As petrol junkies, we have our own life questions. For example: how should we put ourselves in the shoes of the man or woman who ordered a virtually option-free Mercedes-Benz 1976 SEL in the autumn of 280? Someone who perhaps even thought the petrol injection was a waste of money, but had to swallow this power supply circuit because of the inseparable combination with the long wheelbase. It hardly gets more bare than this W116 in Kaledoniengrün.
Text & photography: Aart van der Haagen
In a representative vehicle, especially an S-Class in the long version, you would expect at least metallic paint. Unfortunately, not checked. The soft Kaledoniengrün, typical of the frivolity of the seventies, almost raises eyebrows on such a dignified carriage. It happened much more often that customers were not tempted to purchase light-alloy 'crown cork wheels' and many people did not see the added value of tinted glass either. Fortunately, Mercedes-Benz was not too bad to lavishly adorn any W116 in standard version with chrome decoration, because class must of course breathe class. This is also the case in the living room, where a strip of zebrano wood also evokes a certain feeling of opulence. Leather upholstery? A layman might think so, but no, here ordinary MB-Tex determines the ambiance.
Shiny white
What extras were completely ignored by the first owner? A whole laundry list. Too many to mention, but let's take a look, in addition to the things already mentioned. A sliding roof, automatic transmission, rev counter, cruise control, electric windows, central locking, air conditioning, rear headrests, heated front seats and/or rear bench; the lines on the order form were left gleaming white. Power steering, a height-adjustable driver's seat and head cushions in the front were, however, something every W116 came with from home. The completely empty centre console with only a rotary switch and four sliders for the heating ventilation system offers an almost unreal appearance. Suddenly, the eye is drawn to the type plate '280 SEL'. Does that really belong there? We are confused, because we cannot remember ever having seen it before. Oh of course, this is the cover plate for the hole where almost all other S-Classes of this generation have a radio.
Secretly, yes
Forgive us, but this Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL arouses a certain obsession. We must and will find out whether there aren't some optional extras hidden somewhere, very secretly, at an additional cost. Supplier Albert Venema (Venema Classic Cars) doesn't think so and initially we agree, until we come across a center armrest between the front seats. By the way, what's with that right-hand wing mirror? Well, for fun, Google W116s and you'll even find factory photos of the long version that show an asymmetrical body. Incidentally, the counter stops at these two items, because Mercedes-Benz wasn't so frugal that it withheld an analog clock and a lockable glove compartment from buyers. If we pull the sun visors down for a moment, we only see a make-up mirror on the right; unlit. It all seems poor, but soak up the atmosphere and you'll conclude that this distinguished automobile actually doesn't need any extras to evoke the true feeling of Sonderklasse.
Read the full story with all the photos in the October issue of Auto Motor Klassiek. It's in stores now.
No radio, but there is an antenna on the rear left.
Around the time of this MB, I drove a W123 in the same colour combination. Fortunately with central locking and right wing mirror, plus a radio with CR. What a luxury, huh. Top cars.
The father of a classmate had such a Mercedes-Benz 280S aubergine metallic brown
from 1975 (this takes place in '77) he said, Max we're going for a quick drive on the H Costerstraat near the Haagse Mark, well he stepped on the gas, I didn't know what to make of it, what a car, power and then that star on the front of the hood. Now 47 years later I still remember exactly what that ride was like!!
Greetings Max B. MB
This is a beautiful story, maybe the money suddenly ran out? And from the outside you can't see that it's bare inside, so the neighbor was impressed anyway.
Mercedes options are sometimes strange btw, for example the buyer of my w123 300tdt from '82 indicated at extra cost that he did not want seat belts in the back...
Real luxury is actually invisible: driving comfort, space, atmosphere, silence. The rest are gadgets, which indeed break down. Even a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III from 1965 had manual window winders as standard.
These remained almost un-broken for a very long time. Nice hubcaps, they are just part of it, and the MB Tex is
imho so much easier to maintain. Finally, a real Mercedes “corolla”, no options. I almost dare to bet that this car has a “Limited slip diff”. That is something that was often touched when I still worked in the car business. I had that myself. My E28, no options except a LSD.
Greetings to all reading this from a pretty warm YVR,
Bass.
Actually very simple, what is not there cannot be broken. My Ford Granada is an L version, there are almost no luxury options in it. And that is what makes it fun I think. You are really purely busy with driving instead of with the options. Such a beautiful S is still on the wish list by the way, and then also in such a typical 70s Derrick color.
Oh well, what's not in there can't break.
So thrift for the short and long term 😀
This is great! Just a long S for people who want to stretch their legs in both the front and the back... by the way, headrests in the back were certainly not common in the mid-70s and you only saw them in the Bimmer E3, MB W114/5, W108 and W116... later the CXs, Quattroportes and many Japanese cars were added. That color, very German because an average Dutchman would much rather buy one in a much more anonymous color.
Those wheel covers are a lot more cheerful than those alloy wheels, by the way.
Sober yet stylish, nice color combination, no nonsense. I would miss a radio, but otherwise? Perfect.
Beautiful color combination! Very elegant, you don't miss those options. 😉