Mercedes-Benz · 1959–present

Mercedes-Benz W111

See Mercedes-Benz S-Class for a complete overview of all S-Class models. The Mercedes-Benz W111 is a line of full-sized luxury cars produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959–1968) and two-door coupés and cabriolets (1961–1971). The saloons’ bodywork featured distinctive pointed tailfins that gave the models their Heckflosse nickname — German for "fintail". Introduced with a 2.2-litre inline 6-cylinder engine, the W111 spawned a pair of bracketing variants in 1961: downscale entry-level inline 4-cylinder engined vehicles sharing the W111 chassis and bodies, designated the W110; and the high-end W112, a luxury saloon built on the W111 chassis with its body but exclusive features, elaborate appointments, and the Mercedes-Benz 300d Adenauer's fuel-injected 3-litre "big block" M189 six-cylinder engine – at the time the company's largest. As with the preceding W180 and W128 series, both the W111 and W112 lines included 2-door coupé and cabriolet body styles distinct from the saloon. Designed by Paul Bracq, these specialty cars were shared between the two new series, and featured their own unique and significantly upscaled coachwork and interiors.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Mercedes-Benz Ponton · Successor: Mercedes-Benz W108

All Mercedes-Benz W111 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Design

Mercedes-Benz emerged from World War II as an automaker in the early 1950s with the expensive and exclusive 300 Adenauers 300 S grand tourers that gained it fame, but it was the simple unibody Pontons which comprised the bulk of the company's revenues. Work on replacing the Pontons began in 1956 with a design focused on passenger comfort and safety. The basic Ponton cabin was widened and squared off, with a large glass greenhouse improving driver visibility. A milestone in car design were front and rear crumple zones for absorbing kinetic energy on impact. The automaker also patented retractable seatbelts.

Production history

=== Saloon === Series production of the 4-door saloon began in August 1959, which made its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in the autumn. Initially the series consisted of the 220 b, 220 Sb, and 220 SEb. These replaced the (W105) 219, the (W180) 220 S and the (W128) 220 SE Ponton saloons respectively. The 220b was an entry-level version with little chrome trim, simple hubcaps, and basic interior trim that lacked pockets in the doors. Prices were DM16,750, 18,500 and 20,500, with a rough sales ratio of 1:2:1. All initial models shared the 2195 cc M127 straight-six engine carried over from the previous generation, producing 95 hp (71 kW) at 4800 rpm in the single carburetor 220b and capable of accelerating the heavy car to 160 km/h (155 if fitted with optional automatic gearbox). The 220 Sb featured twin carburetors and produced 110 hp (82 kW) at 5000 rpm, raising top speed to 165 km/h (103 mph) (160 km/h (99 mph)) and improving 0–100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration to 15 seconds (16 on the 220b). The top of the range 220 SEb featured Bosch fuel injection producing 120 hp (89 kW) at 4800 rpm, with a top speed of 172 km/h (107 mph) (168 km/h (104 mph) for auto) and a 0–100 km/h (62 mph) time of 14 seconds. In 1961, the W111 saloon chassis was shared both up and down in the Mercedes automobile line: downward with the more basic, shorter-bonneted, 4-cylinder W110 range, and upward with the company's top 4-door luxury saloon, the W112. It was built with the W111 body but fitted with the W189 300 “Adenauer’s”' larger block, fuel-injected 3-litre M189 6-cylinder engine. Dubbed the 300 SE, it was given many standard power features and a high level of interior and exterior trim. In May 1965, the 220 Sb and 220 SEb were replaced in the W111 lineup by the new 230 S. Beyond badging c

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Mercedes-Benz W111
Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz
Production: Saloon: August 1959 – January 1968, Coupé: February 1961 – July 1971, 370,807 built
Assembly: West Germany: Stuttgart, Australia: Port Melbourne (AMI), South Africa: East London
Predecessor: Mercedes-Benz W180
Successor: Mercedes-Benz W108 (4-door), Mercedes-Benz C107 (2-door)
Class: Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style: 4-door saloon, 2-door coupé, 2-door convertible
Layout: FR layout
Engine: 2195 cc M127 I6, 2306 cc M180 I6, 2496 cc M129 I6, 2778 cc M130 I6, 3499 cc M116 V8
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Related: Mercedes-Benz W110, Mercedes-Benz W112, Mercedes-Benz W113
Designer: Friedrich Geiger, Paul Bracq (coupé & cabriolet)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q864508CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W111CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1369445528 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_W111_Ilmenau.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Thomas doerfer · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.