Mercedes-Benz W114/W115

Mercedes-Benz W114/W115
Mercedes-Benz W114/W115
	722.2 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,750 mm (108.3 in); 3,400 mm (133.9 in) (limousine);
Length	4,680 mm (184.3 in); 4,970 mm (195.5 in) (US bumpers); 5,330 mm (209.8 in) (limousine);
Width	1,772 mm (69.75 in)
Height	1,441 mm (56.75 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz W110
Successor	Mercedes-Benz W123

The Mercedes-Benz W114 and W115 are the internal designations

three-box styling by Paul Bracq — succeeding the W110 models introduced in 1961; and manufactured until model year 1976, when the W123 was released.^[2]

W114/W115s were distinguished in the marketplace by nameplates relating to their engine size. W114 models featured six-cylinder engines and were marketed as the 230, 250, and 280. W115 models featured four-cylinder engines and were marketed as the 200, 220, 230, and 240, with diesel models carrying a D designation, as distinct from gasoline/petrol models.[3]

When Mercedes introduced the W114/115 in 1968, they marketed sedans in two size classes (W114/W115 and S-Class) and marketed the W114/115 range as New Generation Models,^[4] ultimately the only model of the new generation. Mercedes used a '/8' on the W114/115 ID plates, indicating their 1968 launch year, giving rise to their '/8' or 'slash eight' nicknames — and the German nickname Strich Acht, loosely translated into English as stroke eight.

History

The W114/W115 models were the first post-war Mercedes-Benz production car to use a newly engineered suspension, not derived from preceding models. The new format of semi-trailing rear arms and ball-joint front end first displayed in the W114/W115 would be used in all new Mercedes passenger car models until the development of the multi-link rear suspensions of the 1980s. The

W108/109 S-Class of the 280S/8, 280SE/8 and 300SEL/8 (and W113

230SL, 250SL and 280SL "Pagoda") would be the last of the low-pivot swing axle and king pin/double wishbone front ends. The next S-Class, the W116, had the same engineering as the W114/115.

The Mercedes-Benz W114/W115 was the mid-sized

OM617 in this chassis. It followed heavily in the direction set by the W108/109 S-class, which was launched in 1965 and heralded the new design idiom. The car was designed by French auto designer Paul Bracq who was chief designer at Mercedes-Benz for models from 1957 to 1967, a period that included models such as the Grosser Mercedes-Benz 600. Bracq was also responsible for BMW designs (1970–74) and Peugeot designs (1974–96).^[5]

Mercedes introduced a

Mercedes SL R107/C107 (1971–1989) roadster and coupé.^[6] While a 'hard-top' unlike the fully convertible SL, the pillarless design allowed all the windows to be lowered completely for open air motoring. Only 67,048 coupés were manufactured from 1969 to 1976 (vs. 1,852,008 saloons). Of these 24,669 were 280C and 280CE (top of the range), and 42,379 were the lesser 250C and 250CE (A Mercedes-Benz 220D pickup on the W115 chassis was produced briefly in Argentina in the 1970s.)^[7]

The W114 received a facelift in 1973 – with a lower bonnet-line, lower and broader grill,^[2] a single front bumper to replace the double bumpers, lower placement of the headlamps, A-pillar treatment for keeping the side windows clear, removal of the quarter-windows in the front doors, ribbed tail lights to minimize occlusion of the tail lights with road dirt, and larger side mirrors. The interior received inertia reel belts and a new padded steering wheel with a four-hole design.

The Mercedes-Benz W115 is known to be a very durable car. In 2004 Greek taxi driver Gregorios Sachinidis donated his 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D to the Mercedes-Benz Museum Collection with 4.6 million kilometres (2.9 million miles) on the odometer,^[8] which is recognised as the Mercedes-Benz with the highest recorded mileage known to date.

Innovations

Like its larger variant, this car also boasted advanced technological innovations. 1969 saw the introduction of the

Bosch

D-Jetronic fully electronic fuel injection system into the 250CE. This was the first ever production Mercedes-Benz to use this system.

Other innovations in the W114/W115 models include a center console (a first in a Mercedes saloon), and ribbed taillights in 1974, designed to better repel dirt and debris.^[9] All coupé models used the 6-cylinder engine (and thus were W114s) and were designated with a "C" in the model name.

North America

In 1968, Diesel-engined options were added to the W114/W115 line, introduced in North America as the 220D, 240D and 300D. These models from the start had unique headlights, utilizing a sealed-beam lamp instead of the H4 type used in the European models. Bumpers changed frequently and there were at least three different bumpers used over the production run for the North American market. The 1974 model year brought significantly larger bumpers due to new DOT requirements.

North American 220Ds and 240Ds were offered with a 4-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, whereas all 5-cylinder 300D models were equipped with the 4-speed automatic without a manual option.

Models

W114

Chassis code	Years	Model	Engine			Number built^[3]
Chassis code	Years	Model	Displacement	Model	Type	Number built^[3]
W114.015	1968–1973	230	2.3 L	M180	I6	152,822
W114.615	1973–1976	230.6	2.3 L	M180	I6	63,497
W114.010	1968–1970	250	2.5 L	M114	I6	78,303
W114.011	1970–1973	250	2.8 L	M130	I6	22,624
W114.611	1973–1976	250	2.8 L	M130	I6	11,437
W114.021	1968–1972	250C	2.5 L	M114	I6	8,824
W114.022	1968–1972	250CE	2.5 L	M114	I6	21,787
W114.023	1969–1973^{[note 1]}	250C	2.8 L	M130	I6	10,527
W114.623	1973–1976	250C	2.8 L	M130	I6	1,241
W114.060	1972–1973	280	2.8 L	M110	I6	19,537
W114.660	1973–1976	280	2.8 L	M110	I6	25,000
W114.062	1972–1973	280E	2.8 L	M110	I6	13,711
W114.662	1973–1976	280E	2.8 L	M110	I6	9,125
W114.072	1972–1973	280CE	2.8 L	M110	I6	7,576
W114.672	1973–1976	280CE	2.8 L	M110	I6	3,942
W114.073	1972–1973	280C	2.8 L	M110	I6	4,924
W114.673	1973–1976	280C	2.8 L	M110	I6	8,227

W115

Chassis code	Years	Model	Engine			Number built^[3]
Chassis code	Years	Model	Displacement	Model	Type	Number built^[3]
W115.015	1968–1973	200	2.0 L	M115	I4	175,242
W115.615	1973–1976	200	2.0 L	M115	I4	113,543
W115.115	1968–1973	200D	2.0 L	OM615	I4	187,873
W115.715	1973–1976	200D	2.0 L	OM615	I4	152,054
W115.010	1968–1973	220	2.2 L	M115	I4	128,398
W115.110	1968–1973	220D	2.2 L	OM615	I4	345,376
W115.710	1973–1976	220D	2.2 L	OM615	I4	67,453
W115.017	1973–1976	230.4	2.3 L	M115	I4	87,609
W115.117	1973–1976	240D	2.4 L	OM616	I4	126,148
W115.114	1974–1976	240D 3.0/300D	3.0 L	OM617	I5	53,690

W114 & W115 long-wheelbase models

Chassis code	Years	Model	Engine			Number built.^[3]
Chassis code	Years	Model	Displacement	Model	Type	Number built.^[3]
W114.017	1968–1973	230 Lang (LWB saloon)	2.3 L	M180	I6	1,082
W114.617	1973–1976	230.6 Lang (LWB saloon)	2.3 L	M180	I6	1,131
W115.112	1968–1973	220D Lang (LWB saloon)	2.2 L	OM615	I4	4,027
W115.119	1973–1976	240D Lang (LWB saloon)	2.4 L	OM616	I4	3,655

References

Footnotes

^ Available only in North America before 05/1972.^[3]

Notes

^ Cardew, Basil (October 1974). "Mercedes-Benz 240D". Daily Express Motor Show Review 1975 Cars: 27.
^ ^a ^b "Mercedes-Benz /8 Classic Cars for Sale". Classic Trader.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "W 114 / W 115 sedans series 1". Mercedes-Benz Classic Wiki. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013.
^ Taylor 1985.
^ "Here's the greatest car painter, Paul Bracq!". IDcenter.co.jp. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
^ "Mercedes Benz Valuation and Pricing Guide". Uniquecarsandparts.com.au. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ "Mercedes Benz Argentina". Auto-historia.com.ar (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
^ Wermelskirchen, Axel (24 September 2004). "Das sagenhafte Taxi des Gregorios Sachinidis". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 5 June 2019.
^ Torchinsky, Jason (2022-10-07). "Today's Taillights: Those Wonderful Ribbed Mercedes-Benz Taillights". The Autopian. Retrieved 2024-03-24.