Mercedes-Benz W112 buyer's guide

The 300SE — W111 luxury with air suspension and the all-alloy M189 six.

Years: 1961–1965 · Models: 300SE sedan, 300SE long, 300SE coupe, 300SE cabriolet

Overview

The W112 put the 300SE name on the W111 body: the same sedan, coupe, and cabriolet shapes, but with the all-alloy, fuel-injected 3.0-litre M189 engine, self-leveling air suspension, and the richest trim Mercedes then offered. Production was small — a few thousand cars across all bodies — and survival is lower still, which makes complete cars notable today.

Engines

One engine: the 3.0-litre M189 six, an all-alloy design with mechanical fuel injection, producing about 160–170 horsepower.

What to check

• The air suspension system end to end — bellows, valves, compressor, and lines — using the overnight ride-height test.
• The M189 engine: parts are scarce and expensive, so verify compression, oil pressure, and the injection pump's behaviour rather than assuming a rebuild is a simple option.
• The same body checks as the W111, plus the cost of the W112's extra chrome and wood if either is tired.
• Completeness of 300SE-specific trim, badges, and fittings — these are the hardest parts of the car to source.
• Rust in the floors and sills, remembering the coupe and cabriolet carry W111 values while the sedan does not — repair economics differ by body.

Values

Cabriolets and coupes lead, as with the W111, and completeness is the W112's special currency: a car missing its air suspension or 300SE trim has lost much of what makes it valuable. Documented, complete cars are a small pool and price accordingly.

Buying tips

Buy completeness over cosmetics. A specialist inspection is worth more on a W112 than on almost any other series here, because the two systems that define the car — the M189 and the air suspension — are exactly the two that are costly to put right.

See the 9 W112 cars currently listed.