Rotary-powered Mercedes Benz C111 Concept

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Let’s take a blast to the past for once. The wedge-like car above with an orange colour scheme is the Mercedes Benz C111 Concept car, shown to the public ages ago at the 1969 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Having a futuristic shape at that time was one thing, but what’s unique about this concept car is what has hidden under it’s hood – a result of Mercedes Benz’s experimentation with the Wankel rotary engine design.

The fiberglass body Mercedes Benz C111 Concept was powered by a fuel injected normally aspirated 3-rotor Wankel engine. With 600cc per rotor, the engine made 280hp at 7,000rpm, giving the car a 0-100km/h time of 5 seconds and a top speed of 260km/h. A later version featured a 4-rotor rotary engine with 350hp at 7,000rpm and a top speed of 290km/h. Only 12 units of the engine, codenamed M950F, were ever built.

More photos after the jump.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • jamesc (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 10:40 am

    wow…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • protonGL (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 10:55 am

    good, phyically small and very simple and less mechanical and friction than four stroker. higher rpm ,,no problem, reduce weight as well, but need engine rebuilt more sooner than the piston one, since wankel moves largely on seals,

    once try the older rx7, wooo power loss, seals gone. just wait for rpm saja, not popular engine la,

    by the way, really want the merc come up with supercar , like bmw come up with m1 and the turbo last time ago,(not a sucess though)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • raptorclans (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 1:43 pm

    would have been nice to hear how merc's version of the rotary engine would sound compared to the rx-7…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • motorhead (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 5:27 pm

    why only mazda popular with rotary engines??.. yg lain tak minatkah?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • soonger (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 6:00 pm

    Rotary is not fuel efficient and difficult to maintain. I think Mazda is crazy to try and keep rotary alive.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • Mayonaise (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 6:20 pm

    I have a die-cast model of the C111, and it is still with me with the same exact color as shown in the pics here… Nice…

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  • pirate (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 7:45 pm

    Was just reminiscing about this model featured in a cards' game during the chilhood years…

    Paul,

    Wasn't the C111 turbo-DIESEL as well?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • motorhead (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 8:43 pm

    "Rotary is not fuel efficient and difficult to maintain. I think Mazda is crazy to try and keep rotary alive."

    Ohh.. like that ar.. any mazda rx owner here??.. I think maybe oneday they can produce rotary engines with good FC… pistonless engines sound very cool.. maybe in the future we will see more pistonless engines….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • aesthari (Member) on Dec 18, 2006 at 9:54 pm

    LOL, is the rotary engine that bad? I've always liked rotary powered vehicles, like the Suzuki RE5 and Mazda FC and FD RX7s.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • s60t (Member) on Dec 19, 2006 at 3:58 am

    had a toy model too. I think the performance figures and design are impressive for a 1969 car.

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Dec 19, 2006 at 8:48 am

    I would not mind finding and owning one :D

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  • SoMeOnE (Member) on Dec 19, 2006 at 10:41 am

    if im not mistaken rotary engines are just ordinary in the lower rpm's but once its in the higher ones its almost unbeatble…was drivin my girl's rx8 the other day and a bmw 328 tried to overtake me…once i stepped on it his car coudnt even get near me let alone pass me but im quite sure he's tried…kinda sluggish in the lower revs though…anyway im sure wit proper engineering..mazda can improve on it..for them to stick to the technology that almost bankrupt them….there must be somethin in it..guess we have tow ait and see….fuel consumption is rather high but hey!….almost every "sports car " is

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • maibatsu_thunder (Member) on Dec 19, 2006 at 10:59 pm

    If I remember correctly a 1.3L Rotary Mazda RX-7 consumes as much as a 4.0L TVR Chimaera!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 6
  • dawgHause (Member) on Dec 21, 2006 at 6:30 am

    the problem with rotary engine is that it doesn't have enough low down torque, so when ever you have to take off from the lights, you have to push up some revs in order to prevent it from stalling. To make up for the lack of torque you have to dial in alot of revs which in turn burns more fuel.

    its true that the 1.3l rotary system can burn as much fuel as a 4.0l piston engine.

    which in any sense is a huge load of fuel even for a sports car of its price range.

    problem with the rotary system is it is a complete oxymoron, felix wankel thought his system is light enuf for fuel efficiency, fewer working parts to make it more reliable, but unfortunately it turned out to be the complete opposite.

    but wouldn't mind owning one, since they are made by my favorite japanese car company (besides nissan). and with such light weight, should be good fun to chuck around corners (not drifting).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  • rotormotor on Mar 08, 2009 at 9:29 am

    Watta lotta knuckle heads. Shows they know nuttin abaht rotaries 'n wobbling triangles. Rotary engines for eva! The simplest, easiest to build, modify and really tune. Piston engines are stupid with chunks of alli that have to STOP moving twice on each power stroke! wat junk!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • It’s true,rotary engines have higher fuel consumption at high rpm,but that depends on how you drive it,the same with every engine,but they are better and more powerfull than piston engines,fewer moving parts,less mechanical stress and is not true their life span is shorter than a piston,that depends on the maintenance you give to it,i had a 1990 convertible with 178,000 miles on it,the only visit to the workshop was to swap the engine for a turbo.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Wankel engines are made by FOUR makers around the world. They are used in drones because of its attributes over piston engines: smoothness, quiet, small, light and a high power-weight ratio.

    The Wankel does not like to be revved up and down as then fuel economy drops off. Its likes to be constantly revved at approx. 2000rpm and then it become efficient. Use its attributes and it is very efficient.

    Mazda are R&Ding laser ign and direct fuel injection to improve again. David Garside who did the Norton, is about to apply for patents on improvements again.

    Mazda will have the RX-16 as a range extender running at a constant 2000rpm in a series-hybrid. Audi are to have a Wankel as a range extender in the A1. It fits under the luggage area. In June 2013 the first ever series-hybrid plane took off using an electric propeller, using a light Wankel. They say it is scalable to small airliners. For planes, it cannot catastrophically destroy itself, he power just winds down, and is immune from shock cooling. In a series-hybrid plane. The Wankel can go in the fuselage away from the weather, and while small and light electric motors on the wings turn propellers. Two Wankles could generate enough electricity to turn 4 props. Having a spare third engine is still the overall size and weight of a one piston engine.

    The Wankel has found its niche and I am sure we will see more of it, in improved versions and series-hybrid applications. I hope to drive one in series-hybrid car soon.

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