Skip advert
Advertisement
Features

Mercedes-Benz C112 – dead on arrival

Despite strong demand, this V12-powered supercar was denied production – but its legacy lives on

Mercedes-Benz C112

This was one of those occasional times when Mercedes-Benz slapped its technology tackle onto the table. Revealed at the 1991 Frankfurt motor show, the name of the C112 signalled it as spiritual successor to the C111 rotary- and diesel-powered test cars from the 1960s and ’70s, but the technology within it reflected a decade of R&D progress since those bright orange record setters were retired.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The C112 had active body control using hydraulic rams on top of the springs to help repel roll, dive and squat. It had rear-wheel steering, grandly labelled a ‘cybernetic’ system by Mercedes, which turned contra or parallel to the front wheels depending on speed. It had an active air brake which popped up to 45 degrees and, according to Mercedes, reduced the 190-0mph stopping distance by a useful 330 feet. Most remarkably, the C112 had an active aero system that hydraulically deployed a front spoiler and a rear wing and could react in a tenth of a second to increase downforce when the car’s multiple G-force sensors detected a loss of grip in a corner. Why it wasn’t already providing enough downforce to stop you losing grip in the first place isn’t clear. As well as this centrally controlled suite of active dynamic aids the C112 came with radar cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring and traction control, commonplace features now but 30 years ago more like distant pings from the future.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The whole thing was powered by a 6-litre, 403bhp V12 driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, contained within an aluminium monocoque skinned with ally and Kevlar panels to a design intended to remind people of the Sauber-built Mercedes Group C racers that had taken the World Sportscar Championship titles in 1989 and ’90. But where the C11 racer’s door flopped forward when open, the C112 had gullwings like an original 300 SL, or indeed the C111. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

> Jaguar F-type – dead on arrival

This was a mind-bogglingly advanced machine for its time but it was blatantly engineered with an eye on the showroom. Its V12, the M120 unit from the 600 SEL launched earlier in 1991, was capable of meeting emissions standards all around the world, and the car was designed to meet global safety standards too, with ABS, airbags, and regular seatbelts neatly integrated into its electric seats. The show car, beautifully built by Turin-based carrozzeria Coggiola, certainly looked ready for production, to the extent that 700 people contacted Mercedes after its debut and demanded to place an order, despite no mention of a production schedule or price. 

It was subsequently reported that Merc management gave serious thought to signing off the C112 for public consumption, maybe even getting their race partners at Sauber to build it, but ultimately realised it was a risk they couldn’t take. This was the early ’90s and the world was plunging into a recession that would do no favours to high-priced, low-volume supercars, as Jaguar and Bugatti were about to discover. Plus, Merc was already smarting from launching the hefty W140 S-class, which was late, over-budget and suddenly looked horribly out of step with the times. An ostentatious gullwinged flagship was impossible to justify and the C112 remained a one-off that lives to this day in the factory museum. Almost all of its technology has ended up in other Mercedes cars, however, and its V12 eventually became a mid-engined superstar as the motor in the original Pagani Zonda.

This story was first featured in evo issue 289.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Mercedes-AMG’s 1000bhp Lotus Eletre fighter spied testing
Mercedes-AMG electric SUV front
News

Mercedes-AMG’s 1000bhp Lotus Eletre fighter spied testing

Don’t ask and ye shall receive, as development of Mercedes-AMG’s monster performance electric SUV continues at pace
5 Mar 2025
Maserati Quattroporte II – dead on arrival
Maserati Quattroporte II
Features

Maserati Quattroporte II – dead on arrival

Progress on this Citroën SM-derived four-door stalled when the French firm faltered in the mid-’70s
27 Feb 2025
From V8s to solid state: Mercedes’ future powertrains will be diverse
Mercedes EQS solid state battery mule
News

From V8s to solid state: Mercedes’ future powertrains will be diverse

EQS test mule will evaluate new solid state battery tech co-designed by Mercedes F1 partner, while elsewhere in Affalterbach, a new V8 is prepared
26 Feb 2025
HWA Evo is a £730k resto-mod Mercedes 190E Evo II tribute
HWA Evo Mercedes 190E restomod front
News

HWA Evo is a £730k resto-mod Mercedes 190E Evo II tribute

The makers of the Mercedes CLK GTR and the Pagani Huayra R’s screaming V12 have developed their modern take on the iconic Mercedes 190E Evo II
2 Jan 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ferrari 296 Challenge 2025 review – Maranello's hybrid supercar goes V6-only
Ferrari 296 Challenge
Reviews

Ferrari 296 Challenge 2025 review – Maranello's hybrid supercar goes V6-only

Stripped of the road car’s heavy and complex hybrid technology, Ferrari’s entry-level competition car provides a glimpse of an alternative universe
15 Mar 2025
Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
Why Britain's £14 billion pothole crisis isn't only a headache for drivers
Pothole
Opinion

Why Britain's £14 billion pothole crisis isn't only a headache for drivers

The accelerating deterioration of the UK’s roads is leading Meaden to despair
14 Mar 2025