A bit of an esoteric subject for a post, eh? But today’s Mercedes W111 CC has stimulated some interesting speculation as to their influence on the W111’s styling. That got me thinking, and I found a few candidates from the comments and my own. I’ll add others as they’re suggested, especially if you have a link. Keep in mind that the Mercedes was designed in the 1956-1957 period, so anything later than that will have been too late.
The 1956 Rambler’s general boxy shape and proportions are high on the list, in my book, anyway.
The ’58 Rambler’s fins certainly look influential, on a scaled-down way. Perhaps by the fall of ’57, the Mercedes’ body was still not locked up in regard to details like the fins.
The 1956 Studebaker? Hmmm?
The 1957 Chevy was nominated a couple of times, but I don’t find the greenhouse and general body shape that influential. It was getting a bit old, having been around since the fall of1954.
I happen to see some distinct influence of the 1957 Facel Vega Excellence in the Mercedes, especially around the rear door, the little kick-up to the C-Pillar, and the rear fender. Never mind the front end with the stacked lights, although to be fair, the European version of the W111 used an integrated light unit, not two sealed beams like the US version.
Any other nominations?
Not the nose so much, but I see a bit of 1956 Chrysler Imperial in there, particularly in the rear flanks and the “shoulders” leading up to them at the beltline. The otherwise demure straight sides interrupted only by a single character swage also is similar.
I like that 58 Rambler, there’s a 59 for sale in Eugene right now. Sooo tempting, but Mrs. Russycle would have my head if another car shows up in the driveway.
I still choose the Chevy for inspiration. Not the greenhouse – the beltline with the dip. And if the 1957 style was before the Mercedes was finalized as you said, well, not much of a stretch, really. The rest of the car? Chrysler. Rambler? Not so much. Ford? No way!
I’m going to vote for the Facel Vega. I remember these from living in Paris in ’65-66, but it’s probably decades since I’ve thought about them.
The Pininfarina designed Austins, starting with the 1959 A55 were contemporaries and had many of the same styling cues. I think maybe the Mercedes had a lot of Italian design influence that was running the gamut at Pininfarina, Ghia, Bertone etc.
The Peugeot 404 looks awfully similar to the Cambridge Mk.IIs. They’re designed by Pininfarina as well. Were they running out of ideas?
I voted for the Facel Vega as the car most influenced by the W111. I think the Chevy’s tail fin is more of a continuation of GM’s styling direction of the era, starting from the 1949 Caddy. The other American cars are probably the same too, more influenced by 1949 Caddy than the Mercedes Fintail. Heck (flosse?), maybe it’s the Mercedes that was influenced by the Caddy’s tailfin!
PS: Rambler’s three body color FTW! I miss two or more colors on today’s car. Today Bentley Mulsanne is the only car with two-tone color available. What a shame!
The Merc’s better-looking and more carefully integrated than all of them.
And does that ’56 Rambler have three body colors? Wow!
Perhaps a look closer to home? I always found the Borgward P100 peculiarly alike the Mercedes, though they debuted at the same time, in 1959. Perhaps something was in the air?
http://www.beeldrijk.org/repository/files/BorgwardP100.jpg
The 56 Rambler is a peach, it’s the blown up Scion Xb sedan that Scion never made. The steep windshield, the visibility, where have all the boxy cars gone?
What a beautiful car. Something like that in a smaller, lighter form would be a good retro mobile. It is refined and elegant (especially the later updates without the fins.)
I like the fins. I like a Hood Ornament. I think It looks most like the 58 Rambler. I always Loved the Tail on these Ambassadors. I wonder if Rambler Somehow got a glimpse of what Mercedes was working on for 59′ and tried to copy that(or was “influenced” by what they saw)?
In re: the Studebaker fins, it’s interesting to mention that in 1956, Mercedes started negotiations with Studebaker-Packard to have S-P take over U.S. distribution of Mercedes cars. They broke the news to Max Hoffman in March 1957.
I’ll bet THAT was some meeting. I’ll bet you Rahm Emanuel would blush if he’d heard what came out of Hoffman’s mouth.
I can see some kinship with the 58 Rambler. The connection became much more apparent with the next S Class, the W108 in 1965. That greenhouse is practically a clone of the 1963 Rambler Classic.
‘Facel Vega Excellence’?! There’s one I’ve never heard of – I advocate your finding one in Eugene, stat!
Also, Facel Vega Excellence would make a great band name.
The Simca Vedette Beaulieau looked a lot like this Mercedes.
We had one just like the powder blue/grey one in this website:
http://quazen.com/recreation/autos/fascinating-french-classic-cars-the-simca-vedette-series/
I’m more shocked, stunned, with how the Facel-Vega’s silhouette looks like a dead ringer for the 1961 Continental right down to its suicide doors.
All these years I’d thought Ford actually had a fresh idea…….
I’ve always thought that the influence flowing from the relationship with Studebaker went the other way. The design of the Lark — especially from 1962 forward — seems very much to borrow from Mercedes sedan styling themes of the time.