Mercedes Fintail (1959)

The Mercedes W111 "Fintail" series debuted in 1959. Initially powered by a line of straight-6 engines (the M180 and M127), it set a new standard for luxury. In 1961, the W111 series was augmented with a line of 3.0 L straight-6 cars, the Mercedes W112. The Mercedes W112 was the most luxurious model in the Mercedes-Benz lineup until surpassed by the Mercedes W100 line's model 600 limousines in 1963. The Mercedes W111/W112 lines contained sedan, coupe, and convertible Mercedes models.

The Fintail was among the first cars in the world to have crumple zones and disc brakes, and for the top of range Mercedes W112 models, an air suspension. The characteristic name referred to a styling feature on the rear section of the Mercedes W111/W112 models, the Heckflosse ("Fintail") which resembled the larger fins then in fashion on American luxury cars produced by Cadillac and Buick.

The Mercedes W112 300SE sedan, as "300 SE long" with a 10 cm longer wheelbase, was for the short period the top model of Mercedes, succeeding the baroque "Großer Mercedes" ("Grand Mercedes") 300, 300b, 300c, and 300d, which were often associated with chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Since the debut of the Mercedes W111 300SEL, each iteration of the Mercedes S-Class has included short and long wheelbase models, with the latter models (such as the W109) typically being the most luxurious, powerful, and well-equipped. In 1965, the Mercedes W111 line also added the Mercedes 230S sedan.

The larger Mercedes W111/W112 Fintail models should not be confused with a smaller Fintail line, the Mercedes W110, which was also produced in 1961 (derived from the W111 line) and was essentially the predecessor of today's Mercedes E-Class. The Mercedes W110 featured a shorter hood for the "economy" models 190c and 190Dc. The different six-cylinder "S"-versions of the Mercedes W111 mainly differed from the smaller 4-cylinder Mercedes W110 variants by a different length of the front, and the amount of chrome applied.