The Mercedes-Benz W108 and W109 are luxury cars produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1965 and 1972 and 1973 only in North America. The line was an update to the predecessor sedans W111 and W112 fintail. The cars have been successful in West Germany and in export markets, including North America and Southeast Asia. During the seven years of execution, 383,361 units were manufactured.
As the W108 and W109 were only available as similarly square 4-door models, coupes and cabriolets W111 and W112 filled these niches and are often confused with them.

The car's predecessors, the Mercedes-Benz W111 (1959-1971) and W112 (1961-67), helped Daimler develop higher sales and achieve economies of scale in production, reducing manufacturing time and cost. During the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz produced the bodywork 300 S and 300 SLs and almost all 300 Adenauers, built by hand, alongside Pontons mounted on conveyors (190, 190SL and 220) etc. Unifying the entire Mercedes-Benz range in the Fintail (German): Heckflosse) reduced production on a single car platform.

 However, fashion trends in the early 1960s changed rapidly. When the 2-door coupe and W111s cabriolet designed by Paul Bracq were launched, the fins of the previous W111 sedan lost their chrome appearance and crisp appearance. The arrival of the coupe and the W113 "Pagoda" cabriolet in 1963 saw them further buried in the trunk outline. Finally, they disappeared completely on the W100 600 in 1963.

The evolution of the W111 started under the leadership of Bracq in 1961 and ended in 1963. Although the departure of the fins was the most visible change, the W108 had a lower waistline and an increased glass area - the windscreen. breezes were 17% higher than the W111 - prominent enough to be called a "greenhouse". The cars had a lower 60 mm drive and 15 mm wider doors. The result was a more elegant and visually newer car, with an open and spacious interior.

 

The suspension system featured a rear axle reinforced with hydropneumatic compensation spring. The car was sitting on larger wheels (14 ”) and had disc brakes at the front and rear. The W109 was identical to the W108, but had an extended wheelbase of 115 mm (4.5 in.) And self-leveling air suspension. This was seen as a successor to the W112 300SEL, originally conceived as a makeshift car between the 300 "Adenauer" (W189) and the 600 (W100) Grosser Mercedes. However, the success of the 300 SEL convinced Daimler to continue an LWB car in its model line.