RE: Lorinser 450 SEL 6.9 Up For Sale
Tuesday 7th July 2009
German tuning house Lorinser is selling off a rare modified version of a 1975 Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9.
Original 450 SEL 6.9 with chrome bumpersThe Lorinser W116 also got deep side skirts, large multi-spoke BBS alloy wheels and a big-bore double exhaust. But despite all that apparently aerodynamic bodywork and the fat exhaust, Lorinser's S-Class wasn't actually any faster or more powerful than the standard 450 SEL 6.9, with potential perhaps limited a tad by the three-speed automatic gearbox.
Lorinser 450 SEL 6.9 Up For Sale
Modded 1970s S-class that allegedly inspired the factory version of the 1980s S goes up for sale
Seen here with its modern equivalent, Lorinser's take on the S500, Lorinser's 450 was the flagship of its range of modded Mercs at its time of launch. The 450 SEL 6.9 that it was based on was the only S-class of the W116 series to get a 6.9-litre version of the V8 from the 600 Limousine.
While this only managed 286bhp - not exactly a vast amount in such a big barge - the V8 pumped out a far grander figure of 405lb ft of torque.
Lorinser's version changed the styling quite significantly, losing the original's slimline chrome bumpers and replacing them with some very 1980s-esque square plastic aprons front and rear. In fact, Lorinser claims that the integrated foglights and sporty grille may have inspired the look of the next S-class that came along in 1979, the W126.
Original 450 SEL 6.9 with chrome bumpers
This rare and slightly oddball car is currently on display at Lorinser's 'Classic Center' [sic] and, as with all the exhibits there, it is also for sale on a price-on-application (POA) basis.
Discussion
tedzwedz said:
Nice!
But for real performance and menancing looks you need a W126 560SEC 6.0 litre 32v 381bhp coupe, in black with black wheels.
"The Hammer"
As far as I remember, the Hammer was the name they gave only to the W124 300E/TE with the AMG 4 valve V8's, both 5.5 and 6 liter. I'm not sure if there was a 300CE based Hammer Coupé, but I think they did that as well.But for real performance and menancing looks you need a W126 560SEC 6.0 litre 32v 381bhp coupe, in black with black wheels.
"The Hammer"
Miguel
Panayiotis said:
tog said:
Come on PH, could you not have found a picture of a proper 6.9 without the hideous US-spec impact bumpers? Especially as the bumpers is the whole point of the picture?
one for the wishlist...Without doubt the poorest article I've seen on PH for a long time,not only major factual mistakes but an inexcusably bad photograph choice(presumably the first one to come up on a Google image search).Thanks to Tog and Brams for corrections especially the picture.
Also, to criticise the 6.9 for only having 286 bhp seems churlish when one considers the performance these things had in the mid-seventies.If I was competent enough with a computer to find and link it,I'd point you in the direction of Jean Reno smoking (literally!) the XM and 605 in the South of France(ok so crappy psa diesels are'nt really competition but remember the 6.9 was 20 years old when Ronin was made)
Also, to criticise the 6.9 for only having 286 bhp seems churlish when one considers the performance these things had in the mid-seventies.If I was competent enough with a computer to find and link it,I'd point you in the direction of Jean Reno smoking (literally!) the XM and 605 in the South of France(ok so crappy psa diesels are'nt really competition but remember the 6.9 was 20 years old when Ronin was made)
infradig said:
Without doubt the poorest article I've seen on PH for a long time,not only major factual mistakes but an inexcusably bad photograph choice(presumably the first one to come up on a Google image search).Thanks to Tog and Brams for corrections especially the picture.
Also, to criticise the 6.9 for only having 286 bhp seems churlish when one considers the performance these things had in the mid-seventies.If I was competent enough with a computer to find and link it,I'd point you in the direction of Jean Reno smoking (literally!) the XM and 605 in the South of France(ok so crappy psa diesels are'nt really competition but remember the 6.9 was 20 years old when Ronin was made)
It was so powerful they had to airbrush in the tyre smoke when they drive off!Also, to criticise the 6.9 for only having 286 bhp seems churlish when one considers the performance these things had in the mid-seventies.If I was competent enough with a computer to find and link it,I'd point you in the direction of Jean Reno smoking (literally!) the XM and 605 in the South of France(ok so crappy psa diesels are'nt really competition but remember the 6.9 was 20 years old when Ronin was made)
Re performance of the 6.9,in the seventies and early eighties nothing came close (especialy for a 4 door saloon) Horsepower was huge for the time but that is only half the storey,Torque is what they were all about,almost 7 litres of V8.They could smoke the tyres almost constantly and apart from all of this James Hunt had 2, enough said
the 6.9 ran a dry sump engine, not from the 600 limo (that was the 6.3). They where an awesome piece of kit. The very last 1980 had abs brakes. James Hunt would not drive anything else. Flat out through the continents and would invariably blow them up. Then he'd ring my mate Serge to go find him another one. Must have leather though.
......so did Fangio and almost every F1 driver past and present at the time !
we are spoilt for choice for muscle saloons nowadays,back then you had pretty much only one choice from a manufacturer,although AMG made some pretty hot specials back then, as did a few other specialist tuners.One of my favs in 81 was the AMG 450 TE estate based on the first generation Merc 280 TE estate,it had the 4.5 V8 shoe horned in, Recaro seats,BBS multispokes an small body kit etc,i have a front cover of the German 'Auto und Motor'magazine with one on the front cover car in silver, wheels in satin black and ALL chrome and brightwork in Satin even badges, very cool. i will try to find it and post it.
These were proper cars built like tanks when bar a few other Quality German and English manufacturers everything else felt like it was made from tin cans.
we are spoilt for choice for muscle saloons nowadays,back then you had pretty much only one choice from a manufacturer,although AMG made some pretty hot specials back then, as did a few other specialist tuners.One of my favs in 81 was the AMG 450 TE estate based on the first generation Merc 280 TE estate,it had the 4.5 V8 shoe horned in, Recaro seats,BBS multispokes an small body kit etc,i have a front cover of the German 'Auto und Motor'magazine with one on the front cover car in silver, wheels in satin black and ALL chrome and brightwork in Satin even badges, very cool. i will try to find it and post it.
These were proper cars built like tanks when bar a few other Quality German and English manufacturers everything else felt like it was made from tin cans.
Maybe another league but I give you the Lamborghini Espada.
And yup: pretty much bulletproof.
Wikipedia on C'était un rendez-vous: ". . . filmed from a gyro-stabilised camera mounted on the bumper of a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. This model, which could reach a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph), was only available with a 3-speed automatic transmission. Yet, one can hear gear changes up into 5th, as well as heel-and-toe down-shifting with a high-revving engine indicating speeds of well over 200 km/h. Calculations made by several independent groups showed that the car never exceeded 140 km/h (85 mph), while another estimated that the car had peaked at 220 km/h (136.7 mph).
Director Lelouch himself claimed that the top speed achieved was over 200 km/h, somewhere between 230 km/h and 240 km/h. It is suggested that the sound was dubbed with the noise of Lelouch's 275GTB, which has a corresponding number of gears and a similar engine note.
A making-of-the-rendezvous documentary indicates that Lelouch himself was the driver, that the car driven was the Mercedes, although the sound track is from a Ferrari. One observer was posted, with a walkie talkie, close to the Louvre palace at the only blind junction (archway) to assist the driver, however Leloch has revealed that the radios failed, and if the assistant had tried to warn him of a pedestrian the message would not have been received."
And yup: pretty much bulletproof.
Wikipedia on C'était un rendez-vous: ". . . filmed from a gyro-stabilised camera mounted on the bumper of a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. This model, which could reach a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph), was only available with a 3-speed automatic transmission. Yet, one can hear gear changes up into 5th, as well as heel-and-toe down-shifting with a high-revving engine indicating speeds of well over 200 km/h. Calculations made by several independent groups showed that the car never exceeded 140 km/h (85 mph), while another estimated that the car had peaked at 220 km/h (136.7 mph).
Director Lelouch himself claimed that the top speed achieved was over 200 km/h, somewhere between 230 km/h and 240 km/h. It is suggested that the sound was dubbed with the noise of Lelouch's 275GTB, which has a corresponding number of gears and a similar engine note.
A making-of-the-rendezvous documentary indicates that Lelouch himself was the driver, that the car driven was the Mercedes, although the sound track is from a Ferrari. One observer was posted, with a walkie talkie, close to the Louvre palace at the only blind junction (archway) to assist the driver, however Leloch has revealed that the radios failed, and if the assistant had tried to warn him of a pedestrian the message would not have been received."
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