COTC Exlusive: Franco Sbarro Mercedes Gullwing 6.9

In the history of coachbuilding, Franco Sbarro has earned a special place. Inventor of the hubless wheel. Sculptor of wild body designs. Engineer of uninhibited speed and performance. If coachbuilding is an art form, then Sbarro is a great artist, expressing himself through automobiles that capture our imagination but also transform our notions of how they should look and work.

Italian-born and Swiss-bred Sbarro founded his company in 1971 to do just that. Over the years they crafted dozens of bodies, borrowing chassis and tweaking engines to create a unique vision. Coachbuilding allows for a manufacturer to build the cars of their customer’s dreams, without the cost associated with mass production. As such, all of their creations are produced in low quantities, making them even more rare and desirable.

Sometimes, though, coachbuilding isn’t just about innovation but inspiration and homage. That’s why Sbarro also builds high-quality replicas of classic cars like the BMW 328, Bugatti Royale, and Ford GT40. Although Sbarro’s designs are ultra-modern, he appreciates the classics too.

In the 1980s, something of a conundrum occurred in automotive manufacturing: Mercedes-Benz were building high-quality cars that were both modern and instant classic at the same time. For the ever-watchful eye of Franco Sbarro, these cars were ripe for the ultimate expression of gratitude towards Mercedes-Benz for their products.

Which brings us to his custom Gullwing 6.9. The first people of notoriety to customize the Mercedes C126 380-500SEC were Styling Garage out of Hamburg, Germany. Then, Sbarro debuted his legendary take at the 1983 Geneva Auto Show. These guys were the original “pimp my ride”. They were Europeans who loved European cars and wanted to add their own special touch. This usually called for extensive revisions of the interiors, exteriors, and engines.

For Sbarro’s 500SEC, he uses elements from not just one Mercedes-Benz, but two: the C124 coupe and W116 sedan. At first glance it appears to borrow more from the C124. The body is imposing to say the least. Sbarro has crafted entirely new sheetmetal in ways that Styling Garage did not.

The most striking aspect are the gullwing doors, a tribute to the classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing of the 1950s. These were popularized by the 300SL and have since become a trademark Mercedes feature, despite being used mainly on concept cars until their 2010 SLS. Sbarro's gullwings are made of plastic for easy lifting and less overall weight added to the vehicle.

The car has a unique roof that is lower than the C124. The trunk is higher, and the wheel wells are flared. Mercedes designs of the time featured an emphasis on horizontal lines, so Sbarro takes it new a new level. The whole front is covered in thin slats that hide the headlights and grille that are reminiscent of the rear of a Ferarri Testarossa. The lower panels feature horizontal groove lines too that mimic the iconic ribbed taillights.

Inside, Sbarro has completely reworked the interior, while retaining a Mercedes-Benz vibe throughout. The dashboard is from a W116 sedan. The steering wheel is unique. The center console houses climate controls and an aftermarket radio. The seats appear to be Recaro and are power adjustable from buttons on the seats themselves. Despite the ambition of the overall project, the interior is relatively modest and tasteful.

Underneath the hood lies an enormous 6.9-liter 8-cylinder engine, previously only available in the rare high performance W116 450SEL sedan from 1975-1980. Sbarro is a speed hound and wanted to put as much power in his creation as possible. The 6.9 put out around 286 horsepower, big for the time and still respectable today. It will easily move this thing along.

Most customers of Sbarro were royalty from the Middle East. This particular example was built for an Arabian princess before being owned by Celtics basketball player Dennis Johnson.

Cosmetically, the vehicle is in very good shape. It underwent a 5 year restoration and has been driven around 9,000 miles since. The paint is in good shape, with only some minor scratches and wear from typical usage. The interior is also in good shape.

Mechanically, the car starts, runs and drives fine, with no apparent issues. The owner has maintained it very well. The hydraulic gullwing doors open and shut easily. The car also has height-adjustable suspension.

Only 6 were supposedly built with this configuration, from a total of 28 including the later Biturbo. It could very well be the only one in the U.S. This is a rare piece of European coachbuilding history. The car is in good shape and should be ready to go. At the very least, it will be a big hit at the local car show and the cause of many scratched heads as people try to figure out what exactly it is.

The vehicle is being donated. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Arthritis Foundation. The vehicle is currently located in Monroe, North Carolina. Click here to send an inquiry if interested.

Der Camino: 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL Custom

What if Mercedes decided to make a two-door pickup based on the body of the W116 chassis sedan? They didn't, but someone else thought they should have. So they created this wild custom car in the style of a Chevrolet El Camino.

The seller says $75,000 was spent making this dream come true. Based on the model name, I'm assuming they used a standard 450SEL long-wheelbase sedan, a good place to start. The extra length means more bed space, and the 4.5-litre V8 engine means plenty of power and torque to help haul or pull.

The body has undergone a radical transformation. The rear passenger seats and doors have been completely obliterated in favor of a small two-seat only cabin. The rear bed is enormous, but not too deep. It also features a sleek toneau cover that limits cargo height but looks really cool. The slim Euro bumpers and single-unit headlights combined with the black exterior and interior give this a no-nonsense, utilitarian look. The Germans love frugality, practicality, and functionality, so the concept of this Benz is actually quite fitting of the brand, at least where they were in the 1970s. I could see it being sold alongside the Geländewagen for use on farms in the European countryside. It would also be cool with a turbo diesel engine.

In keeping with superior build quality of Mercedes vehicles at the time of the original build date, the seller says the custom bodywork was professionally done and features "impeccable workmanship" with no visible seams.

The vehicle also has a moonroof, custom wheels (that look to be genuine OEM G-Class alloys), new tires, dual exhaust, and a carpeted bed.

Personally, I think this thing is awesome. The seller claims it is one of a kind, and it probably is. There can't be many people with the talent or skill to pull this off, but the idea was good and the execution seems mostly pretty successful. Job well done.

Find it here on ebay in Volo, Illinois with 1 bid at $14,500 and reserve not met.

Oil Baron Worthy: 1978 Mercedes-Benz 350SE Euro

I call this an 'oil baron' not because it takes a lot of oil (although it may) but because a very similar car was driven by Larry Hagman's character on Dallas and was quite fitting of him and the whole show.

This example is even better in Euro-spec, with the short slim chrome bumpers, square headlights and full-orange rear turn indicators.

The W116 chassis was the Mercedes sedan of the 1970s. It was produced from 1972-1980 and was a big leap ahead from its predecessor in terms of styling and engineering.

The seller is a dealer and provide no details, other than stating the vehicle was "collector owned", which could mean anything.

They list the mileage as 126,084.

Inside are cloth seats with a charming plaid pattern. I prefer leather or MB-Tex but this is rarely seen and adds to the car.

Underneath the hood is the 3.5-litre M116 8-cylinder engine which produced around 200 horsepower, respectable for the time.

They just don't make Mercedes that look, drive and feel like this anymore. On top of that, this is a rare Euro-spec survivor in what looks to be pretty decent shape, although there is paint cracking and some rust behind the driver's side wheel well.

Find it for sale on ebay here for $6,800 and the dealer page here.

Speedy Sedan: Euro 1978 Mercedes 450SEL 6.9

The Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 was a high-performance version of the W116 platform.

W116 were the legendary flagship sedan produced by Mercedes from 1972 to 1979, making it the luxury car of the '70s, owned and driven by anyone who was anybody back then, such as heads of state, oil tycoons, athletes and movie stars.

They were great cars, perhaps the first real modern Mercedes sedan. They looked really good and were built even better.

This is a 1978 Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 being offered for sale.

You've got to love the numbering code used by Mercedes and the ease with which it is deciphered. The "450" typically designates a 4.5-litre 8-cylinder engine. "SEL" tells us it's the extended wheelbase, which is essentially a slightly stretched chassis for extra rear passenger leg room.

So this is already an exemplary vehicle.

But the "6.9" is what pushes it into the realm of greatness. These were produced in limited numbers from 1975-1979, totaling 7380 worldwide, probably about a third of which survive today. They have an even bigger 6.9-litre 8-cylinder engine that is capable of speeds up to 150mph.

Typically, when you think of 1970s European cars, you think of a costly mechanical and electrical nightmare, especially 30+ years after the fact, when maintenance history isn't always complete. Not true with the W116 platform cars and the 6.9. It actually seems like Mercedes purposely designed the 6.9 to minimize maintenance as much as possible, thanks to a dry sump oil system, where oil is circulated from storage to the engine, as opposed to a typical pan and pump found in most vehicles. Therefore since the system automatically circulated the oil, the car didn't need to have the oil changed as often as other cars. This meant more time on the road, less time in the shop.

To add a icing on the cake, this is apparently a grey-market European-specification car, meaning it was specially imported into the United States sometime in the past.

This is key. One of great travesties in U.S. automotive history was the power given to the federal government to regulate the auto industry, probably largely thanks to Ralph Nader and a bunch of slick lawyers. It created inane guidelines that were counter-intuitive and detrimental to design. This was especially true for imported vehicles, which had to meet U.S. specification guidelines. From the '60s to the late '80s this resulted in a myriad of superior European designs being downgraded and de-tuned in order to be able to legally sell their vehicles here. The results were most noticeable on headlights and bumpers, especially for Mercedes and BMW sold here. Since U.S. DOT mandated that cars sold here must have bumpers that withstand a slow-speed 5mph crash, European automakers were forced to add on larger and unsightly bumpers to all U.S.-bound vehicles, at their own expense as well. Headlights had to be single-unit sealed beam lamps, which resulted in both another cosmetic and technological step backwards.

This car has none of that.

Instead, you get a much better looking car, the way the manufacturer originally intended it to look, along with various other upgrades outlawed by the DOT like more horsepower and hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension, which raises and lowers the height of the vehicle via a knob on the dashboard.

This example looks terrific in white with the square Euro lamps and small, short slim chrome bumpers that flaunt the clean, muscular lines and now-classic shape. The color, car and location all go together great, as white keeps a car cooler in the Florida sun and looks good against the lush tropical landscape of Miami. The 4-doors and powerful engine guarantee it will be a cozy hauler to the beach, country club or weekends to and from the Florida Keys.

The seller states it has less thank 89,900 original miles. They do not state if the odometer is in kilometers, which would be European metrics, but I assume if it was they've converted it for the listing. The car has had at least two owners, the last being a little old lady since 1991, which is good.

The seller mentions this 6.9 was in storage and will need a tune-up. Cosmetically, they say it's had at least one repaint, which if kept the original white is not much to worry about as flat colors are much easier to replicate then metallic paint. They say it does have some bubbling on the bottom of the front driver's side door. If that's all the paint flaws there are it's not an issue. Most older Mercedes have much worse, so I personally would overlook it.

The Euro headlights, handsome as they are, look a little tired. They either just need a cleaning or may need to be replaced entirely, which is costly.

I also note some chips front grille slats, very typical of the older Mercedes. I'm not sure what the solution to that is, but rest assured it's been solved by somebody.

On the inside they say the leather is good but the dashboard is cracking, typical of older German cars exposed long-term to heat and sun. I imagine it's a hard fix as it would probably just require a whole new dash unit, so I would put a dash cover over it to hide the flaws and protect it from getting worse.

Mechanically they say it runs and shifts smoothly, but the brakes may need replacement.

Find it here on ebay for sale in Miami FL with 2 days left, 2 bids at $205, and reserve not met. I also found the dealer website with more photos and information here. They say they are asking $9,999 but say it's negotiable. That's a lot of money for a '70s sedan, but this car has so much going for it: a solid platform to start with, the very rare 6.9 model, Euro-spec right here in the U.S. and in excellent shape and relatively low miles to top it off. If you're going to get a 6.9, something like this should be the one, especially because it's a Euro-spec car. The U.S. cars are really ugly and take away from the experience. The CPI Value Guide estimates a '78 450SEL 6.9 at $4,000 fair condition, $7,700 good and $16,150 excellent. I would rate this as good, so a target price should be from $6,500k-$9,000k, making you and most reasonable sellers happy.