300 SEL 6.3

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 was the brainchild of engineer Erich Waxenberger, who in 1966 had the audacious idea of fitting the 600 Pullman's enormous M100 6.3-liter V8 engine into the relatively compact W109 S-Class body shell. The result, launched in 1968, was arguably the world's first super sedan: a car that combined full luxury limousine power with the agility of a smaller body. Nothing else on the road could match its combination of performance and refinement.

The M100 V8 produced 250 hp and an enormous 500 Nm of torque in the 300 SEL 6.3, figures that dwarfed any sedan competitor of the era. The car could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and reach 220 km/h, performance that was genuinely astonishing for a luxury sedan in 1968. The W109 body featured self-leveling air suspension that maintained its composure at any speed, power-assisted recirculating ball steering, and large disc brakes. The ride quality was sumptuous, belying the car's dynamic capability.

The 300 SEL 6.3 attracted a clientele that included enthusiast drivers, racing personalities, and discerning individuals who wanted the fastest four-door in the world without sacrificing Mercedes comfort. It was not a flashy car; externally, only small 6.3 badges on the trunk and a slightly lower ride height distinguished it from lesser S-Class models. This understated nature was part of its appeal. The car's most famous motorsport moment came when AMG modified an example into the legendary Red Pig that competed at the 1971 Spa 24 Hours.

With 6,526 units produced between 1968 and 1972, the 300 SEL 6.3 is rare but not impossibly so. It established the concept that a full-size luxury sedan could offer genuine sports car performance, a formula that Mercedes-Benz through AMG and its competitors would refine for decades to come. Values have appreciated strongly as collectors recognize it as the car that started the super sedan genre.