Epic-Auctions will auction a private collection on November 11. There is not only a wide choice of classic cars, but also various classic motorcycles and mopeds. Things like old petrol pumps, jukeboxes and various automobilia are also included. Our eye fell on a 250 Mercedes-Benz 1966 S. An automatic.
The first thing you notice when you look at this Mercedes-Benz 250 S is the elegance and class that radiates from it. It is a chic, stylish car from the premium segment of the mid-sixties.
Appearance
In a matching black color and finished with a range of chrome accents. The straight lines of the design codenamed W108 make it timeless. You are immediately fascinated by the look and details of the car and almost forget that the design is over 55 years old. It exudes luxury, because in those years everyone was used to having to fold down the front seats in most cars if you wanted to get in the back. So as soon as you drove up with this four-door Mercedes-Benz 250 S, you had just made it! Speaking of luxury, this W108 is also equipped with an automatic transmission, leather upholstery, power steering and an excellently working music factory, a radio. Not exactly standard options for the time either.
History
The 250 S was introduced in 1965 and was built until 1969. It was a brand new design in the Mercedes model line and the first of a new generation, which later spawned the classic 280 SE 3.5 and 300 SEL 6.3 sedans. All three models shared a body designed by Paul Bracq. Its clean lines are characteristic of the understated elegance of the model that has a timeless appeal even today. There is no such thing as fashionable excess, a quality Mercedes-Benz has never been guilty of with its design language. The new W108 models were technically largely based on their predecessors, so reliability was guaranteed.
Technical development
In addition to the new body, there were new technical details to report on the two 2,5-litre engines, which were developed by increasing the bore and stroke of the existing Mercedes 2,2-litre engines. This model was also equipped with a crankshaft bearing seven times and an oil-water heat exchanger ensured a better heat load in the oil system. It has independent front and rear suspension with four-wheel power disc brakes. The engine is a six-cylinder 2.5 liter inline with an overhead camshaft that still runs fantastic and silky smooth at high speed. The factory states a power of 130 hp at 5600 revolutions per minute. A number that is not achieved in practice with this Mercedes-Benz 250 S because an LPG installation is mounted. In any case, this small loss of power does not outweigh the many advantages of LPG. It is more environmentally friendly and the price at the pump is a lot friendlier than with diesel or petrol due to the low excise duty. Especially nowadays! With its 56-year-old car, the car is of course also tax-exempt, which makes the advantage even greater.
In the shadow
The enthusiasm for the Mercedes-Benz 250 S has been there from the start and has not changed to this day. The graceful model is a relief when you drive it on the public road between today's SUVs and the bloated 'small' cars. Any modern Polo, Clio or Cinquecento is equal in the shadow of this ancient gentleman. Something has really gone wrong with the design language in recent decades. The models from the sixties and seventies are simply more beautiful. The 250s is an example of this, simply a work of art!
The auction
More information about this car can be found via the website epic-auctions.com. And of course you can also find the other lots that are part of this auction. The viewing days are on November 5 between 9 am and 16 pm, November 10 between 9 am and 20 pm, as well as on November 11 between 9 am and 12 noon. The auction itself starts on November 11 at 12 noon and ends that day at 18 pm. The cars can be viewed at the auction location Wilhelminalaan 3 in Vessem. It is certainly interesting to take a look, even if you are not going to bid or only want to do so online. It is also possible to bring in classics yourself.
The development of the 250 S engine (engine type M108 in the 250 SE designated engine type M129) did not come entirely from the 2,2 liter engines. Mercedes had already drilled out the 2,2 liters from the sedans and adapted it to the 2,3 liters that were built in the 230 SL.
As early as 1963, the engineers were already experimenting with this M180 -2,3 liter engine to increase it to 2,5 liters. Larger bores were no longer possible in this cast iron block.
The cc increase was found in a longer stroke. And for the first time, the 6-cylinder engines were fitted with a crankshaft bearing 7 times.
The power was 130 HP and not 170 as stated in the article. (the 250 SE brought it to 150 HP, engine designation M129)
As John (we have the same Mercedes passion) also pointed out, the M108 and M129 engines were not the best MB has produced. The successors 280S and 280 SE with air oil coolers were much more reliable.
I myself have had a 280S and a 300SEL 6,3 and the latter was of course the best at the time. The 250 S was not the best motor in this W 108/9 series, but if you treat it with kindness (max 3500 rpm), he/she can last a long time.
As expensive and stylish as they were, the quality of the steel at Mercedes was subpar from 1960 until today. I myself once imported a Californian quasi stainless example, immediately started with a complete ML and anti-rust grease protection, but even then a careful annual check and update on the bridge was necessary to prevent rust holes.
A Volvo from 1961 and a Peugeot from the 50s took me much less effort to keep these stainless in terms of sheet metal.
Unfortunately, very few of the 383.361 W108 copies produced and the W116 successor (473.035 copies, also beautiful) remain.
Then I'm in luck with my 124 W1986 that looks like it came from the factory. There are indeed new jack stands welded in and the piece of inner screen under the windscreen washer tank, but that's really all. Has had a dinitrol treatment.
Beautiful car still very stylish, only that dashboard I have always found a bit frumpy and not appropriate for such an automobile, Jaguar for example showed how it can be beautiful.
That a four-door car in the mid-60s would be a luxury is, of course, nonsense. Many cars in those days had four doors. The most famous one that only had two doors was the Beetle, but that was a clumsy thing anyway. There were many of them, yes.
When I see those three round meters together: they have been timeless for a long time and they are still beautiful. As a child I drove along with a less luxurious contemporary: that was just enjoying. It's hard to put into words, but that kind of pleasure may no longer exist. Do you understand? The Mercedes from the 70s no longer gives me that special feeling.