vintage: Mercedes C111 | drive it!

More than forty years ago, car lovers the world over watched as the Mercedes C 111 rounded the track. Presented in 1969 as a two-seater with a fiberglass body and Wankel engine under its hood, the C 111 created a real stir in the motor world. True to the Mercedes motto"only the best is good enough,"it was developed almost to the point of going into series production.The C111 was widely praised for its unusual design, but the 1973 oil crisis blocked it from getting onto the road. The Wankel engine was thirsty, not thrifty, so the car was sent out to the track instead. drive it! recalls a much-loved model that never made it into the showroom.