In 1963 the Mercedes W113 replaced two cars: the 300 SL racing legend and the successful 190 SL. In the process, the 230/250/280 SL two-seat coupe/roadster became an icon not only by carving out the perfect niche between its two predecessors, but also by being like no other car on the road. Mercedes W113 - The Complete Story explores both the technical and social side of how this legend was born. The book covers: the W113's predecessors - the 300 SL and the 190 SL; design and development of the 230, 250 and 280 SL models, including the distinctive concave 'Pagoda' roof and the 'Californian Coupe' rear seat option; Bela Barenyi's innovations that made the 230 SL the first 'safety sports car'; rallying successes for the W113; the R107 successor, with specialist advice on 'Pagoda' restorations, and the W113 in popular culture. Superbly illustrated with 249 colour photographs.

This detailed and beautifully illustrated book covers the Mercedes-Benz W113 series, which ran from 1963 to 1971. Written by a highly regarded motoring writer, with many years' ownership of the Mercedes SL and SLC behind him, this is the definitive study of the subject. All models and major world markets are looked at, along with competition history. Extensive appendices cover engine specifications, chassis numbers, build numbers, and so on.

The W113 isn't just a visual treat; its combination of superb original design, peerless engineering and build quality has ensured that many of these cars can still be seen in regular use today, with reliability and practicality adding to the desirability of the series. Covering the SL’s ever-changing specification, its competition record, and its presence in many of the world’s major markets is a huge task, but it’s all presented here in definitive detail, along with stunning contemporary photography, in a volume that will readily grace any reference library shelf or connoisseur’s coffee table.

This book gives an up-close look at Mercedes-Benz roadsters, convertibles, and two-and four-seat coupes from the mid-1950s to present. With roadsters, starting with the 300SL's from the mid-1950 and continuing through the current SLK's - up to the 2003 model year. Coupes and Cabrios, this book details the 220SEb/300SE cars of 1960 and continues on up to the current CLK's to the 2003 model year. This approach better serves those who are in the market for "personal cars" by not spreading the book too thin to cover the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup. Explore all the traditional elements of the Buyer's Guide series, such as the basic histories of each model or model type, Garage Watch photos with inset photo callouts, tables of common replacement parts, quotes from contemporary magazine reviews, owner testimonials, rating charts, and specification tables.

The W201 was a compact saloon designed to address both concerns about fuel economy generated by the first oil crisis in the 1970s and competition for sales from the BMW 3 Series. Many doubted that Mercedes could deliver a compact car whilst retaining their traditional qualities. But the W201 soon won them over. For here was a car that was a real Mercedes in the tradition of the time - it was just smaller. With around 200 photographs, the book features the reasons behind the need to build a new compact saloon in the 1980s. It covers the styling, engineering and specification changes introduced over the lifetime of the model; gives full technical specifications, including paint and interior trim choices and production tables and vehicle number sequences. The story of Mercedes' long and exciting struggle to win the German Touring Car Championship with the 190 is covered. There is a chapter on the special US variants and, finally, a chapter on buying and owing a 201-series Mercedes.

The Pontons may have been Mercedes-Benz's bread-and-butter models of the 1950s, but they were vitally important in establishing the marque as a significant player around the globe. Alongside the saloons that made Mercedes famous world-wide for long-lasting and economical taxis, there were exotic two-door cabriolet and coupé derivatives, and the cars' basic structure was made available too for conversion into ambulances, pick-ups, estate cars and hearses. Not always appreciated is that the 190SL sports model was also derived from the engineering of the Ponton range. The Ponton Mercedes and the 190SL have long enjoyed a strong enthusiast following around the world. Here is their story, from their creation at a time when Mercedes was emerging from the devastation of war, though their success during the German Economic Miracle of the 1950s, to their final days in the early 1960s alongside the first of the 'Fintail' models that would eventually replace them. No enthusiast of these widely respected cars will want to be without this book.

Designed by Mercedes's head of design Bruno Sacco, the W124 range immediately became the benchmark by which medium-sized car models were judged in the late 1980s due to its engineering excellence and high build quality. There was a model to suit every would-be-buyer, from the taxi driver through the family motorist and on to those who were willing and able to pay for luxury and performance. This book covers: design, development and manufacture of all models of W124 including estates, cabriolets and the stylish coupe range; engines and performance; special editions and AMG models and, finally, buying and owning a W124 today. Superbly illustrated with 264 colour photographs.

First produced in 1928, Mercedes-Benz Coupés became the embodiment of elegance and exclusivity on four wheels. Their design became an experience for all the senses, appealing to every emotion. Hans-Dieter Futschik, the designer responsible for many of the later Mercedes-Benz models, said of the Saloon Coupé: 'A shorter wheelbase compared with the saloons gives it different proportions that are almost sports car-like in character. The passenger compartment is set further back. This gives it a sportier look than a saloon. In addition, the greenhouse is smaller and more streamlined than the basic body. It looks like a small head set on a muscular body, exuding a powerful and more dynamic attitude... Everything radiates power, elegance and agility.' This complete guide includes an overview of early automotive history; pre-merger design from both Benz and Daimler; the historical protagonists and how they influenced the design; how design and fashion change vehicle shape; the continued development of Saloon Coupe design to suit every class and finally, the modern idea of the Coupe.

The Rover P6 was unquestionably one of the best saloon cars to come out of Britain in the 1960s and was winner of the first-ever European Car of the Year award. It combined a wealth of technical innovation with a distinctive appearance that incorporated exactly the right degree of Italianate sharp-suited appearance for its time. It was, and remains, a great car to drive, and all these qualities were combined with the space and practicality of a four-seat family saloon. Rover P6: 2000, 2200, 3500 - The Complete Story documents its evolution from the earliest ideas in the 1950s to the end of production in 1977. It describes all the models with specification tables and paint and trim options, including NADA and Federal cars and remembers the motorsport successes and failures. It records the manufacturing process at Solihull and CKD overseas and includes a useful chapter on buying and owning a Rover P6.

As one of the most remarkable models that Mercedes-Benz has ever created, the 107-series was a sales success for nearly two decades and has been an automotive icon for far longer. Elegant styling, effortless performance and superior build quality are central to the appeal of the Mercedes-Benz R107 SL and C107 SL models. This book details the complete history of the model from its design in the late 1960s, its launch in 1971, its development through the 1970s and 1980s to the end of production in 1989. Accompanied by over 250 archive pictures and original images, Mercedes-Benz SL and SLC 107-Series 1971-1989 - The Complete Story reveals the story behind the racing SLs and the works rally SLCs, and provides a valuable guide to buying and running these cars. Superbly illustrated with 260 archive and original colour and black & white photographs.