Celebrity Merc: Lulu: The singer’s 1971 280SE 3.5 Coupe. Merc Cast: Reed Hitchcock: He pays his tribute to the 600 at 60. Talking Shop: John Smith: Our expert explains brake calipers. V8 Special: 280SE 3.5: A new 3.5-litre V8 transformed the big W108/W109 saloon in the late 1960s. V8 Special: Coupe 450SLC: A road trip into South Africa’s wine region in this lovely ’70s Stuttgart classic. V8 Special: Super saloon 500E: In 1990 the 124-series went V8 – we explain why, and how it was engineered. V8 Special: Roadster SL60 AMG: Behind the wheel of the SL60 AMG McLaren boss Ron Dennis drove daily. Timewatch: 1970, C111-II: For a while it looked like Mercedes was up for a head-to-head with Ferrari. My Classic: 180 Ponton: Dennis Kneier tells how in his 80s he bought the car he wanted as a boy. Pebble Beach winner: 540K: This amazing roadster took the world’s top concours d’elegance prize. Classic engines: OM617 diesel: It was this 1970s Mercedes five cylinder that made diesels desirable. Speed record: 190E 2.3-16s: Forty years ago, 16-valve W201s drove at 150mph-plus for over 200 hours. People: Hans Herrmann: The life and career of the sole surviving 1950s Silver Arrows F1 driver. Auction Stars:190E 2.3-16, 300SL: Five great Mercedes classics that went under the hammer in mid-summer. Buyer’s Guide: 190E 2.0: The base-level W201 is simple and cheap – read our pre-purchase checks. Mercedes Heritage: O 1000 bus: The story of a pre-war Benz bus that served the community for 40 years.