1967 Mercedes-Benz 230 Series Sedan

In circa 1959, Mercedes introduced the fintail (heckflosse) cars with chassis 110 and then 111. Chassis 110 normally had the shorter body with a 4-cylinder motor while the W111 cars had normally 6-cylinders and were more luxurious with added chrome trim, 4 beam headlights (USA), leather and wood interiors. These cars like the S class cars of the modern era. The W110 cars were 'stripped down' and were designed as economical workhorses. Most taxis were W110s and usually with a diesel motor. Mercedes realized of course that there was a market in the middle to satisfy. That is, a stripped down car but with the power of the 6-cylinder motor. This market had been satisfied by the 219 ponton sedan, but with the new body, it became the 220b. Both of these models had the longer 6-cylinder body. But in 1965 Mercedes got clever and figured out how to put the 6-cylinder engine into the 4-cylinder body. With a 4.08 rear and a bigger 6 now stretched to 2.3-liters, the W110230 was born thus providing more power in a lighter 'bare bones' car. About 40,000 cars were built till early 1968.