News:

The ORG - No shonky business!

Main Menu

Who is the father of the W116?

Started by Martin 280s, 14 January 2010, 07:08 AM

Martin 280s

I read in a forum thread somewhere that Rudolf Uhlenhaut (born 15 July 1906 in London, † 8 May 1989 in Stuttgart) was the father of the W116 even though he left DB in 1972. Could that be correct?  If so, he was there for the development stages but not the launch.

On a curious note, apparently Rudolf Uhlenhaut never owned a car of his own! Very similar to W. Maybach know also never owned a car and travelled around on foot or by tram!

nathan

Martin,
wasnt the 116 born in an egg on a mountain top?
sorry, i have nothing serious to add! however, the 116s father (or fa-sha as the dutch say) would also have to have parented both the 107 and the 123 wouldnt they? they both seem cut of the same cloth and all share the same decade of origin.
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

Martin 280s

Quote from: nathan on 14 January 2010, 07:51 AM
Wasn't the 116 born in an egg on a mountain top?

Was that from the (Chinese) TV series 'Monkey'?

nathan

TV series?
i thought it was a documentary! ;)
best regards
nathan
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

flutes

The transvestite monk always confused me.

Martin I'm not sure what father means in that sense, but Friedrich here was responsible for the styling at the time...Link
Matt
1977 450SEL

koan

I was always under the impression Eric Waxenberger had a big part in w116 design.

I chatted to German enthusiast I happened to meet in car park, he referred to the 6.9 as the Waxenberger Express.

koan
Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Amen!

flutes

He very well may have - I've read that he was the engineer who decided it was a good idea to drop the 6.3 into a w109 so perhaps he was the driving force behind the 6.9?  This is pure speculation - anyone know a reliable source?

(Found a great page on Erich and his racing exploits Link)
Matt
1977 450SEL

pompy

In MercedeS Enthusiast Mrch 2003, when the Green Hunt 6.9 was tested, it was mentioned that Eric had a finger in the 6.9's pie.

Martin 280s

#8
Quote from: flutes on 14 January 2010, 09:24 PM
The transvestite monk always confused me.

Martin I'm not sure what father means in that sense, but Friedrich here was responsible for the styling at the time...Link

Tripitaka the tranny monk was a bit strange!

Father as in creator...almost in a biblical sense!

So, after looking at those two links, the W116 must be a bit like Arnie and Danny Da Vito in "Twins"...several fathers..so now the question is who is the mother!

nathan

Martin,
i like the twins reference!
the waxenberger story is well told and often probably embellished.  he reportedly created the 6.3 on his own time and back, 'borrowing' a 6.3 engine from the 600 and dumping it into the 108 - the bosses having previously dismissed the project.  its only when they saw the finished project they gave it the greenlight if i recall my readings correctly.
so if he created the 6.3, i think its safe to say he created the 6.9 - as for the styling, ive not heard of the fellow flutes referred to!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

flutes

Several fathers - a disturbing image indeed!  I think the egg/mountain story is more satisfying.

Nathan - Friedrich was primarily known as the guy who designed (or styled, rather) the Gullwing, but, as head of styling, seems to have had a hand in every model up to the w116 (I'm hoping he was on vacation during the embarrassing Fintail years).   I knew of him long before I knew what a w116 was because of the Gullwing connection.
Matt
1977 450SEL

Martin 280s

Quote from: flutes on 15 January 2010, 06:36 PM
Several fathers - a disturbing image indeed!  I think the egg/mountain story is more satisfying.

Nathan - Friedrich was primarily known as the guy who designed (or styled, rather) the Gullwing, but, as head of styling, seems to have had a hand in every model up to the w116 (I'm hoping he was on vacation during the embarrassing Fintail years).   I knew of him long before I knew what a w116 was because of the Gullwing connection.


Flutes,
As time goes by, I think the 'styling' of the Heckflosse models grows on me. I know it's quirky but that is what makes it stand out from other models.  ;)

flutes

Martin - perhaps I'll grow into it!  My mind remains open.

I do love the coupe of that model, however.
Matt
1977 450SEL

Wolfgang Germany

#13
Hi,

Rudolf Uhlenhaut was an ingenieur in the Rennsport-Divison of Mercedes-Benz. Later he was managing director of the companie. He wasn´t involved in the W116 series.

Erich Waxenberger developed the 6.3 W109 and had no input to the W116 design. Only the M100 was his deserve.

The real "fathers" of the W116 were Friedrich Geiger (chief stilist) and Hans Scherenberg (Leiter des Gesamtbereichs "Forschung und Entwicklung" -> Head of the total area "research and development ").


Geiger was a genius stilist (stilist=daimler speech for designer) who developed the designs from many Mercedes-Benz passenger cars since 1930. He was responsible for the 500K and 540K Spezialroadsters (W29), 300SL (W198), 600 (W100), W108/109, W110, W111/112, W113, R107, W116 and the W123.


With the 500K/540K Spezialroadster (best sportscars in the 1930s and 1940s)...


...the 300SL Flügeltürer W198 (best sportscar in the 1950-1960)...


...and the W100 (greatest and most luxurious sedan in the 1960-1980) he developed the most famous designs in the history of automobile.


(it´s not Geiger on the picture)

Regards

Wolfgang

nathan

now that is an impressive list of automobiles to put on your regime!
is he still alive?
i will leave all jokes of the geiger counter reference as he was obviously one hot dude! ;)
i wonder what happens to those 1:10?? models that they have when they design the cars. i would visit a museum of these things!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te