Despite strong demand, the V12-powered MercedesBenz C112 was denied production – but its legacy lives on -
, the name of the C112 signalled it as spiritual successor to the C111 rotary- and diesel-powered test cars from the 1960s and ’70s, but the technology within it reflected a decade of R&D progress since those bright orange record setters were retired.
The C112 had active body control using hydraulic rams on top of the springs to help repel roll, dive and squat. It had rear-wheel steering, grandly labelled a ‘cybernetic’ system by Mercedes, which turned contra or parallel to the front wheels depending on speed. It had an active air brake which popped up to 45 degrees and, according to Mercedes, reduced the 190-0mph stopping distance by a useful 330 feet.
The whole thing was powered by a 6-litre, 403bhp V12 driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, contained within an aluminium monocoque skinned with ally and Kevlar panels to a design intended to remind people of the Sauber-built Mercedes Group C racers that had taken the World Sportscar Championship titles in 1989 and ’90. But where the C11 racer’s door flopped forward when open, the C112 had gullwings like an original 300 SL, or indeed the C111.
It was subsequently reported that Merc management gave serious thought to signing off the C112 for public consumption, maybe even getting their race partners at Sauber to build it, but ultimately realised it was a risk they couldn’t take. This was the early ’90s and the world was plunging into a recession that would do no favours to high-priced, low-volume supercars, as
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