RE: Merc C111 Evades Cross-Channel Crooks
Tuesday 11th May 2010
One of the original 1970s Mercedes-Benz C111 show cars has gone on display at M-B World Brooklands, after a close shave with a criminal gang who apparently tried to nick it off a lorry bringing it to England.
We're guessing the criminals had no idea what they were targeting, as this particular show car is a mock-up without an engine - although the image of a Flintstones-style getaway is quite amusing.
Merc C111 Evades Cross-Channel Crooks
Latest M-B World exhibit survives brush with the underworld
According to our source at M-B, the car was targeted by villains as its transporter waited for a Channel crossing. The theft was unsuccessful (obviously!) but the attempt left the car sporting significant damage to one of its gullwing doors and the nearside front wing. The damage has now been repaired.
It wouldn't quite be the sort of 'alternative powertrain' the C111 was conceived for. Through the 1960s and 70s, various versions of the car were fitted with diesel, rotary and turbocharged engines, and in these various incarnations it pocketed various speed records.
A later version with 6.0 V12 power and called the C112 was mooted for production, but never made it, sadly.
Discussion
Wonder what sort of price that would have sold for if it had gone into production?It's weird to think these things actually ran and drove and were used as test mules and development cars - they look so much just like undriveable concepts.
Apparently they had shedloads of offers from wealthy people to get Mercedes to build them, but they kept refusing. Bearing in mind it's from the '70s I think it would be quite a classic now! It certainly fits in with the era, even if it's not beautiful.
Apparently they had shedloads of offers from wealthy people to get Mercedes to build them, but they kept refusing. Bearing in mind it's from the '70s I think it would be quite a classic now! It certainly fits in with the era, even if it's not beautiful.
Had a corgi model of one of those as a kid. Metallic Green with pop up headlights.
As a small child I never really questioned the origins of all of those matchbox, dinky and corgi spaceship like cars (and they where compared to a Triumph Herald). I just assumed that they were simple toys from the maker’s imagination. Now equipped with the internet I can see that most of them were real vehicles, even if mostly prototypes. Awesome!
The C111 comes in several variations, with small external changes here and there. On the whole it's quite a good looking car to my mind, with shades of Maserati Bora and Delorean DMC-12 about it.
Very futuristic in a 60s/70s vision of the future sort of way, which I often think was far cooler than the future concepts they come up with today.
Edited to add that the one in the article appears to have some kind of low drag bodywork on it (probably for speed trials). They usually look more like this...
As a small child I never really questioned the origins of all of those matchbox, dinky and corgi spaceship like cars (and they where compared to a Triumph Herald). I just assumed that they were simple toys from the maker’s imagination. Now equipped with the internet I can see that most of them were real vehicles, even if mostly prototypes. Awesome!
The C111 comes in several variations, with small external changes here and there. On the whole it's quite a good looking car to my mind, with shades of Maserati Bora and Delorean DMC-12 about it.
Very futuristic in a 60s/70s vision of the future sort of way, which I often think was far cooler than the future concepts they come up with today.
Edited to add that the one in the article appears to have some kind of low drag bodywork on it (probably for speed trials). They usually look more like this...
Edited by davidf4 on Wednesday 12th May 13:32
Streetrod said:
Belfast Boy said:
wasn't there a brown one used in the T.V series UFO?
Nope, that car was custom made for the show, but it does have a similar look
Ed Straker's car, once owned by Dave Lee Travis of Radio 1, Ford Zephyr/Zodiac underneath, Escort engine and gearbox. The gullwing doors had to be held up by a stage hand.
Paul Foster's car not looking so pretty these days:
Lots of pics and info here - http://www.cloudster.com/Sets&Vehicles/UFO_Car...
Edited by steviegunn on Wednesday 12th May 13:31
Stew2000 said:
I can't even think of a possible motive for stealing it. 
Probably just saw it was heading to mercedes benz world on the address. They probably did't realise that it's the same as stealing ferrari dino. you can steal it but you'll never sell it and if you drive it you will be caught and arrestedctallchris said:
Stew2000 said:
I can't even think of a possible motive for stealing it.
Probably just saw it was heading to mercedes benz world on the address. They probably did't realise that it's the same as stealing ferrari dino. you can steal it but you'll never sell it and if you drive it you will be caught and arrestedFew of you seem to realise a) how rare or b) how valuable these are.
It's more analagous to stealing the Mona Lisa or Michaelangelo's David!
In the same way, though, there are undoubtedly people who would be quite happy to own it without ever being able to display it...
M
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