The C-111 design study from 1977 is the basis for a record-breaker that wins nine absolute world records one year later with a five-cylinder turbo diesel under the hood.
The sparsely modified C 111-II in Nardo spurred the developers on to new heights. This time, they did not create a design study for a road-going sports car but a thoroughbred racing car for the sole purpose of establishing speed records: the C 111-III. The new car was built in 1977; it was narrower than the first C 111 had a longer wheelbase and perfect aerodynamic properties, thanks to complete streamlining and rear airfoils. In 1978, the C 111-III lined up at the start in Nardo. Once again, a diesel engine growled under the silver-painted plastic bodywork. While this engine had been derived from a production unit, it had been tuned to develop 230 hp and gave the streamlined car a top speed well over 300 km/h. Mercedes-Benz established nine absolute world records with this Silver Arrow in the late 1970s.
The career of the diesel engine is unstoppable. Mercedes-Benz sets nine new records with the C111-III:
100 kilometers at 316.484 km/h
100 miles at 319.835 km/h
500 kilometers at 321.860 km/h
500 miles at 320.788 km/h
1000 kilometers at 318.308 km/h
1000 miles at 319.091 km/h
1 hour at 321.843 km/h
6 hours at 317.796 km/h
12 hours at 314.463 km/h
Source: www.finecars.cc; www.ultimatecarpage.com; DaimlerChrysler
Images: Concept Car Central; www.finecars.cc; ROGERIOMACHADO's photostream
