Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse

Jeg forsøker å selge den også i år. I fjor fikk jeg vel 40 henvendelser, men dessverre bare personer som ville bytte inn alt fra traktor og sitte-gressklipper til båt. Jeg har ikke ikke bruk for dette, men kan gjerne vurdere en helt strøken 600SL eller 500SL som likt inbytte (fra 2002 >)

OBS: Veldig mange spør: - Hvor mye blir denne bilen verdt i fremtiden?

Jeg har ingen anelse.

En utrolig bil, og Mercedes selv mener den har verdens beste motor.

Jeg kjøpte bilen i California for 10 år siden ( $ 50.000) av en samler som hadde i alt 18 store Mercedes og eget verksted i Malibu.

Dette er kanskje én av de aller fineste til salgs på verdensmarkedet. Den er gått i California, ikke et fnugg av rust, og behandlet med Mercasol. Viskose-vifte er byttet ut med termostat/ny elektrisk vifte.

Neste EU-kontroll: Juni 2024

Bilen har aldri vært kjørt i regnvær, og den starter på første slag ved oppstart om våren etter vinteropplag i tørt lokale. Jeg får utrolig mange henvendelser om å kjøre i bryllup, konfirmasjoner og festligheter, men har ikke gjort det. Sikkert en bra, ekstra inntektskilde for en fremtidig eier som har interesse av det.

Felgene er glassblåst på begge sider, og det er lakkert med samme type lakk som benyttes på nesepartiet på jagerfly. Tre lag samt klarlakk, og på begge sider. Kan holde i flere ti-år.

Dette er den ultimate Mercedes fra 70-tallet. Helt utrolig i både komfort og ytelse. Et dreiemoment på hele 550 Nm gjør bilen selv i dag til en av de aller sprekeste når krefter skal måles. Da den kom, var den verdens raskeste sedan-utgave, og raskere enn både Jaguar V12 og Aston Martin Lagonda. Den kostet to ganger hva en Rolls Royce Silver Shadow kostet. Jeg har fått opplyst at det ble solgt én ny 6.9 i Norge. Det var i 1977 og den kostet 1,7 millioner kroner (hele 25 årslønninger den gangen). En ikke ukjent skipsreder var kjøperen.

Hva jeg kan huske å ha utført av arbeid på bilen: Byttet dynamo og motor til elektrisk vindusheis i høyre bakdør.

Jeg liker ikke at det er satt på sol-film på glasset for å beskytte mot varme. Trolig er det enkelt å fjerne?

Jeg har hatt en super dialog med Mercedes-Benz Classic Car Center i Fellbach, nær Stuttgart. Der svarer de på alt, og verkstedmesteren har selv en 6.9, og noen av hans uttalelser som jeg husker: - "Du har verdens beste bil som varer i 50 år til". "Den er ferdig innkjørt ved 300.000 kilometer".

Selv har jeg hatt 7 stykk 6.9, og jeg beholdt det mest edle eksemplaret som nå er til salgs.

De andre ble solgt i Norge, til Japan og Tyskland.

En samler av 6.9 (fra Flensburg) besøkte meg for to år siden og ville kjøpe min, men da var jeg ikke klar for det. Han fortalte at "de fint gjør 300 km/t". Han tok meg med i sin egen 6.9 og viste at han kunne dra av på en sidevei i 90 grader i 170 km/t. Den krenget ikke, for det spesielle hydrauliske dempersystemet fungerer helt perfekt! En utrolig opplevelse.

Mercedes selv påstår at dette er første bil i verden med diagnose-punkt i motorrommet.

Det har jeg ikke prøvd å finne ut selv, men til info.

Bilen er blitt kjørt kun 594 mil hvert år, altså i gjennomsnitt.

Fine 6.9 er også dyre mange steder i verden

Her ligger en til 1,1 million

http://www.classic-sterne.de/en/cars/car-details/mercedes-benz-450-sel-6-9-w116-3.html

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/1978-mercedes-benz-450sel-6-9-auto/SSE-AD-12105763/?Cr=1

https://www.gassmann-gmbh.com/Mercedes-Benz-450-SEL-6.9-in-Bovenden_Detailansicht_46731.html

Alt som jeg legger ut under strekenE er bare for spesielt interesserte, men noen videoer som er objektive og supre til informasjon, finner du her:

https://youtu.be/6ZS_ig_QP74

https://youtu.be/5esg0wcAsKE

Også en artig sak

https://juan314.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/cetait-un-rendezvous-by-claude-lelouch-1976/

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/cars/article/mercedes-450sel-review

http://totalcarmagazine.com/classicandbeloved/2014/02/25/mercedes-benz_450_sel_6_9_w116_1979/

-------------------------------------

-------------------------------------

Bare for spesielt interesserte:

Franz Beckenbauer kjøpte tilbake sin 6.9 fra en venn da han nylig kom hjem fra USA

https://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/fussball/franz-beckenbauer-nach-44-jahren-hat-er-seinen-blauen-traum-wieder-77038130.bild.html#remId=1657983107653686497%3FjsRedirect

https://germancarsforsaleblog.com/king-juan-carlos-i-of-spains-1978-mercedes-benz-450sel-6-9/

"The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 had a justifiable claim on the title of 'best car in the world' when it was launched in 1974. With huge power and torque and an amazing suspension system, it had everything going for it - and strong overall sales back that up".

https://www.mercedes-wiki.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M100_engine

"The M100 featured a cast iron block, aluminum alloy heads, and aircraft-style sodium-filled valves operating against hardened valve seats. As in all Mercedes-Benz automobile engines, the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons were forged instead of cast.

Each hand-built unit was bench-tested for 265 minutes, 40 of which were under full load. As introduced, it utilized a mechanical fuel injection system designed and built in-house by Daimler-Benz. The 6.8 L (6,834 cc) version used a Bosch K-Jetronic Continuous Injection System."

Torrsumpsmörjning är ett system för smörjning av fyrtaktsmotorer där

motoroljan lagras i ett kärl (oljetank) separat från vevhuset. Oljepumpen

har här två uppgifter, förutom att som vid våtsumpsmörjning bygga upp

oljetrycket i motorn, även pumpa oljan i retur till oljetanken.

Främsta fördelen med torrsumpsmörjning är att konstruktören är friare att

placera motor och oljetråg utifrån aerodynamiska och/eller

viktfördelningsmässiga synpunkter. En annan fördel är att systemet rymmer

mer olja, vilket gör oljanlättare att kyla. I en våtsumpssmord motor finns

dessutom risken att oljan vid kurvtagning dras mot oljetrågets ena sida av

centrifugalkraften, vilket kan leda till att oljeuppsamlingsröret hamnar

ovanför vätskeytan med följden att motorn ej får tillräckligt mycket olja

---------------------

A Most Remarkable Automobile

This automobile has several features that predated what is considered to

be new technology. The 6.9 set the standard for today´s automobiles some 20

years or more ago. After having test driven newer cars on the die hard

performance models can even attempt to give the same feeling of power and

control and mechanical acumen and comfort. It would take at the least

$35,000-$50,000 new dollars to even become a serious contender. So in short

a Restored 6.9 would out shine as well as out perform and under cut the

cost of today´s luxury performancesedans and coupes. A 450 SEL 6.9 in good

running condition is indeed a performance bargain. I would further like to

interject here that the 286 HP rating is rather conservative based on the

EPA restrictions imposed in the middle to late 70´s on all makes and models

of cars. In 1979 the 6.9 was the fastest sedan tested and second fastest

overall according to Motor Trend magazine. This Mercedes was only bested by

a true sports car the Ferrari 308. That´s pretty good for a 4door 4400 plus

lbs. automobile.

The self leveling suspension is a dream. The legendary Citroen SM was one

of the best riding cars in the world and the auto tracking headlights were

a real touch of technology. Although the Mercedes did not have the

"Floating" head lights it did share the floating suspension, which in the

real sense allowed the 6.9 to truly "float likea butterfly and sting like a

bee" whenever the accelerator was engaged for business. Watching the

suspension adjust for passengers or cargo or stiffen for war is quite a

treat and reassuring to know that your automobile cares about performance

conditions as much you do. The amazing thing is this car´s functions are

all mechanical and not computer driven, or simulated responses. The

adjustments are all made from real world stimuli and not a range of

computerized predictions and guesses. This is indeed the car for the purist

where excess is just enough. What would a car like this cost today? It´s

beautiful aerodynamic predecessor the S600 V12 cost in the neighborhood of

$132,000 or more and is a very wonderful car. And of course the SL 600

profits from today´s technology. But yester year´s performance model can

still run with today´s for about 100-125,000.00 less dollars and is soon to

become a collectors item we hope `cause they ain´tmakin´ these babies no

more.

-----------

Mercedes-Benz V8

by F. Wilson McComb

CHAPTER 5 - 6.9 Litres

A sad side-effect of the New S Class's arrival in 1972 was that it killed

off the 300 SEL bodyshell, and with it Europe's favourite motorway cruiser,

the 300SEL 6.3. At the time it was still selling steadily, and some owners

were anxious to buy another, the earliest examples being then three years

old. Daimler-Benz assured them a replacement was on the way. Neither they

nor anyone else knew that this 135 mph limousine would have no successor

for a further three years, at least.

The formula seems simple enough: takethe best bodyshell in your current

range, cram the largest available engine into it, and there you are.

However, Stuttgart's methods were no longeras crudely direct as that. In

this case they were very keen to refine the basic concept a great deal, and

some of those refinements had to keep step with developments elsewhere in

the model range. Then there was the fuel crisis of late 1973, making it a

tactless time to announce a large car with the kind of performnance that

causes any self-respecting conservationist to go purple with righteous

indignation. So although the new 450 SEL 6.9 Mercedes-Benz could have been

released at the 1974 Geneva Show, if not sooner, they decided to hold it

back for another year. Even then, it was to be a low-profile exercise

because there was a waiting-list of several hundred who wanted the car now,

whatever its specification might be. Shown to the European press in May

1975, the new model was still unobtainable in Britain or America until late

1976.

For the 450 SEL 6.9-litre of 1975, the Series 116 suspension layout was

combined with a highly sophisticated system of nitrogen-filled pressure

reservoirs and oil-filledstruts with gas-filled dampers. As before, it was

self-levelling and adjustable for ride firmness and height while on the

move.

------------

The 6.9 is meant to be the flagship of the entire Mercedes-Benz fleet.

Beneath the surface there are all kinds of fascinating bits of technica

curiosa. A dry-sump engine, for instance. Self-leveling hydropneumatic

strut suspension, á la Citroén, for another.

Specially modified three-speed automatic transmission, beefed up driveline

and a very sophisticated Watts linkage applied to the already superior

Mercedes independent rear suspension to enhance anti-dive and anti-squat

performance on hard braking and acceleration.

How does it all work? Superbly.

The 6.9 feels more nimble, more agile than any other Mercedes we can

remember.

The new suspension, combined with the extra power of the 417-cubic inch

engine makes it possible to toss the big sedan around like a bug-eye

Sprite.

It accelerates 0-60 in a little over seven seconds andhasa top speed of

nearly 140 mph.

It is rock-solid and practically silent on the road, at any speed, and the

engine's mid-range performance makes serious high-speed mountain driving a

positive joy.

Its predecessor, the 6.3, was a little crude, a little brutal in the way

it went fast.

The 6.9 is not quite so fast as the 6.3, but far silkier and more

sophisticated. Additionally, it enjoys all the benefits of the 450SEL

body-tightness, security, stiffness and aerodynamics that not only make the

shape slippery but keep the windows clean as well.

The Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9

Upper nobility

Launched 46 years ago on May 15, 1975

Second to none: The car´s formidable engine

Hydropneumatic suspension: For top-notch comfort

The oil crisis in the early 1970s had deeply shocked the western world,

causing, among other things, the launch of a unique model from

Mercedes-Benz - the 450 SEL 6.9 (W 116 series) - to be postponed. An engine

with a displacement of 6.9 liters was, after all, difficult to sell, to put

it mildly. And yet the strategists took the risk and in May 1975,

one-and-a-half years later than planned, presented the car to a public that

was instantly intrigued by the car.

Among the car´s beguiling features were its performancefigures. The

gigantic engine generated an output of 286 hp (210 kW) at 4250/min and a

maximum torque of 56 mkg at 3000/min, providing the car with top-notch

sports-car performance. The sedan accelerated from standstill to 100 km/h

in 7.4 seconds and had an "official" top speed of 225 km/h - motor journals

measured even higher speeds. But it was also the engine´s power development

that was quite extraordinary. Drive torque was available in abundance at

all times, permitting anything between a leisurely pace and hard driving.

Another beguiling quality of the 450 SEL 6.9 was its refinement at the

highest level. The car was, after all, the noblest representative of the

Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the 1970s, and noblesse oblige. The interior was

fitted out with the discreet luxury of the automotive top league.

Leather-covered seats were an optional extra, for instance - the standard

seat covers were made of quality velour. The car was popular among

customers employing a chauffeur, hence great store was set by the comfort

of the rear seats. Electrically adjustable rear seats and seat heating were

optionally available. Reading lamps in the rearmost roof pillar enabled

passengers to go through their files on long journeys, or to relax reading

an entertaining book after a long working day. The same level of comfort

was lavished on the person at the wheel, who also benefited from the

standard-setting ergonomic design of the cockpit.

All occupants were pampered by the hydropneumatic suspension, a standard

feature on this car. The much-quoted comparison with a "sedan chair" is

acceptable here by way of exception: a more comfortable ride would hardly

have been conceivable, also at high speed.

The list of options also included an item that was still a great rarity in

the 1970s but available from Mercedes-Benz as a matter of course: a car

phone. It cost aroundDM18,000 - money that would have bought two small cars

at the time.

This abundance of comfort had not come about by coincidence. The 450 SEL

6.9 derived its genes in part from the 600 (W 100 series) - some of the

600´s outstanding engineering features were also made available for the

S-Class flagship, among them the V8 engine. The latter had, however, been

thoroughly revised it that it had been given a larger displacement for

greater power, a new engine management system and more effective dry-sump

lubrication.

The engine´s power was transmitted to the road by a three-speed automatic

transmission which received nothing but top marks in contemporary test

reports. Its characteristics were perfectly matched to the powerful engine,

with outstanding acceleration being on tap when required but excelling

first and foremost in smooth cruising. The 450SEL 6.9 was, after all,

frequently driven over long distances by its buyers. A 96-liter tank gave

the car an adequately large range.

From 1978, the 6.9 was also available with the anti-lock braking system

(ABS) - a safety system that made its debut in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

and once again moved the series into the top league ofinnovative

engineering.

After its launch in 1975, the 450 SEL 6.9 cost DM 69,930. In the last year

of production, 1979, the car was available at a price of DM 81,247. Not

exactly peanuts, but the courage of the Mercedes-Benz strategists in

launching the car onto the market paid off. A total of 7,380 units were

built until 1980, and most of these were exported to the USA. This volume

figure looks rather small at first glance, but one mustn´t forget the car´s

belonging to the top luxury segment where production figures are seen in a

different light. And the 6.9 was, afterall, not the only S-Class model.

The 6.9 with its formidable engine was acquired by politicians,

industrialists and show stars from all overthe world. Quite of few of these

did indeed go for the highest levels of luxury but preferred to wear the

fur on the inside, so to speak: many 450 SEL 6.9 units were ordered with

option 261, omission of the displacement figure on the trunk lid. Which

meant that the model was identified by the initiated only by its wide tires

and larger tailpipes. Luxury lies in the finer nuances at times.

Press review of the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9

Automobil Revue, Switzerland, May 15, 1975:

"It is highly gratifying to see that at a time like this, a car appears

that offers the highest levels of motoring enjoyment to the connoisseur -

at all speeds. The 6.9 bears witness not only to the confidence those

responsible have in the future but also to their courage to stand up for

their beliefs."

Car, England, June 1975:

"A car of such speed and weight must have demonstrably good roadholding

and handling, and this one is no disappointment in anything from a hairpin

to a three-figure bend: the suspension soaks up the bumps, the transmission

is wonderfully smooth and admirably easy to control (either by a sensitive

accelerator foot or a hasty hand at the lever), and the steering is

servo-assisted in a way that highlights the nearly neutral responses of the

vehicle."

auto, motor und sport, Germany, no. 21/1975:

"In measurements carried out by auto motor und sport on this, the most

powerful German sedan, we recorded acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h

in 8.2 seconds and 28.8 seconds for one kilometer from astanding start. We

also registered a top speed of 234 km/h. While these figures are highly

remarkable in themselves, the way in which they are reached in the perfect

interplay of engine and automatic transmission iseven more astounding.

Notwithstanding the car´s weight, the overwhelming power of its quiet and

smooth engine generates the highest levels of comfort and motoring

pleasure."

The 6.9 is the only production sedan in the U.S. utilizing a dry-sump

engine. The lubricating-oil reservoir is separate from the engine, located

at the right front corner of the engine compartment. This gives a very

shallow oil pan, despite the 12.7-quart oil capacity of the engine, thereby

affording proper ground clearance. (The 6.9's high oil capacity is largely

due to the flow requirements of the hydraulic-valve-clearance compensation

system, which eliminates the need for manually checking and setting valve

lash.)"

"The large capacity not only ensures that there is an adequate oil supply

for the demands of the 6.9 engine, but allows extension of the oil-change

interval to 12,500 miles - or at least once a year. The lubricating oil

does several auxiliary jobs as well as counteracting heat and friction. One

is activating the timing-chain tensioner.

To avoid a loose chain at start-up, the tensioner piston has a non-return

ratchet feature. As the chain stretches with use, the tensioner repositions

its base point so that only a very slight slack is present in the chain

even when oil pressure is absent. The timing chain is a duplex roller type,

driven by the sprockets on the front of the crankshaft."

"The engine block extends down well beyond the center line of the

five-mainbearing crankshaft, and the center three main bearing caps are

cross-bolted in racing-engine style. Thrustis taken by the center main."

"Attention has been given to ensuring long valve life. The intake valve

stemsare nitrided and the exhaust valves arefilled with sodium, to conduct

heataway from their heads, and have chrome-platted stems.

All valves are fitted with rotocaps, and, as on all Mercedes-Benz engines,

the valve seats are hardened. Thecylinder heads are aluminum."

After von Manteuffel's presentation, we went to Sears Point. Four of the

new cars were there, and we took turns horsing them around the race track.

I must have driven twenty or 30 laps in one car or another, four or five

more with Phil Hill driving and about a dozen with Leon Mandel at the

wheel. Hill drove like a rally driver, screaming into every corner like

he'd never seen it before and scrambling for the exit like a startled cat

on a freshly waxed floor. It was great fun, but the leather seats were so

hard and slippery that I had trouble staying put, even with the

harnessbuckled.

Mandel demonstrated the high quality of his own self-discipline/knowledge

by driving briskly but not foolishly and never doing anything silly. I

drove as quickly as I dared, always with a vision of the $38,230 price tag

superimposed on the road ahead.

A race track is no place to drive a car like this one. The 6.9 will go

swiftly and smoothly over any public road, probably more swiftly than most

people will ever wish to go, but it's out of its element on a track, an

artificial environment at best for a thoroughbred road machine.

One of our fellow journalists managed to prove the point by going straight

where the road didn't and damaging his fog lamps and air dam.

Far more rewarding was the 4000 miles done on the road. I spent a day

driving through Napa Valley with photographer Paul Ryan and a couple of

friends, and it was sheer bliss, even if I did get myself nabbed by the

California Highway Patrol.

The energetic Mr. Robert Mondavi let us shoot some pictures at his winery,

where we'd had a terrific dinner a couple of nights before, and after that

we motored over the Oakville Grade, where I rammed up and down the hills

and hung the tail out allover the place for Ryan, who is apparently without

fear.

The car is so responsive and controllable that one is probably in danger

of becoming wildly overconfident.

The suspension and the Michelin tires simply take everything in stride,

and no matter how vigorously you hurry the car you always have the nice

feeling that all your options will remain open, should you ever come face

to face with the Indescribable Awful.

This may be the car that Daimler-Benz has been working toward for 30

years, the culmination of all that pioneering experience with things like

fuel injection, independent rear suspension, crashworthy structures,

aerodynamics and -- last but not least -- racing. It is curiously

appropriate that the people at Stuttgart-Untertürkheim should introduce

this particular car at this particular time.

The 6.9 is like an exclamation point on the story of an entire automotive

era, perhaps the last great, fast sedan to be offered the public as we

enter the puritan confines of the energy crunch.

SUSPENSION

F: ....... ind, unequal-length control arms, hydropneumatic strut,

anti-sway bar, automatic level control

R: ........... ind, semi-trailing arm, anti-sway bar integral with

1 leading link per side, hydropneumatic strut,

automatic level control

STEERING

Type ...... recirculating ball, power-assisted, center-link damper

Turns lock-to-lock ........................................... 2.9

Turning circle curb-to-curb ..............................40.0 ft

BRAKES

F: .......................... 10.9-in vented disc, power-assisted

R: ........................... 11.0-in solid disc, power-assisted

WHEELS AND TIRES

Wheel size .......................................... 6.5 x 14-in

Wheel type ............................... aluminum alloy, 5-bolt

Tiremake and size ................... Michelin XWX, 215/70 VR-14

Special features

The 6.9 was the first Mercedes-Benz to be fitted with the company's new

hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system, unlike the 600 and 6.3

which employed air suspensions. The new system wassimilar to one developed

by Citroën in 1955. Using a combination of fluid-filled struts and

nitrogen-filled pressure vessels or "accumulators" in lieu of conventional

shock absorbers and springs, the system was pressurized by a hydraulic pump

driven by the engine's timing chain. Compared to the new Mercedes-Benz

system, Citroën's was belt-driven, exactly like a conventional power

steering pump; failure of the Citroën system thus might result in loss of

suspension. Conversely, every unit of the 6.9 was shipped with hard rubber

emergency dampers that served as temporary springsand allowed the car to be

driven in the event of a hydraulic failure. The special hydraulic fluid

required by the system was stored in a tank inside the engine compartment.

Not only was the system totally self-adjusting, ride height could be

altered by a dash-mounted push-pull knob underthe speedometerthat raised

the car an additional two inches (50 mm) for increased ground clearance.

NHTSA decreed this feature illegal in the US market, but it could be

enabled simply by removing a limiter at the tank-mounted control valve.

The suspension system gave the 4200 pound (1900 kg) car the benefits of a

both a smooth ride and handling that allowed it, in the words of automotive

journalist David E. Davis, to be "tossed about like a Mini." The car also

featured a model W3B 050 three-speed automatic transmission unique to the

6.9 and a standard ZF limited slip differential both for enhanced

roadholding performance on dry pavement and enhanced traction in inclement

weather.

Four-wheel disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension were standard

across the W116 model range.

The M-100 power plant

The engine was a cast iron V8 with single overhead camshafts operating

sodium-filled valves (as are found in piston-driven aircraft) against

hardened valve seats on each aluminium alloy cylinder head. Each hand-built

unit was bench-tested for 265 minutes, 40 of which were under full load.

Bosch "K-Jetronic" electromechanical fuel injection was standard at a time

when fuel-injected cars were uncommon. As in all Mercedes-Benz automobile

engines, the crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons were forged instead of

cast. In non-US trim, the 6.9 L (6814 cc or 417 in³) power plant was

conservatively rated at 286 hp (213 kW) with 405 ft·lbf (549 N·m) of torque

helping to compensate for the 2.65 to 1 final drive ratio necessary for

sustained high-speed cruising. The North American version, introduced in

1977, was only slightly less powerful at 250 hp (186 kW) and 360 ft·lbf

(488 N·m) of torque due to more stringent emissions control requirements.

In the interest of both engine longevity aswell as creating some extra

space under the hood, a "dry sump" engine lubrication system was used. Dry

sump lubrication was originally developed for use in race cars as a way to

prevent foaming of the engine oil by the crankshaft,which in turn would

create a serious drop in oil pressure. The system circulated twelve liters

of oil between the storage tank and the engine, as opposed to the usual

four or five liters found in V8s with a standard oil pan and oil pump. As a

result, the engine itself had no dipstick for checking the oil level.

Rather, the dipstick was attached to the inside of the tank's filler cap

(accessible from the engine compartment) and the oil level was checked with

the engine running and at operating temperature. The dry sump system also

had the benefit of extending the oil change interval to 12,500 miles

(20,000 km). This, along with hydraulic valve lifters which required no

adjusting and special cylinder head gaskets which eliminated the need for

periodic retorquing of the head bolts, made the 6.9 nearly maintenance-free

for its first 50,000 miles (80,500 km). The 6.9 required little basic

service other than coolant, minor tune-ups, oil changes, and replacement of

the air, fuel, oil and power steering filters.

Race track performance

Top speed was factory-rated at 140 mph (225 km/h), but some journalists

testing the car saw speeds approaching 150 mph (241 km/h). Among those

journalists was Brock Yates. Yates wasapproached by the factory to write

promotional literature about the 6.9. He agreed, but under the condition

that he could list the car's faults as well as its positives. Daimler-Benz

agreed in turn, and Yates was given a US-spec 6.9 to drive from Manhattan

to the Road Atlanta grand prix race track in Georgia. There, Yates would

drive the car in as-arrived condition at racing speeds for a full 40 laps

or just over 100 miles (160 km). The only change made to the car upon its

arrival at Road Atlanta was the necessary adjustment of tire pressure. This

was a difficult task even for a purpose-built race car, let alone a

street-legal sedan designed and geared for high-speed Autobahn cruising.

The 6.9 suffered no mechanical problems and averaged a very respectable 72

mph (116 km/h) throughout the test, completing it with little more than

excess dust on the bodywork from the Michelin radial street tires on which

the car was driven to Atlanta. Yates was so comfortable driving the 6.9

around the track that he reported having run at least one lap with the

sunroof open and the radio on, but the high price of the car made him think

better of such risky driving and he finished the test with the radio off

and both hands on the wheel.

[edit] Price & interior features

All of this technology came at a very high price. At a time when the most

expensive Cadillacs, the mid-sized Seville and full-sized Fleetwood Series

Seventy-Five limousine each listed for about US$16,000, the 6.9 listed for

around $40,000, more thanmost Rolls-Royces. When the car was officially

introduced into the North American market for the 1977 model year, the

price was well past $40,000 and was nearly $53,000 by the end of

production. The only way to get a 6.9 in the US or Canada prior to 1977 was

to import one through the grey market. Though the 6.9 was undeniably a

luxury car, it was a rather austere one compared to the sheer opulence

available in a Rolls-Royce or full-sized Cadillac. The interior was

identical to that in the less expensive models except for the push-pull

suspension control knob just under the speedometer, a lowsuspension

pressure warning and height adjustment indicator lights in the instrument

cluster, and wood trim finished in burled walnut veneer on the dash and

console. The rest of the W116 lineup was trimmed in striated zebrano

veneer.

The 6.9 lacked expected luxury touches such as power-adjustable outside

mirrors or front seats, although a unique power rear seat, heated seats and

even orthopedically-designed front seats were options. Buyers outside North

America could also opt for headlight wipers and washers and/or headlights

with a special vacuum-operated linkage whose aim could be adjusted at the

dash depending on vehicle load. There was also a new standard feature in

1977-- most Mercedes-Benz automobiles that year were equipped with a

sophisticated electronic climate control system developed by Chrysler

Corporation for use in their top models. The system turned on the heater,

air conditioner or both, depending on the thermostat's setting and ambient

temperature, automatically maintaining whatever temperature the driver

selected. The compressor was an American import as well, supplied by the

Harrison division of General Motors.

Far more modern than the contemporary Cadillac, which still had a live

rear axle, and both faster and larger inside than the either the

Rolls-Royce or Cadillac, the 6.9 was indistinguishable from its W116

stablematessave for a modest "6.9" badge on the decklid and wider tires.US

models also had different bumper rubbersfitted to the "park bench" impact

absorbing bumpers. As discreet as the badge was, it could be

deleted/ordered with option 261 omission of the displacement figure on the

trunk lid at extra cost for those who wanted to avoid attention either from

driversof other high-performance cars or from law enforcement. In the words

of David E. Davis, the 6.9 was "a $50,000 exercise in going fast."

Still, for fans of the discontinued 6.3 or for those who simply had to

have a car which Car and Driver proclaimed to be "the greatest

Mercedes-Benz ever built," it seemed that money was no object. At its

launch in 1975, the 450SEL 6.9 cost DM 69,930. In the last year of

production, 1979, the car was available at a price of DM 81,247. Even

though this was far from inexpensive, the courage of the Mercedes-Benz

strategists in launching the car onto the market paid off. A total of 7,380

units were built by 1980, and most of these were exported to the USA.

This volume figure looks rather small at first glance, but production

figures tend to be significantly smaller in the top luxury segment where

this model competes. Also, the 6.9 was not the only S-Class model, and was

purchased by the rich, the famous, and the powerful despite the rising cost

of gasoline brought on by the Arab oil embargo. Thus, the 7,380 total sales

volume is quite respectable once the price and contemporary economic

climate are taken into account.

The 6.9 today

In a poll conducted byBritain's Classic & Sports Car magazine and printed

in their April 1999 edition, the Mercedes-Benz 6.9 ranked fourth on their

list of the "world's greatest saloons." [1] The May 2004 edition of another

British publication, Mercedes Enthusiast magazine, ranked the 6.9 number

fifteen on their all-time top twenty list of great Mercedes-Benz

automobiles. Even with such accolades,a 6.9 is a reasonably priced

collectible automobile despite its rarity. The online NADA UsedCar Guide

lists a top value of US$20,000.

Famous Owners

Since the original owners of the cars were among the world's most wealthy

and famous, it should come as little surprise when one turns up with a

pedigree:

Sir Bernard Ashley - Chairman of Laura Ashley department stores owned a

left hand drive version, finished in blue with a matching blue velour

interior. Bought new in Picardy, France, where Sir Bernard lived at the

time, the car was kept in storage at Llangoed Hall Hotel from 1992 and

serviced regularly - Sir Bernard having moved to the US. The car sold for

$4,239, including buyer's premium, at Bonhams & Brooks Olympia London

auction, 4 December, 2000.

James Hunt - the F1 racing driver owned two of the 287 cars imported in to

the UK [2]

John F. Kennedy, Jr. - a slightly rough 6.9 was sold via an eBay auction

with documentation linking ownership to JFK Jr, and prior to that, his

uncle, Sargent Shriver.

A contributor to the International M-100 Group bulletin board (see link

below) purchased a unit in Pasadena, California that was fully documented

as being purchased by Howard Keck, former CEO of Superior Oil, owner of a

two-time winning Indianapolis 500 team and head of one of the world's

largest philanthropic organizations, the W. M. Keck Foundation

Shah of Iran - with its reserves of power, the 6.9 was a natural for

conversion into an armoured car. One such version that had been owned by

the Shah of Iran was put up for auction in New York City

Edgar Rosenberg - the British-born television producer owned a 1979

black-on-black US-spec version.

Frank Sinatra - a US-spec unit auctioned on eBay in October 2006 was

claimed to have been purchased by Sinatra as a gift to an undisclosed

friend and business associate in California.

Claude Francois, French singer and original compositor of "My Way" drove a

450 SEL 6.9 from November 1976 till March 1978. He was attacked in this car

in 1977, and several bullet holes were found in various areas of the car.

Heescaped by luck but also because of his ability to drivethis car to its

full performance level.

Telly Savalas, In an unprecedented coup, the Greek-American actor

negotiated a 6.9 and 450 SL in exchange for 2 days of promotional work for

a German company.

Robert Snow, The Orlando entrepreuer first owned a silver 450 SEL and

currently still owns a brown 6.9.

Claude Lelouch, who used his 6.9 to film the infamous C'était un

rendez-vous in the streets of Paris.

Joey Kramer the drummer for the band Aerosmith, owned one of the first US

cars.

http://www.focus.de/auto/fahrberichte/tid-7005/mercedes-450-sel-6-9_aid_68466.html

http://www.focus.de/auto/fahrberichte/tid-7005/mercedes-450-sel-6-9_aid_68927.html

http://www.focus.de/auto/fahrberichte/tid-7005/mercedes-450-sel-6-9_aid_68467.html

https://group-media.mercedes-benz.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/Top-class-Mercedes-Benz-450-SEL-69-made-its-debut-45-years-ago.xhtml?oid=46202584