Rotary-powered Mercedes Benz C111 Concept
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.
December 18, 2006 @ 2:40 am
wow…
December 18, 2006 @ 2:55 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)
December 18, 2006 @ 5:43 am
would have been nice to hear how merc’s version of the rotary engine would sound compared to the rx-7…
December 18, 2006 @ 9:27 am
why only mazda popular with rotary engines??.. yg lain tak minatkah?
December 18, 2006 @ 10:00 am
Rotary is not fuel efficient and difficult to maintain. I think Mazda is crazy to try and keep rotary alive.
December 18, 2006 @ 10:20 am
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…
December 18, 2006 @ 11:45 am
Was just reminiscing about this model featured in a cards’ game during the chilhood years…
Paul,
Wasn’t the C111 turbo-DIESEL as well?
December 18, 2006 @ 12:43 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….
December 18, 2006 @ 1:54 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.
December 18, 2006 @ 7:58 pm
had a toy model too. I think the performance figures and design are impressive for a 1969 car.
December 19, 2006 @ 12:48 am
I would not mind finding and owning one
December 19, 2006 @ 2:41 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
December 19, 2006 @ 2:59 pm
If I remember correctly a 1.3L Rotary Mazda RX-7 consumes as much as a 4.0L TVR Chimaera!!
December 20, 2006 @ 10:30 pm
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).