Classic Mercedes Magazine

5 May 2023

Celebrity Merc: Bill Wyman: The Rolling Stones bassist recalls the 250S he bought brand new in 1966. Talking Shop: Sam Lawrence: Keeping a classic car in storage is an exact science if it’s done properly. Icons: W113 SL Pagoda: A single, memorable image that says more than a thousand words can. Cover Story: Top-range Fintail: Mercedes pushed the W111 as far upmarket as it could, creating the 300SE. My Classic: 230 Ambulance: Bob Gunthorp tells us about the Fintail conversion bought 23 years ago. Timewatch 1983 – Paris-Dakar: Forty years ago the G-Wagen won the world’s longest and toughest rally. Happy birthday! Pagoda at 60: In these pages we’ve packed in all you need to know about the W113 SL. Rare Coupe Special: USA only: 300CD Turbodiesel: An oil burning 123 coupe might seem odd, but the combination works. Rare Coupe Special: Pre-merger AMG: 300CE-24 AMG: An Affalterbach motor plus the wide body make this C124 a serious prospect. We drive it and are impressed. Rare Coupe Special: Homologation: 450SLC 5.0: Driving the road version of the car Mercedes took top-level rallying in 1978. People: Friedrich Geiger: By all accounts modest, but he was the man who penned the iconic 300SL. Classic engines: 190E 2.3-16: The M102 unit was an unassuming two-litre until Cosworth got involved. Auction Stars: 300SL, Pagoda, 600: Five Mercedes classics that have gone under the sale hammer recently. Buyer’s Guide: 123-series saloon: It’s among the most loved modern classics, and we give pre-purchase tips. Sculpture: Juan Manuel Fangio: The full story behind the Mercedes Museum’s tribute to the Argentinian ace.