Spectators at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in 1971 could hardly believe their eyes when a red Mercedes 300 SEL crossed the finish line in second place overall and with a class victory.
A truly incredible picture! It was heavy, long and wide, with a silhouette that stood out like a colorful dog compared to the other racing cars.
Pumped up by AMG, carried by Bilstein
The engine of the 300 SEL was bored out from 6.3 to 6.8 liters by AMG, at that time not yet part of Mercedes. This tickled an incredible 428 hp out of the eight-cylinder engine. The 300 SEL, known as the "Rote Sau", was a real steam hammer! For such a colossus to deliver its power to the wheels, it naturally needed a good chassis. And that's where Bilstein came into play.
Together with BILSTEIN Motorsport dampers, larger front axle wishbones and harder air suspension bellows were used. Even Mercedes itself increasingly relied on the products from Ennepetal from 1957 onwards.
A broad base
Bilstein has also established itself as a solid and trustworthy partner for brands other than original equipment and the sports-oriented aftermarket. Today, thanks to the extensive data archive, shock absorbers and suspensions can be purchased for a wide range of vehicles. Bilstein has the right suspension components for more than 600 cars over 30 years old.
In addition to the standard series replacement, Bilstein offers high-performance dampers and suspension components for sporty drivers and also for motorsport. If nothing fits, the customer special request (KSW) department will manufacture a suitable suspension and damper for almost any vehicle with hydraulic shock absorbers based on archive data or calculations.
Also for lovers of patina
Bilstein not only offers new constructions off the shelf or made to measure, but also the reconditioning of original parts. This should certainly be an extremely attractive option for patina lovers.
This makes Bilstein one of the most competent and versatile suppliers of suspensions and shock absorbers for series replacement, sportier reworking, motorsport or remanufacturing of original parts.
For more information, click here to visit the Bilstein website.
