Miguel Sánchez
A classic car needs constant care and, in many cases, its partial or total restoration. And it is right there when one of the amateur's dilemmas arises: recreate or modify? Obviously any recreation, however trustworthy, will record alterations with respect to the original; And yet it is the way to preserve the originality and historical character of the car. On the other hand, there is the undoubted appeal of improving a certain classic and making it more usable for day-to-day use by assembling modern elements. This is called restoration 'restomod'.
If the fan opted for this second option to resurrect his jewel ... Would we be facing a classic? Or in front of a modern car covered with a classic body? This is the question posed by the brand new Mercedes W-111 M-Coupe 5.5 prepared by the specialists of mechatronics...
PLAYING WITH MERCEDES: MECHATRONIK
In 1997 Frank Rickert acquired 12 classic Mercedes. He had the idea of trading them in a German market that was not going through its prime. Quickly, this German company was establishing itself in the sector as a reference in old Mercedes; a simple glance at their website gives us an idea of their business volume, which offers amazing prewar models and even a mythical '72 Pullman.
However, Mechatronik is not only dedicated to buying and selling classic Mercedes. It also has a restoration department where different models are recovered and updated depending on the customer's specifications. A good example is this Mercedes W-111 coupe discreetly updated and put on sale for 400.000 euros.
The restoration is done with great care, managing to recreate the beauty of one of the most successful designs of the German brand. But when we dive below aesthetics ... we find a modified chassis, a powerful current 5-liter AMG engine with a rigged transmission and a modern braking system, among others. In short: the skeleton and the heart of this Mercedes have been radically altered with respect to those of the W-5 111 SE of 280 of origin.
3'5 LITERS VERSUS 5'5
Manufactured between 1959 and 1971 and known as Mercedes 'Colas', the Mercedes W-111 is one of the typical high-end models so representative of the German brand. For 9 years it was offered in both a saloon and a two-door, either a convertible or a coupe, being sold exclusively with these last two bodies from '69 to '71. It was born with 2.2-liter 6-cylinder engines to grow to the 3.5 V8 that the W-111 280 SE 3.5. Over the years, this classic produced for just two years has remained in the minds of fans as one of the most stately Mercedes coupes.
Starting from one of the units manufactured in 1970, Mechatronik offers us this transformation project that, as we said at the beginning, moves us to think that it is a mechanical boast thanks to which it is possible to enjoy a classic bodywork with all the power and safety of a current coupe but also that, perhaps, it is also an excess that it denatures its classic character.
The truth is that we believe that even Mechatronik have the same doubts as us, because reviewing the sale offer clearly indicates the possibility of returning the car to its original state. Right now he is mounting his huge 5 liter, but in a warehouse in Germany that old 5 is waiting impatient to push the chassis that corresponds to him again ...
