Mechatronik Mercedes-Benz M-Coupé

[basti08]

We were a bit surprised that the wheel transmitted any information at all. Most recirculating-ball setups of the past suffer from on-center slop and oxycodone-dull response; this steering is wide awake and accurate. Before stringent crash and roll-over standards, cars had vast, clear views out. Here, you look past the steering wheel and delicate pillars, beyond the upright windshield and low cowl, to a sweeping hood bordered by pontoon-like fenders. It seems appropriate that the expanse in front of you ends in a three-pointed exclamation.

And yet, the flying Benz is no pig. At 3689 pounds, it’s relatively light by modern Mercedes standards. Mechatronik outfits the restored chassis components with custom Eibach springs and dampers that lower the ride height. Fat Continental ContiPremium Contact 2 tires (size: 225/60R-15) mount on 15-inch reproductions of Mercedes’ classic 14-inch aluminum wheels. Behind the larger alloys are brakes donated by another Mercedes coupe, the 560SEC of the late 1980s. With the ABS pulsing the whole way, the coupe stopped consistently from 70 mph in 175 feet. On the skidpad, it managed 0.78 g. The stiffer setup does eliminate the gentle float of old Benzes, though. If we were commissioning one, we might sacrifice some of the lowered stance for more suspension compliance. This example exhibited too much impact harshness, which sent the occasional quiver through the decades-old structure and thin-rimmed steering wheel.

We were a bit surprised that the wheel transmitted any information at all. Most recirculating-ball setups of the past suffer from on-center slop and oxycodone-dull response; this steering is wide awake and accurate. Before stringent crash and roll-over standards, cars had vast, clear views out. Here, you look past the steering wheel and delicate pillars, beyond the upright windshield and low cowl, to a sweeping hood bordered by pontoon-like fenders. It seems appropriate that the expanse in front of you ends in a three-pointed exclamation.


Inside, there are more greatest hits from the ’70s. As in the engine compartment, the interior has been touched by modernity, but it will fool you at first glance. The Becker Mexico radio, for instance, looks vintage but is actually a modern unit with navigation. The ignition key is a modern Mercedes switchblade type, and there are warning lights for the ABS and traction control. The rest is old school: The Behr air conditioner whispers out cold air; the heater and fresh-air controls are incomprehensible; the tach needle waves and wags lazily in response to the increasing and decreasing revs; the seats are uncomfortably flat; and the electric windows and sunroof open and close slowly, giving you time to recall the era when “power everything” was a relative term. The longer you sit inside, the more you appreciate that every component is factory correct, and it all looks and smells factory fresh.

A 42-year-old machine with a new-car aroma doesn’t come cheap. Mechatronik’s cost-is-no-object approach and obsessive attention to detail lead to a price tag higher than that on any current Mercedes-Benz. Mechatronik’s U.S. importer estimates that recreating our test car would likely cost $400,000. Just the AMG engine conversion starts at about $125,000. Restoration prices open at roughly $40,000 and can double or triple depending on the amount of work needed or desired—our sample’s restoration went beyond $100,000. The cost of the original car, the wheels, the suspension components, and the rest of the ancillaries brings the total to four-hundred thou. The company doesn’t expect the M-Coupé to be its bestseller; it’s more of a moonshot, with all of the original car’s optimism and glamour. So it’s not exactly affordable, but neither are small cathedrals.

[ecneret]

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