The W111 Coupe and Cabriolet range is based on the W111 ‘Fintail’ sedans and was meant to replace the 300S in the Mercedes range. It was designed by Paul Bracq and introduced at the Geneva show in 1961. The cars were unfortunately largely overshadowed by the Jaguar E-Type. Along with the W111, initially introduced with the M127 2.2 liter fuel injected engine, there was also the exclusive W112 300SE, with its all alloy 3.0 liter engine and air suspension, introduced in 1962. The new model was also the first production Mercedes Benz with disk brakes. Initially on the front wheels and then coinciding with the late 1965 upgrade on all four wheels.
While the Coupe and Cabriolet are based on the sedan floorpan and mechanicals, the Coupe and Cabriolet are not simply sedans with two doors – they were fundamentally different, in keeping with their place at the top of the Mercedes-Benz range. In addition, even the Coupe and Cabriolet are more different than their first appear, with subtle changes such as the angle of the front grille being different to ensure the correct look for both models.
The Cabriolet models also had significant changes under their skin to ensure rigidity – with over 80kg of major structural changes including a transmission tunnel bridge, a double floor, inner & outer side members at 2.75mm thick vs 0.9mm, a larger cross member under the rear seat and the folding top pan, which is also designed to provide additional rigidity. Again, to ensure the balance of the design, the rear guards and bootlid are a different size to accommodate the folding roof.
In late 1965, Mercedes was introducing the new W108 S class range. At this time, they also updated the Coupe and Cabriolet models in line with the new S-Class. For some reason they retained the W111 designation even though they were actually closer to the new W108. The 220SE gave way to the new 250SE, with the 2.5 liter M129 straight six engine, also with Bosch mechanical fuel injection. In keeping with the drivetrain being updated along side the S-Class, in late 1967, the 2.5 liter engine was replaced by the M130 2.8 liter (and the 300SE dropped), and in 1969 the M116 3.5 liter v8 was offered alongside the 280SE, with both models having the front end styling changed with a lower and wider grille. Throughout the entire production, the Coupe and Cabriolet range always had fuel injected engines.
The interiors of the cars is extremely luxurious, generally upholstered in leather and with elegant wood veneer dashboard and window surrounds. Unlike the W111 sedan with its ‘thermometer’ speedometer, the Coupe/Cabriolet range provided individual large speedometer and tachometers surrounded in wood until late 1967.
Right hand drive versions of this model are extremely rare, especially of the cabriolet. The table below highlights the various models and their production numbers, as well as the number of vehicles officially imported by Mercedes Benz Australia.
W111/W112 Coupe and Cabriolet Production Numbers
Unfortunately, due to the rarity of the cabriolet model, over the years many coupe models had their roofs sawn off in a futile attempt to try and create a cheap cabriolet. Unfortunately all these people have done is destroyed a lovely coupe. These cars do not have the level of engineering of the factory models with most only having crude underfloor stiffening that does not provide the same ride, nor the level of safety and refinement that you expect from a Mercedes-Benz.
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About this 1965 Mercedes 250SE Cabriolet
This car is a very early RHD 250SE Cabriolet, one of only 26 made. It was originally ordered by Brian C. Hill, a notable Australian diplomat while on assignment in Europe. The car subsequently accompanied him on many of his diplomatic postings around the world, including a stint in Egypt. Given the nature of some of the countries where he represented Australia, he ordered the car with options for rough roads and with undershields. Mr Hill and later his daughter owned this car until around the year 2000. From there, it passed through two other owners, one of which restored the car. The car has won some awards in both the NSW and ACT Mercedes-Benz club concours events under my owership.
1965 Mercedes 250SE Cabriolet in front of old Parliament house.
Option code
Meaning
461
Instruments in english
471
Special export version for bad road conditions
481
Undershields
502
Outside rearview mirror, on the right
540
Seat adapter, between the front seats
572
Headrests, Left
587
Single seats with folding armrests
619
Headlamps and fog lamps or additional high beam amber; and halogen lamp unit with highbeam/low beam/ fog light RH traffic
621
Export licence plate
663
50 litres of fuel
681
Instructional manual in english
720
Folding top fabric, black
Why a W111 Cabriolet?
The W111 Cabriolet was the last of the full size, four seater Cabriolets and has the feel of something really special. It manages to combine stately looks with advanced technology of the time, such as Fuel Injection and Disc brakes.
For a car that is not used every day, there is little that an beat a full sized cabriolet. The W111 is full of little touches that continue to impress – details such as the the lined soft top or the wood covered instrument cluster that all come together in such a well engineered package.
Driving a W111 Cabriolet
Driving a W111 Cabriolet is a very relaxing experience (unless being tailgated by white-van-man). It feels so well engineered and solid, and other drivers generally give you a wide berth as the car cuts an impressive figure driving down the road. It is not a powerful car, but the engine is smooth and responsive and provides adequate power. Although the automatic transmission was criticized at the time for being jerky, especially in America, it provides positive shifts and you can override it with the column selector.
For such a large car, you do not get the scuttle shake or flexible body that you feel on poorly made cabriolets. These cars are extremely strong. The car is in its element driving on the open road with the top down, not in any particular hurry.
What next?
Ultimately this 1965 Mercedes 250SE Cabriolet will be used regularly and serviced and maintained. During my ownership I have put the headlights and hubcaps back to stock. I have also changed out the 80s radio.
I had to go to Canberra for work today, so I decided to take the 250SE on a road trip. I hadn't taken it for a long drive for a while, and I thought ...
Like most W111, my 250SE has a column shift. This means that there is a fairly complex set of linkages to connect the column shifter to the auto transmission. After I had used the ...
After using yet another bulldog clip to temporarily move the car, I went to look in my parts cupboard and found that I had two of the upper bushings from my old 250SE Coupe that came ...
I had wanted to check out the Grand Pacific Drive for a while, and had a few hours free the other day so took the 250SE. The 250SE’s transmission linkage was still playing up, so ...
My 250SE has been 'wearing' 280 style hubcaps since I got it, but I had always wanted to convert it back to the correct style. As it happened, a box containing the original headlights and ...
After restoring the 250SE to the correct wheel trims, the next step is to fit the correct headlights. The car is currently fitted with the stacked headlights. These are often known as Americana headlights. ...
My 250SE was sporting the stacked style of headlights, which are quite popular on these models. Personally, I prefer the original type. I had some original lights, but needed to restore them before ...
My 250SE Cabriolet was produced 50 years ago today, or at least I presume it was, since it has this date noted on the data card, and the first service was December 1965. ...
Every classic car community has an issue that polarizes opinion and spawns countless threads on Internet discussion boards. For the Citroen DS, that issue is what is the right tyre for the DS? Michelin ...
I had ordered a few parts for the 250SE a few months ago but had not yet had a chance to fit them. The first was the winder knob for the front quarterlight on ...
I heard this week that the 250SE was the runner up in its category at the recent German Car show and Mercedes-Benz Concours. The German Car show functions as the 2016 MBCNSW Concours. The category ...
I had a couple of small jobs on the 250SE I had been meaning to do for months. Since the car is to be displayed at the German Car show, it seemed like a ...
The Sydney German Car Show 2017 was held today and as usual it did not disappoint. A great selection of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, VW and Audi's were on display. The only downside was ...
When I last replaced the battery in my W111, I was unable to fit the correct sized battery. In the end I fitted one smaller than I would have liked, but it was the only ...
I like to fit a battery disconnect switch to all my cars. It ensures the batteries don't run down and prevents fires. Fires are a real risk from cars with old wiring. I had ...
The OzBenz forum is one of the online resources I use to maintain my Mercedes-Benz's. The forum has evolved over a 15 year period, starting with the Mercedes Veterans mailing list, branching off to the ...
Most Mercedes from the mid 50s to the late 60s had a similar set of controls for the heater. There are four horizontal levers controlling the amount of heat and the direction of the air ...
I have been wanting to change the radio in the 250SE since I have owned the car. It was a basic Clarion unit that looked totally out of place. The dashboard in my car ...
Today I completed the install of the Classic Auto Sound Becker Tribute. In the first part, I removed the old Clarion, and installed the the Retrosound wiring harness. I also tested the radio and it ...
This weekend I traveled to Canberra for 2019 ACT German Car Show. I've been to this show a few times before (, , ), but this is the first time I have formally entered a ...
A couple of weeks ago I installed the Classic Auto Sound Becker Tribute Radio in my 250SE. I'm really happy with it, it worked really well on my recent drive down to Canberra. One of ...
After using blank plates as a way of attaching NSW Historic Plates on the 450SLC and the 560SEC, the adapter I fabricated for the 250SE was looking rather shoddy. I made it myself out of ...
Over the last couple of months I've had issues with the M129 rough running in my 250SE. The car was hesitating, idling poorly and just not running very well. I've done a few things over ...
On the way back from the September night drive my 250SE stopped charging properly. I was able to make it back home about an hour on the battery. Even using the headlights the 250SE does ...
After all the recent work done on my 250SE, I wanted to take it for an extended test drive. Its had motor and transmission mounts, front crank seal, re-sealed power steering pump, injectors, distributor cap ...
I had recently noticed that the battery on the 250SE was not in good health. The battery disconnect switch I built a few years ago has a battery health indicator included. Even when connected to ...
I've owned my 250SE almost ten years and always had a mind to replace the cheap rubber mats with Cocomats. Today I fitted the Cocomats I bought as part of a group buy with ...
Earlier this week I took my 250SE on an extended drive. I had wanted to try a route going north via the Putty road, across towards Mudgee and the back. The roads were really ...
Back a couple of weeks ago, I hit a Kangaroo in my 250SE. I'm Insured through Shannons who handled the claim well. Surprisingly, impact with an animal does not impact my premium. The car is ...
Today I went by to check out how things were going on the 250SE crash repair. Last week the panel work was nearly complete and the car was almost ready for pant. The paint ...
I've always been a little surprised that my W111 Cabriolet rear seatbelts were lap only. Mercedes-Benz were such pioneers of safety at the time that it seemed odd that they wouldn't have fitted lap/sash seatbelts. ...
After the impact with a Kangaroo, my 250SE Cabriolet is back on the road and better than ever. While the damage didn't look that bad at first, the repairs required were extensive. Unlike when ...
My 250SE has not been running well lately. Back in April, I hit a Kangaroo and the car was repaired during May and June. In July, the state of NSW plunged into ...
The other day I had to move the 250SE out of the way to access the 280SE. The 280SE was parked in a fairly inaccessible spot until I had sorted out the fuel injection. With ...
I attempted to attend the MBCNSW May night drive with two separate cars. Coincidently, I had the same brake issue with both cars. On both cases I experienced a soft brake pedal, and on further ...
I installed the Classic Auto Sound Becker tribute radio in my 250SE a couple of years ago. The W111 series are supposed to have a slimline radio instead of a DIN size. Unfortunately, a previous ...
This last week my 250SE has been at the workshop having an alternator upgrade. Back in 2020, my alternator gave up, and I replaced it with a rebuilt 35A alternator. Ever since then, that ...
My 250SE has been suffering from poor running issues for almost two years now. It started not long after I got the car back from being repaired from the impact with the Kangaroo. Despite a ...
A couple of weeks ago, I posted an update about my W111 running issues. A reader who is an expert in these cars suggested I fit a 123 ignition distributor. His feedback ...
In the first part of this series, I installed the 123 ignition distributor and got the car running. This part focuses on test driving the car and fine tuning the install. I should note ...
I recently drove down to Canberra in my 1965 250SE. This was the first time I had taken the car on a longish trip in a couple of years. The main reason for that was ...
My 250SE Cabriolet had a feature I was not aware of. Underneath the injection pump is an oil/coolant heat exchanger. This was also an option on late 230SLs. Instead of a separate cooler ...
The choice of radio for my 1965 Mercedes 250SE Cabriolet was not an easy one. I don't know what radio the car had in it's early years. It is a diplomat delivery car, that was ...
In the state of NSW, we have very strict rules around using mobile phones, and and increasing number of cameras to detect their use. As I like to stream music from my phone to the ...
