The Mercedes-Benz W112 is a luxury car produced from 1961 to 1967 and marketed as the 300 SE. It came as a standard saloon, a stretched saloon and distinct coupé and convertible versions.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SE at a glance
| Production | 1961–1967 |
|---|---|
| Model name | 300 SE, and 300 SEL for the long version |
| Bodies | saloon, Lang saloon, coupé and convertible |
| Saloon basis | W111 Fintail chassis and coachwork |
| Coupé and convertible | from February 1962, Paul Bracq bodywork |
| Lang saloon | from March 1963, 300 SEL from 1964 |
| Engine | 3.0-litre fuel-injected M189 straight six |
| Power | 160 hp, 170 hp after 1964 |
| Top speed | 180 km/h, 190 km/h after 1964 |
| Suspension | pneumatic self-levelling |
| Standard equipment | power steering, automatic transmission, more wood and leather |
| Price | almost twice the 220 SE |
This article is based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Mercedes-Benz W112.
History of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE
After a decade of success in the 1950s the ageing W189 300 d Adenauer limousine needed a replacement, and until the 600 could be developed a stopgap was required. The W112 300 SE was that stopgap. Mercedes-Benz took its largest platform, the W111, added the fuel-injected 3-litre M189 six-cylinder engine from the 300 d and supplemented it with luxury features and detailing.
The saloon used the W111 Fintail chassis and coachwork. The 300 SE coupé and convertible arrived in February 1962 and shared the more restrained Paul Bracq bodywork and interior of the W111 220 SE two-doors. The stretched-wheelbase 300 SE Lang saloon appeared in March 1963 and was redesigned the 300 SEL in 1964. These high-end cars were the top of the Mercedes range until the much larger and more luxurious 600 series arrived in 1963.
All W112 cars had the 3-litre M189 engine, at the time the company’s largest, and a higher level of wood and leather trim than the corresponding W111. Power steering, automatic transmission and pneumatic self-levelling suspension were standard, the last an enhancement of the 300 d’s dashboard-activated mechanical torsion bar system. Externally the car carried substantially more chrome, and it cost almost twice as much as the top W111, the 220 SE. The 300 SE gave 160 hp and 180 km/h, raised to 170 hp and 190 km/h after 1964, or 175 and 185 km/h with the automatic transmission.
Design and features
- The 3-litre six: the M189 engine from the 300 d Adenauer.
- Air suspension: pneumatic self-levelling as standard.
- Luxury equipment: power steering, automatic transmission, wood and leather.
- Exclusive price: almost twice the cost of a 220 SE.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SE versions
- 300 SE saloon: the standard four-door.
- 300 SE coupé and convertible (1962): Paul Bracq two-doors.
- 300 SE Lang (1963): stretched saloon.
- 300 SEL (1964): the renamed long version.
The W112 sat above the W111 and below the 600. More in the Mercedes-Benz collection.
Sources
- Mercedes-Benz W112, English Wikipedia: background, models, equipment, performance
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