The 6.3 L V8 engine in the
Mercedes-Benz W109
executive car was the result of a Mercedes engineer's argument with a journalist. At the end it turned out for Daimler-Benz to be a significant milestone. It was a mixture of two cars that did not sell too well: the 600 Grosser and the 300SEL 3.0. This guide, which was updated in August 2023, tells the story of the 6.3, 3.5 and 4.5 L models in both W109 and W108 (only 3.5 and 4.5) versions. It walks you through the car's individual history, looks in detail at the three V8 engines and explains their chassis number and data card. And should you want to buy one of them, a comprehensive buyer's guide will assist you sorting out potential trouble spots. All this is accompanied by superb recent color photography, this includes pictures of the suspension.
A German hardcover version of this book is now also available here on Amazon.
These are some of the topics covered:
Development and history of the V8 W108/109 sedans and their V8 engines
Why were V8 engines needed
Mercedes V8 buyer's guide
A look into the original brochures
Chassis number and data card
Power and torque curves
Technical features and production history
Over 140 mostly recent color photos highlight many interesting features; this includes pictures of the suspension
A separate chapter is devoted to safety guru Béla Barényi, whose concepts greatly influenced how Mercedes cars like the W108/109 were designed.