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Mercedes-Benz W108

Automotive industry	Mercedes-Benz
Production	1965 — 1972 383,361 built W108: 364,699 W109: 18,662 (incl. 300 SEL 6.3: 6,526)[1]
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz W111
Successor	Mercedes-Benz W116
Car classification	Full-size car Luxury car
Car body style	4-door Sedan (car)
Internal combustion engine	2.5L Straight-6 2.8L Straight-6 3.0L Straight-6 3.5L V8 4.5L V8 6.3L V8

See Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a complete overview of all S-Class models.

The Mercedes-Benz W108/W109 model series was a large Luxury car line built by Mercedes-Benz from 1965 through 1972. The W108/W109 was a replacement for the higher end of the "Fintail" sedan range, with three-box styling similar to the W111/W112 coupes. The somewhat controversial fins of the so-called earlier W111 "Heckflosse" were eliminated by designer Paul Bracq.

Contents 1 The Range 2 Improvements 3 Transmission 4 Models 4.1 W108 4.2 W109 5 Competitors 6 References 7 External links

The Range

The initial lineup featured three I-6 engined W108 (short-wheelbase, coil-sprung suspension) models: the 250S, 250SE and 300SE. The long-wheelbase W109 featured initially just one model, the 300SEL, which was equipped with Self-levelling suspension Air suspension.

In 1967, the 250S and 250SE were replaced by the 280S and 280SE. The 300SE was deleted and the 300SEL received the 280's new 2.8-litre engine.

The 300SEL 6.3 was the most exclusive and extravagant Mercedes money could buy, except for the 600. The 6.3 engined V8 300SEL was launched in March, 1968: it used the engine first seen in the 600 model, which equipped the lighter bodied W109 for a claimed headline grabbing 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of 6.3 seconds. US market detoxification requirements sapped the performance a little west of the Atlantic Ocean, but the 300 SEL 6.3 was nonetheless the flagship model in the Mercedes line-up. It was deemed by many the world's best car and fastest production saloon, and held this title for many years.

By 1970 the absence of a more mainstream V8 engined version was seen as a handicap in the US market, and this gap was plugged in the W108 and W109 versions with the introduction of a 3.5 litre V8 engines, to be joined a year later by a 4.5 litre V8 destined at this stage only for the US market. By this time development of the Mercedes-Benz W116 was well advanced, and the V8 engined W108s were differentiated from the forthcoming models by retaining the 280 and 300 designations. Thus the first Mercedes Benz 350 SE would be the W116, appearing only in 1972. The short wheel base version of the W108, when fitted with the 3.5 engine, was badged as the 280 SE 3.5.

Note: The picture on the right is a W111 Cabriolet. Styling of W108 models were based off the W111/2 Coupe and cabriolet models.

Improvements

The W108/W109 vehicles carried over many of the basic engineering principles from previous models, but had many refinements to make them some of the most well equipped cars of the era. The 300SE and 300SEL were especially well appointed, featuring burled walnut dashboards, automatic transmission and power windows. The 300SEL 4.5 featured a sophisticated and advanced 4.5L V8 petrol engine, which was carried over to the W116 S-class and R107 SL roadster, as was the smaller 3.5L unit.

Transmission

The standard transmission for Europe was a four-speed manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic option was also available. For the six-cylinder models only, a five-speed manual gearbox was also offered, from 1969, though few customers opted for it.

When the V8-engined cars were introduced in 1970, the default transmission was the four-speed automatic box, driven via a fluid flywheel rather than the more usual torque converter. Buyers could still opt for a four-speed manual box, however, and benefitted from a price reduction if they did so. The 4.5 litre version offered from 1971 but only in the USA, was fitted with a three-speed automatic box with a torque converter. This engine/transmission combination became more widely available when incorporated in the successor model.

Models

W108

Note: The cabriolet and Coupe models looking so similar to a W108 are W111 and W112 (Air suspension models). They are often mistaken for W108's, but look similar as the W108 design was based off the earlier W111/2 Coupe/cabriolet models.

Chassis code	Years	Model	Engine
W108.012	1965–1969	250S	2.5 L Mercedes-Benz M108 engine Straight-6
W108.014	1965–1968	250SE	2.5 L Mercedes-Benz M129 engine Straight-6
W108.015	1965–1967	300SEb	3.0 L Mercedes-Benz M189 engine Straight-6
W108.016	1967–1972	280S	2.8 L M130 Straight-6
W108.018	1967–1972	280SE	2.8 L M130 Straight-6
W108.019	1968–1971	280SEL	2.8 L M130 Straight-6
W108.057	1970–1972	280SE 3.5	3.5 L Mercedes-Benz M116 engine V8 engine
W108.058	1970–1972	280SEL 3.5	3.5 L Mercedes-Benz M116 engine V8 engine
W108.067	1971–1972	280SE 4.5	4.5 L M117 V8 engine
W108.068	1971–1972	280SEL 4.5	4.5 L M117 V8 engine

W109

Chassis code	Years	Model	Engine
W109.015	1965–1967	300SEL	3.0 L Mercedes-Benz M189 engine Straight-6
W109.016	1967–1970	300SEL	2.8 L M130 Straight-6
W109.018	1967–1972	300SEL 6.3	6.3 L M100 V8 engine
W109.056	1969–1972	300SEL 3.5	3.5 L Mercedes-Benz M116 engine V8 engine
W109.057	1971–1972	300SEL 4.5	4.5 L M117 V8 engine

Competitors

Initially the W108/W109's main European competitors, in terms of size, market position and luxury appointments were:

• Opel Diplomat
• Vauxhall Viscount
• Volvo 164
• Humber (car) Imperial
• Citroën DS
• Rover P6
• Jaguar S-Type (1963)
• Daimler Motor Company Sovereign
• Vanden Plas Princess
• Lancia Flaminia
• Alfa Romeo 2600
• Maserati Quattroporte

BMW did not return to this section of the market until the BMW E3 sedans were launched in 1968.

Although the W108/109 S-class had a class of its own, in keeping with the S-class tradition of automative leadership.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Oswald, Werner (1. Auflage 2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, Band 4. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02131-5. 
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} US prices: Mike Covello: Standard Catalog of Imported Cars 1946-2002, Krause Publication, Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87341-605-8, p. 533-536

External links

• Mercedes Benz W108 website
• W108/W109 Model Series
• W108/W109 Tom's Mercedes Benz 108/109 Resource Site

v • Classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles • e Mercedes-Benz road car timeline, 1946–1970s — next »
Class	Type	1940s				1950s										1960s										1970s
		6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Straight-4	Sedan (car)	W136 / Mercedes-Benz W191							W120 / W121								W110								Mercedes-Benz W115								W123
	Roadster										Mercedes-Benz 190SL
Straight-6	Sedan (car)						W187			Mercedes-Benz W105 / W180 / W128							W111								W114								W123
	Coupé						W187					W180 / W128
Large family car	Sedan (car)						W186 / W189								W111				W108 / Mercedes-Benz W109							W116
	Luxury vehicle							W188									W112
	Limousine						W186 / W189										W112				W100 (600)
Sports car	Roadster										W198								W113									R107

v • Mercedes-Benz S-Class lineage • e Mercedes-Benz S-Class lineage, 1950s–present W180 (1955) · W128 (1958) · W111 (1959) · W112 (1961) · W108 (1965) · W116 (1972) · W126 (1979) · W140 (1991) · W220 (1999) · W221 (2006)