Mercedes-Benz C111

Last updated
Mercedes-Benz C111/II
Mercedes-Benz Museum C111 200901241511.jpg
Mercedes-Benz C111/II at the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Overview
Manufacturer Daimler-Benz
Production1970 (16 cars produced)
AssemblyWest Germany: Untertürkheim
Designer Bruno Sacco
Body and chassis
Class Sports car
Body style 2-door berlinetta
Layout Longitudinal, Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Doors Gullwing doors
Powertrain
Engine
  • C111 I: M 950 F (3-rotor Wankel, 3,600 cm³ [1]
  • C111 II: M 950/4 (4-rotor Wankel, 4,800 cm³ [1]
  • C111 II-D and III: OM 617 (5-cylinder Diesel, 3005 cm³ [2] )
  • C111 IV: M 117 (V8 Otto, 4500 cm³ [3] )
Power output
  • M 950 F: 205 kW (275 hp) at 7000 rpm [1]
  • M 950/4: 260 kW (349 hp) at 6000 rpm [1]
  • OM 617: 140 kW (188 hp) at 4200 min−1 [2]
  • OM 617: 170 kW (228 hp) [4]
  • M 117: 368 kW (493 hp) [3]
Transmission 5-speed  manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,620 mm (103 in)
Length4,440 mm (175 in)
Width1,800 mm (71 in)
Height1,120 mm (44 in)
Chronology
Predecessor Mercedes-Benz SL-X
Successor Mercedes-Benz CW311
Mercedes-Benz C112
Suspension layout of the Mercedes-Benz C111 with independent multi-link on the rear axle Mercedes-Benz C111 suspension.PNG
Suspension layout of the Mercedes-Benz C111 with independent multi-link on the rear axle
C 111-II Mercedes-Benz C111.jpg
C 111-II
C 111-III Mercedes benz c111 III.JPG
C 111-III
C 111-IV Mercedes benz c111 IV.JPG
C 111-IV

The Mercedes-Benz C111 was a series of experimental automobiles produced by Daimler-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included multi-link rear suspension, gull-wing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning.

Contents

History

The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969, and presented at the 1969 IAA in Frankfurt. The car used a fiberglass body shell and with a mid-mounted three-rotor direct fuel injected Wankel engine (code named M950F). The next C111 appeared in 1970; it was shown at the 1970 Geneva International Motor Show. It used a four-rotor engine producing 260 kW (349 hp). [1] The car reportedly could reach a speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). [5]

The company decided not to adopt the Wankel engine and turned to diesel experiments for the second and third C111s. The C111-IID's engine was a Mercedes-Benz OM 617, and produced 140 kW (188 hp) at 4200 min−1. It was based on the Mercedes-Benz 85 kW variant of the OM 617 used in the Mercedes-Benz W 116 S-Class, but had a different turbocharger without a wastegate, which allowed an increased pressure ratio of 3.3. Daimler-Benz also added an intercooler that significantly improved the engine's thermal efficiency. [2]

The C111 III prototype that was completed in 1978, had a more aerodynamic bodywork that gave it an air drag coefficient of 0.195. It had a modified 3-litre version of the Mercedes-Benz OM 617 five-cylinder Diesel, now producing 170 kW (228 hp), and a BMEP of 1.68 MPa, resulting in a maximum torque of 401 N·m at 3600 min−1. It enabled the C111 III to reach a top speed of 338 km/h (210 mph) at the 12.5 kilometres (7.8 mi) long [6] Nardò Ring in 1978, and also to average a 16 l/100 km fuel consumption at an average speed of 325 km/h. [4] The engine was fitted with an M-type inline injection pump of Bosch's PE series with a maximum injection pressure of 40 MPa. [7]

The C111 IV had a 4.5 L twin KKK-turbocharged V8 engine that produced 368 kW (493 hp; 500 PS) at 6000/min. [3] This set another record at the Nardò Ring in 1979, with an average speed of 403.78 km/h (250.958 mph), driven by Hans Liebold. [8]

Total production was 16 cars: 13 first and second generation Wankel engined cars, two diesel engined third generation cars used in the Nardò record attempt, and a single V8 engined fourth generation car. [9]

Mercedes-Benz introduced the C112 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1991 as a proposed production sports car. The car used a mid-mounted 6.0 L V12 engine. After accepting 700 deposits, the company decided not to proceed with production.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bensinger, Wolf-Dieter (1973). Rotationskolben-Verbrennungsmotoren (in German). Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer. p. 143. ISBN   978-3-540-05886-1.
  2. 1 2 3 Zinner, K. (1980). Aufladung von Verbrennungsmotoren (in German) (2 ed.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag. p. 294. ISBN   978-3-662-11204-5.
  3. 1 2 3 Andreas Of-Allinger, Lilly Wöbcke (2020-03-20). "50 Jahre Mercedes C111: Design-Studie mit Wankelmotor". auto motor und sport (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  4. 1 2 Reif, Konrad (2012-02-23). Klassische Diesel-Einspritzsysteme (in German). Wiesbaden: Springer. p. 51. ISBN   978-3-8348-8664-4.
  5. ↑ "Mercedes-Benz C 111". www.mercedes-benz.com.
  6. ↑ "Porsche buys Nardo test track". Top Gear. 12 April 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Reif, Konrad (2012-02-23). Klassische Diesel-Einspritzsysteme (in German). Wiesbaden: Springer. p. 52. ISBN   978-3-8348-8664-4.
  8. ↑ "Storia - Nardò Technical Center". Home - Nardò Technical Center (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-07-06. Con un motore biturbo V8 da 4,82 litri e una potenza di 373 kW (500 CV) a 6.200 giri/min, la Mercedes-Benz C111-IV raggiunge la velocità di 404 km/h. Con questa vettura l'ingegnere capo Hans Liebold percorse il "giro lanciato" sul circuito di Nardò in 1:57 min.
  9. ↑ "1970 Mercedes-Benz C111-II - Jay Leno's Garage". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13 – via www.youtube.com.

Bibliography

  • Clarke, R.M., ed. (1987). On Mercedes 1963-1970. Road & Track Series. Cobham, Surrey, UK: Brooklands Books. ISBN   1-869826-41-8.
  • ——————, ed. (1980). On Mercedes Sports & GT Cars 1970-1980. Road & Track Series. Cobham, Surrey, UK: Brooklands Books. ISBN   0907073395.
  • Frère, Paul; Weitmann, Julius (1981). Mercedes-Benz C111: Experimental Cars. Lausanne: Edita. ISBN   2880010977.
  • Kalbhenn, Wolfgang; Heidbrink, Gerhard; Hack, Joachim (2021). Mercedes-Benz C111: Fackelträger, Traumsportwagen und Rekordjäger[Mercedes-Benz C111: Torchbearers, Dream Sports Cars and Record Hunters] (in German). Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN   9783613041370.
  • Wirth, Thomas (2012). Mercedes-Benz Supercars: From 1901 to Today. Atglen, PA, USA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN   9780764340901.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.