Rare 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111 Prototype (w/ startup)
A very rare 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111 prototype from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center arriving at and leaving the 2023 San Marino Motor Classic at Lacy Park. The C111 was a series of experimental cars built in the 1960s and 1970s to test new technology including Wankel and diesel engines. 16 cars were built, 13 of which still exist (and remain in the company's ownership.) This orange (Weißherbst) example, a C111-II, was a participant in the 2022 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance. It was originally powered by a Wankel engine which has been replaced by a 3.5-liter Mercedes-Benz M116 V8.
I had wanted to see a real C111 ever since I bought a 1:18 scale model of one as a kid, prompted by the mere knowledge that it was a super cool-looking experimental car with gullwing doors. Last summer Mercedes-Benz brought this car to the States for Monterey Car Week, and there were a few opportunities to catch it here in Southern California as well. But being the genius that I was, I missed all of them. And for all I knew, the car was then returned to Germany, probably never to experience the California sunshine again. Well, I'm glad to admit I was wrong. A year later, it turned out the C111 was not only still here, but also being unloaded just as I showed up to watch cars arriving at the San Marino Motor Classic. I'm not gonna lie, I think I actually screamed out loud when I saw it emerge from the transporter.
It's hard to describe the experience of seeing for the first time a real car that you've known as a kid only as a scale model. It was as if I suddenly became part of a miniature storybook world where all those diecast metal and plastic parts actually functioned on their own and every photo and video captured on my camera would forever be a reminder when I returned to the real world that this wasn't just a dream. As a kid I had always been puzzled by the fact that most C111s I saw in books and articles appeared noticeably different from my scaled-down version. I later came to understand that there were multiple cars built as part of the C111 project, each of which had unique features. What makes me most excited about this particular example is that it appears to be the one that most closely resembles my miniature version - possible the exact one that it's based on. I still have that model now, and the next time I take it out, it will mean more to me than it ever did before. Special thanks to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center for bringing this car out for all to see and for helping me fulfill a childhood dream.
Do you think Mercedes-Benz should have put the C111 into production? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!