Mercedes-Benz Coupés have usually embodied beauty on 4 wheels. And exclusivity besides, because the motors appeal to a purchasers that consciously opts for a frame shape with flowing traces, the traditional doorways and who to a sure quantity see their car as a logical extension of a life-style frequently characterized through splendor and beauty.
These basics additionally implemented to the SEC Coupés of the C 126 collection, which Mercedes-Benz offered on the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in September 1981. They have been primarily based totally at the S-Class Saloon of the 126 collection, with a body/ground meeting shortened through eighty five millimetres. Nevertheless, the Coupés have been fully-fledged 4-seaters.
Their layout rendered them unmistakable: Bruno Sacco, then Head of Design, gave the motors an appropriate traces of the day and additionally incorporated them harmoniously into the Mercedes-Benz passenger automobile variety. For example, he revived the horizontal radiator grille with huge critical famous person which have been a function of the huge Mercedes-Benz Coupés and the legendary three hundred SL Gullwing Coupé because the 1950s. All matters considered, the Coupés of the C 126 collection have been a excursion de pressure in phrases of layout, keeping even nowadays an air of undying beauty and desirability.
In phrases of protection generation the Coupés of the C 126 collection have been state-of-the-art. The frame became designed in step with modern protection studies findings. One noteworthy gadget element became the electrically operated belt feeder, which became a widespread-match specification at the SEC fashions. Optionally to be had have been additionally an airbag for the driving force and belt tensioner for the the front passenger. The the front passenger airbag became to be had from 1985. Optimum lively riding protection became assured through structures which include the automated locking differential (ASD) or acceleration skid manipulate (ASR).
Value retention instead of depreciation
The variety of Coupés carrying the perfect SEC abbreviation withinside the version designation is extensive. Although maximum of them are through now older motors, it isn't always uncommon to quality nicely maintained examples. Moreover, excessive mileages aren't anyt any hassle for the frequently maintained eight-cylinder engines.
But there also are motors to be had with a manufacturer's warranty: Mercedes-Benz Young Classics frequently gives motors in above common situation and that are consequently provided with a warranty - a suggestion specific withinside the automobile industry.
Those who nowadays power a Coupé of the C 126 collection as a contemporary-day traditional are positive to understand factors which include its excellent regular practicality, excessive stage of experience consolation, stylish look and exclusivity. An extra bonus is that with accurate preservation and correct care it'll at the least hold its fee and take away depreciation. In many cases, the fee of the car even rises over time.
Mercedes-Benz's awesome spare elements deliver has helped preserve a contemporary-day traditional: nearly each element may be procured via a Mercedes-Benz provider and the company's personal ordering gadget; shipping is commonly made overnight. Some authorized carrier stores have even been precise Classic Partners, owning excellent competence in managing older motors. Not for not anything does the slogan "Service for a lifetime" follow to all motors of the brand.
Production of the Coupés of the C 126 collection became stopped in 1991, nearly precisely ten years after the marketplace release. The general quantity of 74,060 devices constructed offers an affect of the version family's excessive popularity. The best-promoting version became the five hundred SEC with 30,184 devices. Clearly the rarest model became the 420 SEC with simply 3,680 devices. Regardless of engine type, every person car is a legend of its time.
Model history: the C 126 collection (1981 to 1991)
"By tradition, Mercedes-Benz has usually been constructing a unique sort of automobile that's outstanding from different fashions collection through its excessive stage of individuality: the Coupé." These have been the introductory phrases withinside the brand's brochure approximately the Coupés from the C 126 collection. "The Mercedes Coupé embodies the uncommon sort of a cultured and sporty automobile. Its sporty individual does now no longer imply that the automobile has to do with out consolation and protection. On the contrary, its sporty attributes integrate with all the ones traits which distinguish each Mercedes. The new Coupé is a automobile wherein you may cowl a part of your route of lifestyles withinside the maximum state-of-the-art style."
At the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1981, Daimler-Benz offered the 380 SEC and 500 SEC Coupés. The new technology of Coupés became once more primarily based totally at the S-Class Saloon in place of an SL as withinside the case of the SLC fashions. A six-cylinder-engined model analogous to the 280 SLC became now no longer to be had. The V8 engines - already delivered withinside the Saloon and SLC fashions - have been very well revised as a part of the "Mercedes-Benz Energy Concept" with the intention of lowering each gasoline intake and pollutant emissions.
Sophisticated suspension for superior consolation and protection
With the exception of element changes, the suspension became same with the primary Saloons. Like the latter, the Coupés have been geared up with a double-wishbone the front axle and a semi-trailing arm rear axle with anti-squat manipulate. For the primary time, the SEC Coupés featured floating-calliper disc brakes at the the front wheels, allowing using large brake discs in addition to the region of the brake cylinders at the interior of the wheels in which they have been cooled greater effectively.
The styling of the brand new Coupés became similarly modelled on that of the 4-door fashions however nevertheless covered the horizontal radiator grill usual of the SL - a relic from the SLC generation in a manner. The decidedly stylish and harmonious styling met with pretty nice reaction proper from the start: the SEC Coupé became one of the maximum stunning motors of the post-strugglefare time. The bumpers and the protecting aspect strips have been designed withinside the equal manner as at the Saloons; the the front apron reached similarly down and accommodated the fog lamps. A incredible layout element became the aerodynamically optimized door deal with recess which in large part averted the door deal with from soiling. In any case the car's aerodynamics have been optimised as an entire for decrease gasoline intake. This left the drag coefficient for all fashions of cd=0.34. The handiest exception to this became the 560 SEC version, in which the fee became cd=0.35 attributable to its wider tyres.
Discreet facelift and new engines
Four years after the presentation of the SEC Coupés, each the S-Class Saloons and the Coupés have been considerably delicate and delivered on the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1985. Apart from a discreet retouching of the exterior - in the main of the bumpers, the protecting aspect strips and the wheels - the engine variety became restructured.
A new engine withinside the variety became a V8 with a displacement of 4.2 litres, created through drilling out the 3.8-litre unit and changing the latter now no longer handiest withinside the SEC Coupé however additionally withinside the S-Class Saloon and withinside the SL. The five-litre engine became similarly changed and geared up with digital ignition and an electronically/automatically managed KE-Jetronic injection gadget from Bosch to increase an output of a hundred and eighty kW.
The maximum brilliant novelty withinside the engine variety became a 5.6-litre eight-cylinder which have been advanced from the five-litre V8 whose stroke have been lengthened to offer the automobile an output of two hundred kW. A model with a good better compression ratio became optionally to be had and generated a proud 221 kW, however couldn't be blended with a closed-loop emission manipulate gadget. However, even with out a catalytic converter, this so-referred to as ECE model complied with the emission limits specific through the European Economic Commission (ECE). At the time in their release, the 560 SEC and 560 SEL with this engine have been the maximum effective Mercedes-Benz manufacturing motors constructed till then.
Catalytic converter optionally to be had
The chassis of the delicate fashions had now no longer been changed to any principal quantity. However, the rear-axle layout have been changed in numerous info so that you can enhance experience consolation and the easy jogging traits nevertheless similarly. Apart from that, all Coupés and Saloons from the 126 collection have been now geared up with 38.1 cm wheels and correspondingly large brakes. The styling of the optionally to be had light-alloy wheels, which have been widespread handiest at the 560 SEC and 560 SEL, became up to date and tailored to that at the compact and mid-sized collection.
Functional layout
The ultimate stylistic changes at the progressed fashions of the 126 collection have been made now no longer handiest for the reason of updating the layout however additionally for great technical reasons. With the front aprons extending a ways downwards, elevate forces have been similarly decreased, and the air outflow on the rear progressed. It became for that reason feasible to boom road-protecting balance at excessive speeds nevertheless similarly - an thing that became sizeable in particular in view of the overall performance of the brand new 560 SEC and 560 SEL pinnacle fashions.
The protecting aspect strips have been easy-surfaced now in place of being ribbed as before; just like the bumpers, they prolonged similarly downwards and featured extra body aspect member cladding. As the 5.6-litre fashions differed from their much less effective sister fashions in that they have been outfitted as widespread with extensive tires in length 215/sixty five VR 15, the the front apron and the fender beading have been changed of their form to make certain the desired lateral clearance for the the front wheels.
In September/October 1991, nearly ten years after the marketplace release of the SEC Coupés, manufacturing became discontinued. The general quantity of 74,060 devices constructed offers an affect of the version family's excessive popularity. Clearly the rarest model became the 420 SEC with simply 3,680 devices.
