Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 - the best car in the world from back then

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 - the best car in the world from back then

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Created on July 23, 2015

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

33

Daimler AG

23

Bonhams

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Bruno von Rotz

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - based on the long-wheelbase version of the S-Class

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the car feels smaller than it is

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the boss liked to drive it himself

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the saloon managed the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in around eight seconds

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - from the outside you can hardly distinguish the fastest S-Class from its slower sisters

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - it ran at almost 240 km/h back then

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the search was on for the optimum compromise between comfort and sportiness

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the big car is surprisingly handy

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the car has hydropneumatic suspension

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - can also be driven in a sporty manner

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - classic, but not restrained seventies design

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - indistinguishable from its weaker brothers from the rear

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the 6.9-liter shared the M 100 engine with its two predecessors, the 300 SEL 6.3 and 600

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - Velour upholstery was standard

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - comfortable seating in the rear too

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the steering wheel is not leather-covered, but it is thicker than on the predecessor 300 SEL 6.3

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - large baffle in the steering wheel

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - speedometer up to 260 km/h - that was impressive back then

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the torque converter automatic transmission only has three forward gears

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - bulging engine compartment, a dry sump lubrication system was used to save space

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the 6.8-liter V8 engine

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - towering Mercedes radiator

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the windshield wipers huddle close together

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - wide headlights

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the indicators reach around the corner

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the right-hand exterior rear-view mirror is adjustable on the inside

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - Chrome door handles

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the fuel filler flap is at the rear right

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the fuel filler flap opens downwards

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the star at the rear

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the star on the trunk lid

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - fluted tail lights extending around the corners

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - wide rear lights, clearly protruding chrome bumpers

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class (1972) - development of the W 116 model series, automatic scanning of a 1-to-5 model

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - taken in 1999

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL (1975) - elegantly presented

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL (1975) - Spring idyll

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the chauffeur is probably waiting for the boat owner

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the best car in the world, according to Auto Motor und Sport magazine

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - rear view, many of the cars drove without a type plate

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - rear view, most customers dispensed with the "6.9" inscription

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - visually hardly more striking than the other S-Class models

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class (1975) - wheelbase and rear doors were 10 cm longer in the long version

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - indistinguishable from its weaker brothers from the outside

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - the aluminum rims were not standard, so steel wheels are fitted here

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - this super sedan was almost 240 km/h fast

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - Test drive in the Vosges Mountains

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - rear view

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - impressive distinction, but hardly recognizable as a top model, the headlight cleaning system at least provides a hint

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - the best car in the world, according to AMS

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL (1973) - the alloy wheels were available at extra cost

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1978) - USA version of the fast Benz

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - with velour upholstery and car phone

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE (1972) - Cockpit of a rare manual transmission variant

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Mercedes-Benz 280 S (1972) - Instrument panel and safety steering wheel

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - dashboard of the luxury version, the pull knob for the level control is visible above the center of the steering wheel

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Mercedes-Benz 280 S (1972) - Mechanism of the seat belts

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Mercedes-Benz 280 S (1972) - exterior mirror adjustable from the inside

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL (1973) - in beautiful surroundings in picturesque Salzburg

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Mercedes-Benz 350 SEL (1973) - in Salzburg

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Mercedes-Benz 350 SEL (1973) - long-wheelbase version of the W 116 model series

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - View into the engine compartment

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - V8 engine with over 280 hp

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - M100 engine for the W 116 model series

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - cutaway model of the 6.9-liter engine

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - the elements and interrelationships of the hydropneumatic suspension

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class (1975) - Headlight washer system

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1975) - the emblem of the new 6.9-liter model

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Mercedes Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1980) - with the enormous displacement of 6.9 liters, 286 hp were produced, which was sufficient for 225 km/h, also available with ABS for the first time (Techno Classica 2013)

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 Saloon (1979) - offered as lot 140 at the Bonhams Mercedes-Benz auction in Stuttgart 2015

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - Dimensions

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - Acceleration curve

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Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - da fuhr der Chef gerne selber

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - den Sprint von 0 bis 100 km/h schaffte die Limousine in rund acht Sekunden

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - von aussen kann man die schnellste S-Klasse kaum von ihren langsameren Schwestern unterscheiden

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - fast 240 km/h schnell lief er damals

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - man suchte den optimalen Kompromiss zwischen Komfort und Sportlichkeit

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - der grosse Wagen ist erstaunlich handlich

Summary

In 1975, Mercedes presented the 450 SEL 6.9, the top-of-the-range model of the W 116 S-Class. A powerful V8 with a displacement of 6.8 liters delivered over 280 hp and catapulted the saloon into sports car performance territory. This was also appreciated by the press and, of course, the celebrities of the time. This driving report describes the special features and characteristics of the large saloon and shows them in present-day and historical images, supplemented by a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

Safe and sophisticated
Impressive gallery of ancestors
Consistent further development
Bigger, more powerful, cheaper
Almost like Citroën
Fully equipped
The best car in the world
Celebrity sled
Super sports car performance?
Impressive touring sedan
If only it weren't for the fuel consumption
Further information

Estimated reading time: 7min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Almost exactly 40 years ago, the Mercedes-Benz Über-S-Class came onto the market, equipped with a 6.8-liter V8 engine. More powerful and faster than almost anything else on the saloon market at the time. The S-Class with the internal designation W 116 arrived in showrooms in the fall of 1972. It was trimmed for safety, comfort and quality. Numerous innovations catapulted the saloon to the top of its class, such as the collision-proof fuel tank mounted above the rear axle, the safety steering wheel and the sophisticated independent front suspension. Visually, the 280 S to 350 SEL models were powerful and almost a little pompous, and the car was sure to overtake. In the spring of 1975, Mercedes-Benz then presented the top-of-the-range 450 SEL 6.9 model, which kept a clear distance from the other variants.

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Images of this article

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - da fuhr der Chef gerne selber

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - den Sprint von 0 bis 100 km/h schaffte die Limousine in rund acht Sekunden

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - von aussen kann man die schnellste S-Klasse kaum von ihren langsameren Schwestern unterscheiden

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - fast 240 km/h schnell lief er damals

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - man suchte den optimalen Kompromiss zwischen Komfort und Sportlichkeit

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (1976) - der grosse Wagen ist erstaunlich handlich

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