The German themed exhibition currently running within the walls of the 365 Oldtimer Museum features a number of legendary Mercedes cars, including the Mercedes 300SEL 6.3, which has a notable Mercedes creation under the bonnet, the M100 naturally aspirated engine.
This power unit was a 6.3-litre, water-cooled, petrol V8 engine, with a power output of 250 hp and later 286 hp. The engine was produced by Daimler-Benz between 1963 and 1981, and was the successor to the six-cylinder in-line M186/M189 (this engine was considered a flagship). The M100 was Mercedes’ first production V8 designed and built for street use. Its development had been spurred on by the fact that the American giant Cadillac had been building modern V8 engines for a decade, and then Rolls Royce launched its own brand new V8, and Mercedes was no longer idle if it wanted to keep up with its competitors in different markets. However, with its new development, Mercedes was aiming for nothing less than the elite, and defined an almost unlimited budget to develop the engine. Accordingly, the M100 made its debut as the power unit for the ultra-luxury Mercedes W100 series. Such cars have been owned by Coco Chanel, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Jay Leno, Ringo Starr and Rowan Atkinson, to name but a few of the many celebrities who have been impressed by the W100 incredible elegance and performance of the M100. The V8 configuration of the engine was justified by the fact that the W100 car was big and heavy and the M189 six-cylinder was no longer up to the job, having reached the limits of its performance. At the time, only Ferrari produced a V12 engine, and a straight-8 engine would have been simply heavy and bulky, so the V8 layout was chosen. The M100 engine has also been installed in the top-of-the-range 600cc Pullmann Mercedes. In 1968, the high-performance Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 sports sedan was powered by the same engine. In our museum you can see an elegant specimen in black paint with a black leather seat, which with its chrome trim immediately attracts attention, but also makes the hearts of experts beat when you look under the bonnet. This car was also a luxury car in its day and was a huge success at the Geneva Motor Show when it debuted. The car had a top speed of 220 km/h, a remarkable achievement for such a heavy car (over 1700 kg). This series was to be continued, as in 1975 the M100 engine was uprated to 6.8 L for the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. It is commonly referred to as the “6.9” despite its actual displacement. The 450SEL 6.9 also debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, specifically as the successor to the 300SEL 6.3. It was produced in limited numbers. For several years, it was the world’s fastest and fastest accelerating saloon, reaching 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 225 km/h. With a gross weight of nearly two tonnes, this performance is downright impressive. Its gearbox was a 3-speed automatic. The M100 engine is ideally suited for sustained high-speed cruising. The total number of models equipped with the M100 was 16 583. Another interesting fact is that the Red Pig car had the same Mercedes engine.
This engine was therefore a success, as it was powerful and effective in several series, but it was also a pioneer, being the first V8 engine for Mercedes and, what is more, it is still one of the largest engines in Europe.