---
title: "This 1970 Mercedes W111 Is a Gorgeous Sleeper Restomod Rocking an AMG V8 Engine"
description: "Achtung, baby."
date: "2017-10-29"
modified: "2017-10-30"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/15552/this-1970-mercedes-w111-is-a-gorgeous-sleeper-restomod-rocking-an-amg-v-8-engine"
categories:
  - "Mercedes-Benz News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Germany"
  - "mechatronik"
  - "Mercedes-AMG"
  - "Mercedes-Benz"
  - "Restomod"
  - "slk 55"
  - "W111"
---

# This 1970 Mercedes W111 Is a Gorgeous Sleeper Restomod Rocking an AMG V8 Engine

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/10/m-coupe_3_02.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

It's almost a cliche for car enthusiasts to complain that they don't make them 'em like they used to, but in reality, the classy lines and sensuous curves of the pre-CAD design era often mask questionable driving dynamics and completely outdated technology. The solution? A restomod like [this classic 1970 Mercedes W111 "M-Coupe"](<https://www.mechatronik.de/en/trade/vehicles-on-offer/w-111-m-coupe-55/?fahrzeug-img=m-coupe_398_01.jpg>) rocking a 5.5-liter V8 and running gear from a Mercedes-AMG SLK 55.

[Mechatronik](<https://www.mechatronik.de/en/business/>) is a workshop in Pleidelsheim, Germany that specializes in meticulously restoring and tastefully modifying Benzes of every era. A quick perusal of their current listings reveals everything from a [1939 W29 540K Cabriolet](<https://www.mechatronik.de/en/trade/vehicles-on-offer/w29-540k-en/?fahrzeug-img=1a_540_random_02.jpg>) to a museum-quality [1982 W123 280E](<https://www.mechatronik.de/en/trade/vehicles-on-offer/mb-w123-280e-en/?fahrzeug-img=MB_W123_280E_L_02.jpg>) to a [2009 SLR McLaren Stirling Moss.](<https://www.mechatronik.de/en/trade/vehicles-on-offer/slr-stirling-moss-en/?fahrzeug-img=slr_stirling_moss_1_random_02.jpg>) But we're here for the main event, the 1970 W111 with a beating heart straight out of the gates of Affalterbach.

![message-editor%2F1509311731762-m-coupe\_8\_02.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1509311731762-m-coupe_8_02.jpg>)
**Mechatronik**

To cross breed the old Benz with a current-generation [R172 SLK 55 AMG roadster,](<https://www.thedrive.com/vintage/3861/a-lyrical-history-of-the-mercedes-convertible>) the team at Mechatronik customized the chassis to fit the 415-horsepower, hand-built V8, the seven-speed automatic transmission, and an upgraded ABS brake system. On the inside, a flawless interior is coupled with modern safety features like three-point safety belts all around. The team also promises the ability to swap everything back to OEM-spec without much trouble.

[The Mercedes-Benz W111](<https://www.thedrive.com/video/12552/how-well-does-the-sixties-era-mercedes-benz-220se-fintail-fit-a-21st-century-giant>) was no slouch in its original form. As a precursor to the modern S-Class, it represented [the brand's shift](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/9657/mercedes-benzs-famous-high-banked-test-track-turns-50>) from the dopey little Ponton-style sedans of the immediate postwar era to more upscale, elegant designs that would influence the automaker for decades. But there's no doubt this package has been improved by the addition of the modern powerplant and transmission, and the period-correct interior and exterior make this one of the prettiest sleepers we've seen in a while.

![message-editor%2F1509311831398-m-coupe\_4\_02.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1509311831398-m-coupe_4_02.jpg>)
*Mechatronik*

![message-editor%2F1509311842404-m-coupe\_9\_02.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1509311842404-m-coupe_9_02.jpg>)
*Mechatronik*

![message-editor%2F1509311851309-m-coupe\_5\_02.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1509311851309-m-coupe_5_02.jpg>)
*Mechatronik*

![message-editor%2F1509311858227-m-coupe\_7\_02.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1509311858227-m-coupe_7_02.jpg>)
*Mechatronik*

Of course, all that custom fabrication and engineering doesn't come cheap. Mechatronik is asking about $464,000 for the W111 M-Coupe—there's a pretty long list of car's we'd sooner buy with that kind of money. But for the right ultra-rich Benz fanatic, this car is a pretty unrivaled deal.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)