rotary - Streetwell

If you ever wondered what happens when Mercedes-Benz decides to go completely mad, in a good way, meet the C111. No, it wasn’t a production car. No, you could’t buy one. And yes, people actually sent blank cheques to Stuttgart begging for it. That’s how bonkers this thing was. But it wasn’t just one car, Mercedes-Benz used the C111 for several different versions.

Imagine a car that looks like it was designed by a sci-fi illustrator on espresso. The C111 cars all had gullwing doors, a fiberglass wedge-shaped body, and a paint job called Weissherbst metallic orange.

These photos were taken in 2019 when Mercedes-Benz made a big impact during the 2019 Techno Classica show in Essen, Germany. They brought 5 of these so-called C111 cars to the show. The Techno Classica show is the largest classic car show in Europe and exhibitors include car manufacturers, dealers, restoration companies and private collectors. One of the big changes, and something that has been going on for a few years now, is diminishing support from the big three German car manufacturers. So you won’t see these kind of exhibitions anytime soon at a car show.

When we launched Speedhunters back in 2008, our goal was to showcase car culture in its broadest form. But if there was one scene the world couldn’t get enough of, it was Japan’s. One article that stuck with me from those early days was by our Japan editor, Dino Dalle Carbonare, covering a dark blue Zimax Mazda FD RX-7. A true Wangan racer, it featured a full RE-Amemiya body kit and a side-ported 13B rotary built for high-speed highway runs.

So you can imagine my surprise when, at the Risenation event, I stumbled upon an almost identical RX-7 but in white. The resemblance was uncanny, but there was one key difference: the suspension setup and wheels. For the show season, the owner Craig, opts for air suspension, but when it’s time to hit the track, the air ride is swapped out for PCR coilovers with Bestex springs. Everything else underneath? Pure performance.

Tag: rotary

The Untold Saga of the Mercedes-Benz C111

RX-7 with Zimax Power: Ultimate Wangan Racer