figure of 300 series reflected the higher sales price with luxurious appointments, exclusivity, and smaller global market share.
300 SEL 6.3
thumb|The massive M100 engine of the 300SEL 6.3
thumb|Outwardly, the W 109-based [[Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3|6.3 was the first to use vertically paired headlights outside of North America. Originally this was a characteristic for US-exported models to comply with the DoT regulations on sealed beam lenses. The non-US models had a regular lamp with a halogen bulb. A third stand alone pair would occupy the space flanking the grille.]]
The 300 SEL 6.3 was created in 1966 when company engineer Erich Waxenberger transplanted the M 100 V8 from the 600 (W 100) into the W 109 chassis. Intended to bridge the gap between the 300 SEL and the 600, the result was the first Q-car from Mercedes-Benz. Full-scale production began in December 1967, and the model was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968 and at the British International Motor Show in October 1968. There are unconfirmed theories that the reason for the car's appearance was also out of necessity due to MB stocking a huge surplus of unused M100 castings, due to the very high price of the Größer.
Daimler-Benz positioned the 300 SEL 6.3 as a long-distance limousine combining optimal comfort with superb performance, acknowledging that the sole criticism of the existing 300 SEL was for greater speed as air-suspended chassis had the effect of making very fast driving feel comparatively sedate. The significance of the model lay in its acceleration: 0– in 6.5 seconds and a standing kilometre in 27.1 seconds. The power-to-weight ratio was 6.95 kg/HP (DIN), equivalent to high-performance sports cars. Top speed was approximately . Fuel consumption varied between 14 and 24 L/100 km, with a tank including a 14-litre reserve.
The M 100 V8 engine, carried over from the 600 with only a few modifications, delivered (DIN) at 4,000 rpm and (SAE) at 4,100 rpm, with maximum torque of at 2,800 rpm. The fuel injection system employed an eight-plunger injection pump with an automatic starting and warm-up unit, injecting fuel into the induction pipe via eight jets at a pressure of . The standard four-speed automatic transmission with hydraulic clutch and three planetary gear sets was carried over from the 600. Due to the size of the engine, the front axle had to be moved forward by 1.5 cm, further increasing the wheelbase. The rear axle was modified with a final drive ratio of 2.85. Braking system was enhanced with internally ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels, and the power steering required only slightly more than 2.5 turns from lock to lock. Super-low profile radial-ply tyres of size FR 70 VR 14 (205 VR 14 L) with tubes were fitted as standard.
The model was not the first to hide the true displacement of the engine, but the first to specify it separately with the "6.3" lettering on the right side of the boot lid. Externally the look was complemented with three halogen double headlamps in which the dipped and high-beam units were designed as a single assembly, providing longer range and consistent brightness. This headlamp frame design was derived from the US-specification versions to accommodate the sealed beam lenses, but now featured regular halogen bulbs. Initially exclusive to the 6.3, they would become optional on other models. The interior featured a speedometer with an extended range, a standard-fit tachometer, and a newly located clock. Standard luxury equipment included a vacuum-controlled central locking system, electrically operated side windows, and illuminated boot, glove compartment, ashtray, cigar lighter, and heater levers.
A total of 6,526 units were produced before the model was discontinued in September 1972. In the assessment of its manufacturer, the combination of the M 100 engine, automatic transmission, and air suspension gave the 300 SEL 6.3 a position on the international automobile market that was matched by no other automobile.
Second Series (1968–1972)
thumb|right|A W 108 in France with [[selective yellow headlights]]
Market introduction
In 1968, at the Brussels Motor Show in January for Europe and the Chicago Auto Show in February for the United States Mercedes-Benz unveiled the new executive W 114/W 115 "/8" (Stroke Eight); () models. Also designed by Paul Bracq, they closely mimicked the W 108 and W 109 models, completing the marque's transition to its corporate style, which began with the two door W 111 models in 1961. Mechanically they rode on chassis and platform of a clean-sheet design, and were slotted below the W 108 and W 109 models to replace the now archaic W 110 and W 111 Fintail sedans, labelled as the medium-class in official press-releases. but would not reach production until 1972. This meant that for the next five years Mercedes-Benz would be constantly releasing new models upon the availability of newer technology into the ageing vehicle to keep it competitive, despite still riding on a modified Ponton platform from the early 1950s, leading to a somewhat confusing nomenclature.
2.8 L I6 models
thumb|A long-wheelbase 280 SEL.
The inline six-cylinder engine range was revised for 1968. The 2.5 L M 108/M 129 engine retained the asymmetrical cylinder spacing of the M 180/M 127. For further enlargement the cylinder axis had to evenly spaced allowing for the motor to be bored out to . It was renamed as the M 130 for both carburetted and fuel-injected versions creating the 280 model series. The former on the 280 S, made (DIN) at 5,200 rpm (157 HP SAE at 5,400 rpm), whilst the latter on the 280 SE delivered (DIN) at 5,500 rpm (180 HP SAE at 5,750 rpm).
Internal improvements included molybdenum-treated piston rings for high wear resistance and extended engine lifespan even under sustained maximum load. An air-to-oil cooler replaced the previous oil-water heat exchanger, installed next to radiator as a single unit for more intensive cooling under hard driving conditions. A new camshaft with modified timing improved cylinder filling and torque delivery, particularly in the lower and mid-range engine speeds. Fuel-injected throttle body was now connected to the coolant circuit to prevent icing at low temperatures.
All manual transmission equipped engines now had a diaphragm clutch in place of the coil spring type, which was more resistant to high revolutions, had fewer wear parts, and required lower pedal pressure. The clutch pedal travel was shortened and a spring in the slave cylinder automatically compensated for wear, eliminating the need for adjustment.
The engine was a 90° V8 with grey cast iron block, light alloy heads, bore × stroke of × (stroke-to-bore ratio 0.715:1), and maximum engine speed of 6,500 rpm. The short-stroke design and placement of the intake manifolds between the cylinder banks made the V8 lower than the six-cylinder in-line engine. Weight was approximately , only more than the M 130.
The M 116 featured forged and nitrided steel crankshaft with five 64 mm main bearings, molybdenum-coated pistons, cross-flow wedge combustion chambers with sodium-cooled exhaust valves, rotocap valve rotation joints and one overhead camshaft per bank driven by duplex chain with hydraulic tensioner. A major milestone was electronically controlled Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection eliminating the mechanical injection pump and the large intake pipes. The electromagnetic injectors fire in four groups of two per one crankshaft revolution with a control unit that receives inputs for intake manifold vacuum, engine speed, air temperature, coolant temperature, and throttle position; idle mixture adjustable via potentiometer. Tranistorised ignition also made its introduction with the M116, such that contact breaker points carry only low control current, preventing their burning. Cooling included a visco-drive fan and thermostatically controlled electric auxiliary fan.
The arrival of the 3.5 series (Mercedes-Benz reserved the "350" model badge for the next generation) also allowed Mercedes-Benz to make a progressive pricing of its model range. For all the complexity of the naming, by mid 1971 the customer would pay a 10% extra for fuel-injection of his base 280S, 30% more for the 3.5 V8, 40% if he wished to have it LWB, 80% more if he wished it on air suspension, whilst the flagship 6.3 would cost him 2.5 times. Despite their short production span, a total of 12 260 M116 powered W108s and a further 9 583 W109s of the 3.5 series will be produced until late summer of 1972.
4.5 L V8 models
thumb|A 280SE 4.5 in San Francisco. Post-1968 US-spec models can be further identified by the additional indicator lights on the fenders.
thumb|The 4.5 litre M117 with the air cleaner removed, showing the components of the D-Jetronic electronic ignition
The M116 powered 300 SEL 3.5 was introduced to the United States for the 1970 Model year at the New York International Auto Show. The 1970 amendment of the Clean Air Act, stipulated reduction of Nitrogen Oxide emissions, which would result in lowering of compression ratios and reduce the fuel octane levels. To compensate for this and to stay competitive in its top export market Mercedes-Benz stroked the M116 by 19.2 mm, raising the displacement to . The 4.5 L V8 engine was designated as M 117 and with at 4500 RPM falling just short of the domestic 3.5 L V8 engine. It did generate the of torque at 3,000 RPM, which was considered sufficient that the MB to pull the 6.3 out of the US export market for the 1971 and 1972 MY. The M117 was coupled with the new W4A 040 three speed automatic which introduced a torque converter.
The models would be respectively called 280 SE 4.5, 280 SEL 4.5 and 300 SEL 4.5. Sold exclusively to the United States, they would be models to close the W108/W109 and thus the whole Ponton era saga in November 1972, in small production overlap with the W116. A total of 24 253 cars would be delivered. Incidentally the M117 would remain exclusive to the United States until mid 1973 for the next generation of 450 series for the 116 and 107 S-class chassis.
Transmission
Unusual among mainstream European automakers of the time, Mercedes developed and built their own automatic transmission system, first went into production in 1961.
The standard transmission for Europe was a four-speed manual gearbox. As an option a four-speed automatic with fluid coupling was available. For the first series it was the K4A 025; for the second series the more reliable and smoother shifting all new K4C 025 was introduced in May 1969. A five-speed manual gearbox was offered for six-cylinder 2.8 L and 3.0 L engines, though a few customers opted for it.
As a pilot the first model of the more reliable and smoother shifting all new four-speed automatic with fluid coupling layout was the K4B 050, 1963 introduced for the 600 and later the 300 SEL 6.3 respectively. Beside the new layout the number of pinions is doubled from 3 to 6 to handle the much higher torque of the big block V8 engine M 100.
After the satisfactory experience with the new design, it was adopted for the new core model K4C 025 for 4- to 6-cylinder engines. With the small block V8 engine M 116, the K4A 040 was launched as a reinforced version of the same design. With the small block V8 engine for the United States M 117, the three-speed automatic with torque converter W4A 040 was derived from this design. It was the first automatic with torque converter Mercedes-Benz offered.
When the 3.5 L V8 engine was introduced in 1969, the sole transmission choice was the K4A 040. Customers could request the four-speed manual transmission with price reduction if they inclined so. For 4.5 L V8 engine for the United States, the sole transmission choice was the W3A 040.
Models
{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="text-align:center"
|+ W 108
|-
! Name
! Chassis code
! Production period
! Units built
! Engine model
|-
! Total
! colspan="2"|
! 359,522
!
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! 250 S
| 108.012
| 09/1965–03/1969
| 74,677
| 2.5 L I6 M 108
|-
! 250 SE
| 108.014
| 09/1965–01/1968
| 55,181
| 2.5 L I6 M 129
|-
! 300 SEb
| 108.015
| 08/1965–12/1967
| 2,737
| 3.0 L I6 M 189
|-
! 280 S
| 108.016
| 01/1968–09/1972
| 93,666
| 2.8 L I6 M 130
|-
! 280 SE
| 108.018
| 01/1968–09/1972
| 91,051
| 2.8 L I6 M 130
|-
! 280 SEL
| 108.019
| 01/1968–04/1971
| 8,250
| 2.8 L I6 M 130
|-
! 280 SE 3.5
| 108.057
| 03/1971–09/1972
| 11,309
| 3.5 L V8 M 116
|-
! 280 SEL 3.5
| 108.058
| 03/1971–08/1972
| 951
| 3.5 L V8 M 116
|-
! 280 SE 4.5
| 108.067
| 05/1971–11/1972
| 13,527
| 4.5 L V8 M 117
|-
! 280 SEL 4.5
| 108.068
| 05/1971–11/1972
| 8,173
| 4.5 L V8 M 117
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
| colspan="5"|
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#AAF"|
|}
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="text-align:center"
|+ W 109
|-
! Name
! Chassis code
! Production period
! Units built
! Engine model
|-
! Total
! colspan="2"|
! 23,550
!
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! rowspan="2"| 300 SEL
| 109.015
| 03/1966–12/1967
| 2,369
| 3.0 L I6 M 189
|-
| 109.016
| 02/1968–01/1970
| 2,519
| 2.8 L I6 M 130
|-
! 300 SEL 3.5
| 109.056
| 11/1969–09/1972
| 9,583
| 3.5 L V8 M 116
|-
! 300 SEL 4.5
| 109.057
| 05/1971–10/1972
| 2,553
| 4.5 L V8 M 117
|-
! 300 SEL 6.3
| 109.018
| 12/1967–09/1972
| 6,526
| 6.3 L V8 M 100
|-
! colspan="5" style="background:#AAF"|
|}
Timeline
{|class="toccolours" style="margin:0 auto; text-align:center"
|- style="background:#f0f0f0"
! style="width:5%"| Type
! style="width:5%"| Chassis
! style="width:5%"| 1965
! style="width:5%"| 1966
! style="width:5%"| 1967
! style="width:5%"| 1968
! style="width:5%"| 1969
! style="width:5%"| 1970
! style="width:5%"| 1971
! style="width:5%"| 1972
|-
| rowspan="14" style="background:silver"| Sedan
| rowspan="10" style="background:silver"| W 108
| colspan="4" style="background:silver"| 250 S
| colspan="4" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:silver"| 250 SE
| colspan="5" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:silver"| 300 SEb
| colspan="5" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="5" style="background:silver"|280 S
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="5" style="background:silver"|280 SE
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="4" style="background:silver" | 280 SEL
| style="background:#e0e0e0" |
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"|280 SE 3.5
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"|280 SEL 3.5
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"| 280 SE 4.5
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"| 280 SEL 4.5
|-
| rowspan="5" style="background:silver"| W 109
| style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"|300 SEL M 189
| colspan="2" style="background:silver" | 300 SEL M 130
| colspan="3" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
|-
| colspan="5" style="background:#e0e0e0" |
| colspan="3" style="background:silver"|300 SEL 3.5
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
| colspan="2" style="background:silver"| 300 SEL 4.5
|-
| colspan="3" style="background:#e0e0e0"|
| colspan="5" style="background:silver"| 300 SEL 6.3
|}
Technical info
{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="text-align:center"
|+ Technical data Mercedes-Benz W 108 (Manufacturer's figures except where stated)
|-
! style="width:12.5%"|Name
! style="width:12.5%"|250 S
! style="width:12.5%"|250 SE
! style="width:12.5%"|300 SEb
! style="width:12.5%"|280 S
! style="width:12.5%"|280 SE<br/>280 SEL
! style="width:12.5%"|280 SE 3.5<br/>280 SEL 3.5
! style="width:12.5%"|280 SE 4.5<br/>280 SEL 4.5
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Model
| W 108 II
| W 108 III
| W 108 IV
| W 108 V 28
| W 108 E 28
| W 108 E 35/1
| W 108 E 45
|-
! Chassis code
| 108.012
| 108.014
| 108.015
| 108.016
| 108.018<br/>108.019
| 108.057<br/>108.058
| 108.067<br/>108.068
|-
! Production period
| 07/1965 – 03/1969
| 08/1965 – 01/1968
| 08/1965 – 12/1967
| colspan="2"|11/1967 – 09/1972<br/>01/1968 – 04/1971
| 07/1970 – 09/1972<br/>06/1970 – 08/1972
| 04/1971 – 11/1972<br/>05/1971 – 11/1972
|-
! Units built
| 74,677
| 55,181
| 2,737
| 93,666
| 91,051<br/> 8,250
| 11,309<br/>951
| 13,527<br/>8,173
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Engine model
| M 108 I
| M 129 I
| M 189 VII
| M 130 V 28
| M 130 E 28
| M 116 E 35
| M 117 E 45
|-
! Engine type
| 108.920
| 129.980
| 189.989
| 130.920
| 130.980
| 116.980
| 117.984
|-
! Engine layout
| colspan="5"| I6
| colspan="2"| V8
|-
! Bore x<br>Stroke
| colspan="2"| x<br>
| x<br>
| colspan="2"| x<br>
| x<br>
| x<br>
|-
! Displacement
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|
|
|
|-
! Max. Power<br/>at 1/min
| <br>5,400
| <br>5,500
| <br>5,400
| <br>5,200
| <br>5,500
| <br>5,800
| <br>4,500
|-
! Max. Torque<br/>at 1/min
| <br>4,000
| <br>4,200
| <br>4,000
| <br>3,600
| <br>4,250
| <br>4,000
| <br>3,000
|-
! Compression Ratio
| 9.0 : 1
| 9.3 : 1
| 8.8 : 1
| 9.0 : 1
| colspan="2"| 9.5 : 1
| 8 0 : 1
|-
! Fuel feed
| 2 Zenith 35/40 compound downdraft carburetors
| colspan="2"| Bosch 6-point mechanical fuel injection
| 2 Zenith 35/40 compound downdraft carburetors
| Bosch 6-point mechanical fuel injection
| colspan="2"| Bosch D-Jetronic
|-
! Valvetrain
| colspan="7"| SOHC, duplex chain
|-
! Cooling
| colspan="7"|Water
|-
! Electrical system
| colspan="7"| 12 volt
|-
! colspan="8"|
|-
! rowspan="3"| Gearbox
| colspan="6"| 4-speed manual w/ column or floor shifter
| rowspan="3"| 3-speed automatic W4A 040 (type 722.0) w/ column or floor shifter
|-
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="3"| optional 5-speed manual w/ column or floor shifter
| rowspan="2"| optional 4-speed automatic K4A 040 (type 722.2) w/ column or floor shifter
|-
| colspan="3"| optional 4-speed automatic K4A 025 (w/o type) w/ column or floor shifter
| colspan="2"| optional 4-speed automatic K4C 025 (type 722.1) w/ column or floor shifter
|-
! Final drive
| colspan="7"| rear wheel drive
|-
! Final ratio
| colspan="2"| 3.92 (47:12)
| 3.92 or 3.69
| colspan="2"| 3.69 (48:13)
| 3.46 (45:13)
| 3.23 (42:13)
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Body structure
| colspan="7"| Sheet steel, monocoque (unibody) construction
|-
! Length
| colspan="7"| S/SE: <br/>SEL:
|-
! Width
| colspan="7"|
|-
! Height
| colspan="7"|
|-
! rowspan="2"| Curb weight<br/>manual<br/>automatic
|
|
|
|
| <br/>
| <br/>
|
|-
|
|
|
|
| <br/>
| <br/>
| <br/>
|-
! Gross weight
|
|
|
|
| <br/>
| <br/>
| <br/>
|-
! colspan="8"|
|-
! Wheelbase
| colspan="7"|S/SE: <br/>SEL:
|-
! Track front/<br>rear
| colspan="7"| /
|-
! Front suspension
| colspan="7"| Double wishbones, coil springs, stabilising bar
|-
! Rear suspension
| colspan="7"| Low-pivot swing axle, radius arms, coil springs
|-
! Brakes
| colspan="7"| Disc brakes (Ø front, rear), power assisted
|-
! Steering
| colspan="7"| Recirculating ball steering, manual or servo-assisted
|-
! Wheel sizes
| colspan="7"| 6J x 14
|-
! Tyre/Tire sizes
| colspan="5"| 7.35 H 14 or 185 HR 14
| 185 VR 14
| 7.35 V 14
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! rowspan="2"| Top speed<br/>manual<br/>automatic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|
|
|
|
|
| colspan="2"|
|-
! rowspan="2"| 0–<br/>manual<br/>automatic
| 13 sec.
| colspan="3"| 12 sec.
| 11 sec.
| 10 sec.
|
|-
| 14 sec.
| colspan="3"| 13 sec.
| 12 sec.
| 11 sec.
| 12 sec.
|-
! rowspan="2"| Fuel Consumption (estimate)<br/>manual<br/>automatic
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|
|
|
|-
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|
|
|
|-
! Fuel tank capacity
| colspan="7"|
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Price Germany<br/>USA
| DM 15,300<br/>$5,747
| DM 16,850<br/>$6,385
| DM 21,500<br/>$8,048
| DM 17,000<br/>$5,897
| DM 18,600<br/>$6,222<br/>DM 21,230<br/>$6,622
| DM 24,920<br/>$10,076<br/>DM 27,310<br/>$ n/a
| DM n/a<br/>$ tbd<br/>DM n/a<br/>$ tbd
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
| colspan="8"|
|-
| colspan="8" style="background:#AAF"|
|}
{|class="wikitable collapsible" style="text-align:center"
|+ Technical data Mercedes-Benz W 109 (Manufacturer's figures except where stated)
|-
! style="width:16%"|Name
! colspan="2" style="width:21%"|300 SEL
! style="width:21%"|300 SEL 3.5
! style="width:21%"|300 SEL 4.5
! style="width:21%"|300 SEL 6.3
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Model
| W 109 III
| W 109 E 28
| W 109 E 35/1
| W 109 E 45
| W 109 E 63
|-
! Chassis code
| 109.015
| 109.016
| 109.056
| 109.057
| 109.018
|-
! Production period
| 09/1965 – 12/1967
| 12/1967 – 01/1970
| 08/1969 – 09/1972
| 05/1971 – 10/1972
| 12/1967 – 09/1972
|-
! Units built
| 2,369
| 2,519
| 9,583
| 2,553
| 6,526
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Engine model
| M 189 VII
| M 130 E 28
| M 116 E 35
| M 117 E 45
| M 100 E 63
|-
! Engine type
| 189.988
| 130.981
| 116.981
| 117.981
| 100.981
|-
! Engine layout
| colspan="2"| I6
| colspan="3"| V8
|-
! Bore x Stroke
| x
| x
| x
| x
| x
|-
! Displacement
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! Max. Power<br/>at 1/min
| <br/>5,400
| <br/>5,750
| <br/>5,800
| <br/>4,500
| <br/>4,000
|-
! Max. Torque<br/>at 1/min
| <br/>4,000
| <br/>4,500
| <br/>4,000
| <br/>3,000
| <br/>2,800
|-
! Compression Ratio
| 8.8 : 1
| colspan="2"| 9.5 : 1
| 8.0 : 1
| 9.0 : 1
|-
! Fuel feed
| colspan="2"| Bosch 6-point mechanical fuel injection
| colspan="2"| Bosch D-Jetronic
| Bosch 8-point mechanical fuel injection
|-
! Valvetrain
| colspan="5"| SOHC, duplex chain
|-
! Cooling
| colspan="5"| Water
|-
! Electrical system
| colspan="7"| 12 volt
|-
! colspan="6"|
|-
! rowspan="3"| Gearbox
| colspan="2"| 4-speed manual w/ column or floor shifter
| rowspan="3"| 4-speed automatic K4A 040 (type 722.2) w/ column or floor shifter
| rowspan="3"| 3-speed automatic W3A 040 (type 722.0) w/ column or floor shifter
| rowspan="3"| 4-speed automatic K4B 050 (w/o type) w/ column or floor shifter
|-
| colspan="2"| optional 5-speed manual w/ column or floor shifter
|-
| colspan="2"| optional 4-speed automatic K4A 025 (w/o type) w/ column or floor shifter
|-
! Final drive
| colspan="5"| rear wheel drive
|-
! Final ratio
| colspan="2"| 3.92 (47:12) or 3.69 (48:13)
| 3.46 (45:13)
| 3.23 (42:13)
| 2.85 (37:13)
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Body structure
| colspan="5"|Sheet steel, monocoque (unibody) construction
|-
! Length
| colspan="5"|
|-
! Width
| colspan="5"|
|-
! Height
| colspan="4"|
|
|-
! rowspan="2"| Curb weight<br/>manual<br/>automatic
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|
|-
| colspan="2"|
|
|
|
|-
! Gross weight
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="6"|
|-
! Wheelbase
| colspan="4"|
|
|-
! Track front/<br>rear
| colspan="4"| <br/>
| <br/>
|-
! Front suspension
| colspan="5"| Double wishbones, air springs, rubber springs, stabilising bar
|-
! Rear suspension
| colspan="5"| Swing axle, radius arms, air and additional rubber springs
|-
! Brakes
| colspan="5"| Disc brakes (Ø front, rear), power assisted
|-
! Steering
| colspan="5"| Recirculating ball steering, servo-assisted
|-
! Wheel sizes
| colspan="4"| 6J x 14
| 6 1/2J x 14
|-
! Tyre/Tire sizes
| colspan="2"| 7.35 H 14 or 185 HR 14
| 185 VR 14
| 7.35 V 14
| 195 VR 14 or<br/>205/70 VR 14
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! rowspan="2"| Top speed<br/>manual<br/>automatic
| colspan="2"|
|
| colspan="2"|
|-
| colspan="2"|
| colspan="2"|
| <br/>'
|-
! rowspan="2"| 0–<br/>manual<br/>automatic
| colspan="2"| 11 sec.
| 10 sec.
| colspan="2"|
|-
| colspan="2"| 12 sec.
| 11 sec.
| 12 sec.
| 8 sec.<br/>6.5 sec.
|-
! rowspan="2"| Fuel Consumption (estimate)<br/>manual<br/>automatic
|
|
|
| colspan="2"|
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! Fuel tank capacity
| colspan="4"|
|
|-
| colspan="6" style="background:#AAF"|
|-
! Price Germany<br/>USA
| DM 28,000<br/>$9,910