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Mercedes: “The Best or Nothing”

Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR

Mercedes, with its motto “The Best or Nothing,” is known for its boldness in the pursuit of perfection. When the company introduced the CLK GTR, Mercedes took a different approach to perfection by creating a superpowered oddity that has been called “one of the craziest V12 cars ever made” and “the most mental Mercedes ever.”

This is a car built for speed with a heart and body born in auto racing. It was designed to be a true competitor to other extremely fast cars of its racing era in 1996-1998. Mercedes gave it a 6.0-liter V12 engine with an impressive 600 horsepower and a 6-speed sequential manual transmission. It also has a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque chassis that makes it light and maneuverable.

With the right driver in the driver’s seat, this car was able to secure wins in 17 of its 22 early races, followed by an undefeated winning season in the 1998 FIA GT Championship. By 1999, when Mercedes opted to end the CLK GTR line, the drivers of other cars in the GT1 class were basically giving up on ever pulling off a win. That’s how dominant this car was in its heyday.

As for the Mercedes CLK GTR’s legacy, that’s a mixed bag. It’s always been a bit controversial within the racing world and outside it. Some Mercedes diehards view it as the ultimate racing superstar that remains unmatched forever. Others view it with skeptical curiosity, wondering whether it was ever really a good fit with the Mercedes brand. What’s your take? 

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT-R

This sleek, road-ready Mercedes took all the best technology from many decades of successful motorsports cars and tucked it away inside a luxury car that’s easy and comfortable to drive. It debuted in 2014 and just 750 of these vehicles were made for the model year 2020.

The AMG GT-R has a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a transaxle, twin-turbo V8 engine and a 7-speed dual clutch. It has rear-wheel steering that can be activated at any time by the driver. Its chassis and frame, known as a spaceframe, is a lightweight aluminum alloy that works with a double-wishbone suspension system to offer a combination of strength and maneuverability.

On the outside, its body styling is aerodynamic and approachable. It has long body lines, a rear spoiler, and vertical fins that give it a classic sports car look that appeals to those who love a sporty Mercedes. Plus, it comes in a rainbow of factory colors like Brilliant Blue Metallic, AMG® Solarbeam Yellow Metallic, designo® Cardinal Red Metallic, and the color featured in many of the car’s publicity photos: AMG® Green Hell Mango.

That’s why some people refer to this car as “green hell” or “the green hellion” – or maybe it’s because this racer takes just 3.6 seconds to go from zero to 100 km/h. Actually, Green Hell is also a nickname for the legendary North Loop of Nürburgring race track, which reminds the world that the AMG GT-R comes from a long line of sports cars with genuine racing pedigrees.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Meet Mercedes’ first automobile that was completely designed and built by AMG, which is why it has “AMG” right in the name. This two-seat grand touring car was produced as a coupe and roadster between 2010 and 2014 but somehow looked futuristic beyond its years from the moment it rolled off the production line.

While the roadster has conventional doors, other SLS AMGs open up with gullwing doors that hinge at the roof’s midline. Many people don’t realize that Mercedes-Benz pioneered the gullwing door, also known as the falcon-wing door, in the mid-1950s. By the time it took flight on the SLS AMG, the operation of these doors had been refined to a smooth, flowing motion that earlier models hadn’t yet perfected.

AMG gave the SLS AMG an aluminum spaceframe, rather than a traditional steel frame, which made it almost 200 pounds lighter than its predecessors. It can fly across the landscape with a front-mid 6.2-liter engine and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Original models came standard with rear-wheel drive except on the SLS AMG electric, which got all-wheel drive.

It’s still one of the most powerful race/road cars ever, which has helped the SLS AMG hold its value. It was also produced in limited quantities where a high priority was placed on tough-to-handcraft features with everlasting appeal to collectors, like its fragile gullwing door design. 

Wouldn’t you love to take one of these beauties out for a ride? Spread its wings and hop into the driver’s seat, and you’ll find it’s simply fun to drive due to its excellent handling and belly full of horsepower. Hans Werner Aufrecht, the founder of AMG, summed up the SLS AMG when he said, “You can’t really improve a Mercedes … but you can make it different.”

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

This is the embodiment of Mercedes’ gullwing design, a two-seat sports car produced from 1954 to 1963 that was the fastest production car of its time. Although it was manufactured in Germany, it was quickly exported to Europe and the U.S. due to a strong surge in demand from these markets.

The SL in its name refers to “superlight,” which was one of the overarching goals of its careful design. Mercedes envisioned an extremely lightweight body that would be propelled by a staggeringly powerful engine, giving a feeling of liftoff after the driver entered the gullwing door and took flight. Under the hood, the 300 SL Gullwing has a 2,996 cc straight-six engine driven by a 4-speed manual transmission. 

The Gullwing is a classic head-turner that’s almost impossible to resist gazing at when you have the rare opportunity to see one. There’s something fascinating about its prim-yet-futuristic design. It’s quirky, maybe a little gimmicky, but still a full-blooded Mercedes-Benz luxury car.

When DeLorean copied the gullwing design in the mid-70s, many Mercedes owners scoffed. How dare he? Mercedes-Benz had already spent two decades and millions of dollars perfecting the beauty and functionality of its design. DeLorean was unabashedly trying to recreate the dream car that was originally the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. 

Today, the Gullwing is still known by many other names that show how much love the auto world holds for this unique and memorable sports car. It’s been called Mercedes’ Little Miracle, The Ultimate Dream Car, and the Sports Car of the Century.

Mercedes-Benz C111 

When the C111 turned 50, MotorTrend writer Jonny Lieberman said what everyone had been thinking for half a century: “Perhaps the hardest thing to understand about any C111 is Mercedes’ decision to never build the thing.”

This defiant orange experimental supercar was a total tease for the auto-buying market. Mercedes-Benz released a fully-designed concept car for auto shows and the media, but reportedly never intended to roll a single C111 off the production line. Instead, it was either a publicity stunt or the fulfillment of a design dream, depending on how you look at it.

Various versions of the concept car included rotary Wankel engines, diesel engines, turbochargers, and rotary-powered features that weren’t exactly ready for prime time. Plus, this was a period in automotive history when the public began to demand passive safety features that were totally absent in the C111 prototypes.

Nevertheless, when the world first saw the C111, salivating buyers flooded the Stuttgart factory with blank checks. Many serious and well-connected buyers made inquiries directly to the top brass at Mercedes-Benz, hoping their personal connections would land them a special delivery of the C111. 

Alas, very few ever succeeded. Today there are 13 known C111s in existence. The C111 has gone down in history as a vestige from the past with a skeleton made of evolutionary dead-ends.

Want to take a spin in a C111? Good luck. Comedian Jay Leno got the rare opportunity on his show, “Jay Leno’s Garage.” Warning: Watch that video at your own risk. It might just rekindle the outrage you feel at never being able to own one!

Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG

What’s the most practically impractical Mercedes you could possibly own? It’s the 560 SEC AMG, the classic executive’s Mercedes that made its way into everything from political photoshoots to 90s rap videos.

The 560 SEC AMG emerged from the company’s late-1970s design concepts but wasn’t released until 1989. At its introduction, it cost a staggering $200,000 in 1989 dollars, which just added to its air of elusive luxury.

The body of the 560 SEC AMG is the famous and timeless solid, wide-box design that gave it an instant-classic look of the early 90s. Ideally, you popped your collar, slid on your dark sunglasses, and hopped into this Mercedes.

Under the hood, it has a modified 6-liter V8 engine that creates twice the torque of the original 5.6-liter Mercedes-Benz engine. Of course, with this kind of power, you need four oversize disc wheel brakes so you can slow down from its top speed of 150 mph. Somehow, this sleek and powerful Mercedes manages to have a lumbering feel, perhaps due to its boxy shape.

Why is it so impractical? Well, the price tag, for one. But these cars are also hard to find in original condition today. Many of them – and their cousins, the plain old Mercedes-Benz 560SECs – have been reupholstered, revamped, rusted out, or totally lost in time.

Just 50 actual Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMGs were originally produced. Reportedly, up to 100 were intended to be made, but production halted after the first 50. Other Mercedes models later echoed the same boxy design, but they were never quite the same as this one.

Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Pagoda

After the success of the 190 SL and the 300 SL, the 230 SL continued a legendary Mercedes line, but with changes from engine to tailfin. This version is sporty like a roadster, comfortable like a touring car, and fast like a race car. On top of all that, Mercedes made it a car that put safety first, with unprecedented built-in safety features.

It was nicknamed the Pagoda after its curved, temple-like roof that evoked the alluring quality of the far east for its European and American customers. It launched with fanfare at the Geneva International Motor Show and promised outstanding luxury, outstanding comfort, and outstanding safety.

This was the first car with front and rear crumple zones that could take the force of an impact, diverting it from the central core of the car’s rigid body. For passengers, this meant less chance of injury in an accident and greater peace of mind during long, relaxing road trips.

The Pagoda is a luxury car with the heart of a race car, offering strong 8-cylinder engine power. In addition to the four-speed manual transmission, a customer could choose a four-speed automatic transmission or even a five-speed manual. Buyers could also choose the roadster, a version with a soft folding top, or the coupe, a sportier version with a removable roof.

With the Pagoda, Mercedes took a gamble that new safety features would resonate with a marketplace of early-1960s customers who had lots of automobile options. Among these were thousands of mothers who wanted safer versions of the sporty cars their husbands were lusting after.

By the time the Pagoda ceased production in 1971, 48,912 had been produced. To this day, it’s viewed as one of the most successful lines Mercedes ever introduced, especially among buyers who had never invested in a Mercedes before.

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL looks straight out of a 50s-era movie where the leading lady wears a scarf in her hair and a smile on her face. With the top down and the speed up, it’s an absolutely joyous car to drive along America’s highways.

When it was released in 1955, reviewers called it the car the public was dreaming of, even if they didn’t know it yet. It redefined the term “instant classic” and set a new standard for two-door luxury roadsters. 

The 190 SL received Mercedes’ newest M 121 engine with 105 hp and a 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine. It has a fully-synchronized four-speed manual transmission. The SL in its name means either sport light or super light, with Mercedes changing its mind through the years about which it was. Either way, it is a very light vehicle with easy, maneuverable handling.

By the time production ended in 1963, 25,881 had been built and it was clear that the 190 SL was more than just a little sister to other cars Mercedes had produced. It helped cement Mercedes in the minds of Americans as a desirable car brand, which expanded the company’s international reputation significantly.

If you’re looking to invest in a classic Mercedes that embodies the swinging style of the 1950s, this should be a top contender. Not only is it one of the most enjoyable cars you’ll ever drive, but it’s been steadily increasing in value by about 10% per year since 1980. It’s the perfect marriage of retro and modern, and it sure looks good on Instagram!

Mercedes-Benz 300 D Adenauer

The Mercedes-Benz 300 D was introduced in 1951, six years after the end of World War II. In advertisements from the era, Mercedes-Benz advertised this as the most elegant motorcar in the world. It was the pride of German automaking, a pinnacle of achievement that honored Germany’s return to the manufacture of internationally-respected automobiles.

As a nod to the burgeoning popularity of road trips and photography, Mercedes gave this luxurious vehicle slender roof rods that avoided obstructing the windows. This meant every occupant in the vehicle could see wide panoramic views from every angle. This also gives it an unusual floating-roof look that some people found odd, but most buyers found highly desirable.

It has an inline six-cylinder engine with a three-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel independent suspension, meaning it has a powerful and comfortable ride. Mercedes gave it a chassis with the company’s classic swing-arm rear axle design.

The Adenauer is nicknamed after Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, who used it as his last official vehicle and continued to use it until his death in 1967. Although “Adenauer” isn’t officially part of the car’s name, most people still refer to it using either this moniker or “the 300.”

In today’s classic car marketplace, an original Adenauer is hard to find in good condition. Buyers tend to pay high restoration costs to maintain the integrity of the vehicle and keep the finicky drive train running flawlessly. If you find one in decent condition, you’ll be lucky indeed.

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

When AMG teamed up with Mercedes a little more than 25 years ago to create a successor to the popular M3, many car experts were skeptical about the collaboration’s ability to rekindle the same kind of public passion. But the C63 defied all the critics and became a surprise hit with buyers. 

At its introduction, it was the world’s fastest sports sedan. It has a 6.2L V8 engine with a C-class chassis and a seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission, all working together to deliver 451 horsepower and 443 ft-lb of torque. As a result, it hits 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.

But what many people love about this vehicle is that despite its speed, it looks more like an executive’s daily ride than a flat-out racer. It has a somewhat boxy, serious shape for a car that has been recorded hitting a quarter of a mile in less than 12 seconds! 

The C63 is the subject of several automotive legends. Some say cops can’t see it – meaning it can zip past a police officer shooting radar without drawing attention, simply because its plain sedan shape doesn’t look built for speed. It also has a reputation as one of Mercedes’ most masculine vehicles ever produced due to its quad exhaust and beefed-up 5 spoke wheels that conceal huge six-piston calipers.

Auto Motor and Sport Magazine calls it a Mercedes that can “enhance the joy of driving,” even for someone who’s driven plenty of Mercedes sports cars before. Since it was released, it has taken a place as one of the most “insidery” vehicles the company has ever produced. The average person simply doesn’t know enough about automotive history to appreciate the C63’s place within it. 

Here’s the bottom line when it comes to the C63: The streets are filled with beloved M3s, but when a true Mercedes expert spots one of these rare beauties, they know they’re looking at a genuine collector who understands the value of what they own. 

Mercedes-Benz W123

Among various executive-style cars Mercedes has produced, many consider this to be The Executive Car that rises above all others. Oddly enough, some car historians take a different view, calling it the company’s best four-door family car and arguably the world’s first luxury family wagon. 

Perhaps the W123’s dual roles as both an executive car and a family car can account for its massive sales success. The W123 was released in 1976 and manufactured until 1985, and by then 2.7 million of them had rolled off the production line.

At least 11 variously-engined versions of the W123 were produced, with engines ranging from the 2.0-liter M115 to the 3.0-liter diesel. Its transmission was either a four-speed manual, four-speed automatic, or five-speed manual.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, the W123’s owner will see an oversize instrument panel that makes it easier than previous Mercedes models to see and control the gauges, HVAC options, and ventilation system. Again, this was a nod to the professionals and families Mercedes hoped to attract with the W123, rather than racing-minded drivers.

For some Mercedes fans, the W123 is too boring to be a serious buy in the classic car market. Somehow, it’s just “too sensible, reliable, and practical” to take a place among the greatest cars ever sold. Plus, there are still millions of them out there. How could it possibly hold its value, right?

Not so fast. Value is in the eye of the beholder. The W123 is a well-built vehicle that doesn’t usually cost nearly as much to maintain as other Mercedes and AMG classics. Just for fun, you can find a nice example for around $15,000, enjoy driving it around for a few years, then sell it for about the same price to one of the millions of buyers who’d love to have it too.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Car and Driver magazine describes the McLaren as a combination of, “Pedigree, power, and paradox.” Pedigree? It has deep racing roots that reach back to 1950s-era championship wins. Power? It has a 5.4-liter supercharged M155 SLR V8 engine with 557 hp and a five-speed automatic gearbox with Touchshift control.

Paradox? Now that takes more explanation. This car may have solid German Mercedes auto racing heritage, but it was manufactured by DaimlerChrysler from 2003 to 2007, by Daimler AG from 2007 to 2010, and has involved British car company McLaren from start to finish. It was originally called the Mercedes W196S, but the company’s marketing department found that customers couldn’t connect with the “uninspiring” name and redubbed it the 300 SLR. Today, it’s known as the SLR McLaren.

Although many people assume its body style was based on the 300 SL Gullwing due to its top-hinged doors, that’s not the case. Its unique design was all its own, influenced by McLaren, and came in coupe, roadster, speedster, and limited-edition speedster variations. Its body was, quite simply, designed for racing. 

This vehicle’s biggest victory took place at the Mille Miglia, Italy’s famous 1600 km road race. With a bright “722” painted on its side – a reference to its start time of 7:22 a.m. – the Mercedes McClaren won with a record-busting 157.65 km/h average speed. After this race, the car took a place among the superstars of worldwide racing history.

Today, a Mercedes SLR McLaren is a fairly expensive buy in the classic car market. Car and Driver says you can expect to pay $455,500 to acquire one and have the cushions custom-made to fit you, as Mercedes recommends for the driver of a sleek supercar like this. 

Mercedes-Benz W110

Its full name is the Mercedes-Benz 190C TYP W110, but most people just call it the W110 or the fintail Mercedes. It was produced from 1961 to 1968 in two series, the first series from ‘61 to ‘65 and the second series from ‘65 to ‘68. In total, about 625,000 of these cars were made.

Between the two series, significant changes were made along the body and under the hood. But the overall feel of the car remained the same. The W111 has the lights, decorative elements, and body equipment that evoke the much-beloved fintail design popular during the period. Round headlights and popped-up rear “fins” perched atop a straight-line body give these classic cars a charming fish-like appearance. 

In the first series, the engine was either a 1.9-liter M121 or 2.0-liter OM621 diesel engine and later, for the second series, Mercedes gave the option of either a 2.0 or 2.3-liter gasoline or 2.0-liter diesel engine. The second series’ performance was also increased with the addition of a five main bearing crankshaft instead of the original three.

From the moment it rolled off the production line until today, these cars have always been considered solid and high-quality cars that represent some of the best innovations from Mercedes at the time. It remains a good buy.

Mercedes-Benz 190 E Cosworth

It’s rare. It’s beautiful. And it’s barely legal. The Mercedes-Benz 190 E Cosworth was originally produced between 1986 and 1987, then revived in 1990 and was rarely imported into the United States amidst concerns about its impact on the roadways and the environment. 

But all concerns fell by the wayside when the age of these cars reached the NHTSA 25-Year Rule, which declares that 25-year-old vehicles can be imported lawfully into the U.S. without meeting the usual regulatory guidelines. Now you can find them on eBay with high interest from U.S. Mercedes collectors.

Open the hood, and you’ll see its 2.3-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder engine, including a super-lightweight alloy engine head. It also has lightweight pistons and rings that were designed to offer peak performance even at very high speeds. European models had 200 hp, and later models destined for the U.S. were somewhat lower powered for regulatory reasons at 170 hp.

This vehicle involved British carmaker Cosworth, which developed its engine and worked within Mercedes specifications for rally-ready cars. Mercedes wanted to take it rally racing and had already entered its first-produced vehicle in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Series at the time of this model’s introduction. 

It won plenty of races but is viewed by history as more of a laid-back touring car, perhaps due to its low-slung rectangular body style. Car and Driver calls it “a new level of Euro-racing terror” that fits right into a U.S. suburb – that is, if you can find one. They’re rare. Expect to pay at least $200,000 and face importing challenges before sliding it into your driveway.

Mercedes-Benz 500 E

If Porsche builds the car, is it a Mercedes? Fans of the 500 E say yes, and maybe it’s actually something even better. On the outside it looks like a modest Mercedes but inside, it’s something unique within the auto world.

Porsche actually had far less involvement with this vehicle than many people assume. Between 1990 and 1995, Porsche was brought on board when the original factory couldn’t handle the production capacity required for the vehicle, so Porsche assembled parts under the explicit instructions of Mercedes. Workers at the Porsche factory were eager for the assignment and glad to have the work. 

Here’s the good news for Mercedes-Benz 500 E buyers: The smaller Porsche facility that hand-assembled 500 Es gave extreme care and attention to the details of the car’s assembly. This means it could be one of the most meticulously-assembled vehicles ever made.

In terms of its power, it has a high-performance naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter M119 V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. To slow it down, Mercedes gave it sports car-style SL brakes with 4-piston calipers.

If you can locate and purchase one of these extraordinary vehicles, you’re lucky and probably won’t have to break the bank to bring it home. Of 10,479 500 Es produced by 1994, only about 1,500 made it to the U.S. Most are sold at low prices in used car auctions these days, but some experts predict the marketplace may soon gain a fresh appreciation for these unusual cars and drive up their valuations. 

Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3

If you like the feeling of piloting a car that goes fast but looks like a limousine, consider the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. It has the hulking heart of a limo because its 6.3-liter M100 V8 engine was originally designed for Mercedes’ 600 limousine class. 

And the similarities don’t stop there. The 300 SEL’s extended full-size body gives a sense of presence and grandeur. Long, sweeping side lines extend from the car’s bulbous headlights to its spacious trunk. It just feels massive, as if turning on the ignition is mobilizing a war machine – but surprisingly, it takes off like a rocket.

This is a two-ton sports sedan that gained a much-deserved reputation as the world’s fastest four-door car. And this was in the early ’70s before the concept of an ultra-powerful, ultra-luxury vehicle had really been introduced to the public. American car reviewers were quick to dub it “the best sedan in the world.” 

Consumers liked it, but they were also suspicious of it. Could it be a true sports car with a heavy frame like that? Gradually, in a quiet big-car revolution, the 300 SEL 6.3 proved that speed and comfort are not mutually exclusive. 

Fans of the Mercedes 300 SEL weren’t discouraged by the looming global oil crisis. By 1972, about 6,500 had been built for international buyers who couldn’t wait to take a high-speed cruise in absolute comfort. But as the oil crisis deepened, Mercedes accepted reality and took it off the market.