Mercedes-Benz C111
Encyclopedia
The C111 was a series of experimental automobile
s produced by Mercedes-Benz
in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engine
s, Diesel engine
s, and turbocharger
s, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning
.
The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969. It used a fiberglass
body shell and had a three-rotor
direct fuel injected Wankel engine
(code named M950F
) mounted in the middle
. The next C111 appeared in 1970. It used a four-rotor engine
producing 370 hp (275 kW). The car could reportedly hit 290 km/h (180 mph).
The company decided not to adopt the Wankel engine and turned to Diesel
experiments for the third C111. With its 230 hp@ 4,400-4,600 5-speed manual straight-5
turbo-Diesel, the C111 broke nine diesel and gas speed records. With more aerodynamic bodywork that gave it an air drag coefficient
of an incredible .191, the C111 eventually hit 200 mph (322 km/h) at Nardò in 1978, and averaged 14.7mpg@ 316 km/h (195.4 mph) over a 12 hour cruise. A later 500 hp (372 kW) 4.8 L twin KKK-turbocharged V8 version set another record, with an average lap-speed of 403.78 km/h (250.958 mph). It was achieved by Dr. Hans Leibold in 1 minute, 56.67 seconds on May 5, 1979.
Mercedes-Benz introduced the C112
at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1991 as a production sports car. It used a 6.0 L V12
engine mounted in the middle. But after accepting 700 deposits, the company decided not to proceed with production.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s produced by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engine
Wankel engine
The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons. Its four-stroke cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that...
s, Diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s, and turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
s, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
.
The first version of the C111 was completed in 1969. It used a fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
body shell and had a three-rotor
Mercedes-Benz M950F
The extremely rare Mercedes-Benz M950F was a normally aspirated Wankel engine mounted in experimental Mercedes-Benz C111 vehicles, built in 1969-70...
direct fuel injected Wankel engine
Wankel engine
The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons. Its four-stroke cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that...
(code named M950F
Mercedes-Benz M950F
The extremely rare Mercedes-Benz M950F was a normally aspirated Wankel engine mounted in experimental Mercedes-Benz C111 vehicles, built in 1969-70...
) mounted in the middle
MR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...
. The next C111 appeared in 1970. It used a four-rotor engine
Mercedes-Benz M950F
The extremely rare Mercedes-Benz M950F was a normally aspirated Wankel engine mounted in experimental Mercedes-Benz C111 vehicles, built in 1969-70...
producing 370 hp (275 kW). The car could reportedly hit 290 km/h (180 mph).
The company decided not to adopt the Wankel engine and turned to Diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
experiments for the third C111. With its 230 hp@ 4,400-4,600 5-speed manual straight-5
Straight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
turbo-Diesel, the C111 broke nine diesel and gas speed records. With more aerodynamic bodywork that gave it an air drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
of an incredible .191, the C111 eventually hit 200 mph (322 km/h) at Nardò in 1978, and averaged 14.7mpg@ 316 km/h (195.4 mph) over a 12 hour cruise. A later 500 hp (372 kW) 4.8 L twin KKK-turbocharged V8 version set another record, with an average lap-speed of 403.78 km/h (250.958 mph). It was achieved by Dr. Hans Leibold in 1 minute, 56.67 seconds on May 5, 1979.
Mercedes-Benz introduced the C112
Mercedes-Benz C112
The Mercedes-Benz C112 was an experimental mid-engined sportscar created in 1991 by Mercedes-Benz as a test bed, similar to the later versions of the Mercedes-Benz C111. Despite using the same number, it was not related to the 1960s Mercedes-Benz W112 series of limousines and coupes of the 1960s...
at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1991 as a production sports car. It used a 6.0 L V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine mounted in the middle. But after accepting 700 deposits, the company decided not to proceed with production.