Description
The Mercedes-Benz W108 and W109 are luxury cars produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1965 to 1972 (or 1973 in North America). The range was an upgrade of the Mercedes-Benz W114/ W115, to succeed the W111 and W112 fintail sedans. The cars were successful in West Germany and in export markets including North America and Southeast Asia. During the seven years of operation, a total of 383, 361 units were manufactured.
Since the W108 and W109 were only available as 4-door models, the equally boxy 2-door W111 and W112 coupes and convertibles, without pronounced fins, filled these niches and are often confused with the two-door W108/ 109 doors.
Model history
Mercedes Benz 280 SE W108
Since the W108 and W109 were only available as 4-door models, the W111 and W112 2-door coupes and convertibles, like this 1969 280 SE, are often confused with them.
The car's predecessors, the Mercedes-Benz W111 (1959?1971) and W112 (1961?1967), helped Mercedes-Benz develop greater sales and achieve economies of scale in production, reducing both manufacturing times and costs. Throughout the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz had produced the 300 S and 300 SL bodies and almost all hand-built 300 Adenauers, as well as conveyor-assembled Pontons (190, 190 SL and 220), etc. Unifying the entire Mercedes-Benz range in the fintail (German: Heckflosse) reduced production on a single automotive platform.
However, fashion trends in the early 1960s changed quickly. By the time the Paul Bracq-designed W111 2-door coupes and convertibles were launched, the fins of the previous W111 sedan had lost their chrome trim and pointed appearance. The arrival of the W113 'Pagoda' coupe and convertible in 1963 saw them buried further into the trunk contour. Finally, they disappeared completely on the W100 600 in 1963.
The evolution of the W111 began under the leadership of Bracq in 1961 and was completed in 1963. Although the change in ailerons was the most visible change, the W108 had a lower waistline and increased glass area - the windshield alone was 17% larger than that of the W111. W111 - prominent enough to qualify as a "greenhouse". The cars had a 60mm lower body and 15mm wider doors. The result was a visibly newer, sleeker car with an open, spacious interior.
Differences between W108 and W109
Due to the success of the long wheelbase 300 SE Lang (W112), designed as an intermediate car between the 300 "Adenauer" (W189) and the "Grosser Mercedes" 600 (W100), Mercedes-Benz continued to offer two wheelbase lengths. wheelbase for the W108. / W109. Initially, the wheelbase lengths were designated W108 (standard) and W109 (long). For the 1968 model year, this distinction changed with the introduction of the 280 SEL which retained the chassis designation W108, rather than W109.
The larger 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine (300 SEL) was exclusive to the W109, with the odd exception of the standard wheelbase 300 SEb (1965?1967), designated W108. The smaller inline six-cylinder engines (250 S/ SE and 280 S/ SE/ SEL) were reserved for the W108. Both finally received V8 engines in 1967 (W109) and 1970 (W108).
The W109 was more luxuriously appointed than the W108, with burl walnut dashboards, an automatic transmission and power windows and optional air conditioning. The most obvious distinction from the W108 was the door window frames and A-pillars fully finished with gleaming polished metal trim.
The W108 and W109 had different types of suspension systems: the W108 retained the steel coil springs and oil-filled shock absorbers while the W109 used the self-leveling air suspension.
