1967 Mercedes-Benz 300SE

Mercedes-Benz began consolidating its model lineup during the early 1960s into a unified platform, phasing out the 300 series that had been in production since 1951. The old body-on-frame construction required separate assembly lines and increasingly under-utilized equipment to build old-fashioned frames, unlike the new platform which had been proven successful on the 220 Series. Production quantities had declined to levels where it was not commercially viable, even in what was essentially an individually ordered semi-custom automobile.

Mercedes-Benz introduced its new 300SE in 1959 but production was delayed until early 1961. Utilizing the same 2,750mm wheelbase as the 220SE, it was equipped with the tried-and-true single overhead camshaft 2,996cc inline six with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, along with advanced mechanical features like four-wheel disc brakes and coil springs with load-compensating air suspension on the independent front suspension and single-pivot swing axle rear suspension. In traditional Mercedes-Benz fashion, the interior was lavish and well equipped, retaining the positioning of the 300SE as the successor to the limited production first-generation 300s.

The single overhead camshaft 'M 189 IV' big-block inline, light-alloy 6-cylinder engine displaced 2,996cc and with Bosch fuel injection initially delivered 160 bhp at 5,000 engine revolutions, with output meaningfully increased to 170 bhp at 5,400 rpm from 1964. Varying with the engine specification and rear-axle ratio, the 300 SE was capable of reaching Autobahn-worthy top speeds of 110 to 120 miles per hour. Standard features included a four-speed manual or automatic gearbox, power steering, self-leveling pneumatic front and rear suspension, and an advanced dual-circuit brake system with disc brakes all around.

Introduced to critical acclaim at the 32nd Geneva Motor Show held in March 1962, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE heralded the new top-of-the-line two-door, four-seat models from Stuttgart. Internally designated W112, these limited-production automobiles exemplify the best Mercedes-Benz attributes including driving dynamics, performance, understated elegance, and technical sophistication.

300 SE Saloon
The 300 SE (Type W112) entered production in saloon form in 1961 and was produced through 1965. The sedan was based on the Mercedes-Benz W111 Fintail sedan chassis and coachwork first seen at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1959. The sedan-based stretched wheelbase, known as the 300SE 'Lang', appeared in March 1963 and was redesignated the 300SEL in 1964. The total production of the 300SEs in standard and long wheelbase versions over its five-year run were 6,748 units. The long-wheelbase sedan (1,546 units built) is often incorrectly referred to as the 300 SEL, but that designation was not used until 1966.

300 SE Coupe and Cabriolet
The 300SE coupe and cabriolet, introduced in February 1962, shared the same platform and timelessly elegant, Paul Bracq designed bodywork as the W111 220, incorporating graceful yet tasteful trim including along the wheel arches and a full-length chrome trim strip nestled in the character line along each side of the vehicle. They rode on larger 14-inch wheels, and the cabriolet offered all-season comfort with a full-trimmed, top-quality folding top. The total droptop examples produced in six years' was 708 units including 54 built for 1967 - the final W112-series model year. The total coupe and cabriolet production were 3,127 units. The 300SE was superseded by the 280SE 3.5 and 600.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2022