Beautiful W116 timber trim

[Oversize]

OMG I'm in love! Can anyone identify the interior veneer in this early W116? Nicer than Walnut and more contemporary than Zebrano... Pity there's no timber trimmings in the center console or back seat and strange that these bigger images were pretty quick to upload.

 

[abl567]

Maccaser Ebony

 

[Oversize]

 

[c107]

I like the red interior too. Would look great with black paintwork.

 

[abl567]

Or Anthracite metallic! I bid on a "barn find" 6.3 in that colour combo at a shannons auction, missed out.

 

[Styria]

I have to agree - I love that red upholstery but, more importantly, the condition it is in. The timber work - applicable to earlier 116 models. It is shaped differently and I daresay that it is genuine, hard timber. I did have a set a few years ago, but sold it to, I think, Oscar who used to be a keen contributor.

Anthracite Grey - smashingly stunning colour. Even the interior in that colour is beautiful - a little understated when compared with the red in these pictures. Whichever, highly desirable. Regards Styria

 

[Michel]

I have to agree, red is beautiful

 

[Oversize]

I have to agree - I love that red upholstery but, more importantly, the condition it is in. The timber work - applicable to earlier 116 models. It is shaped differently and I daresay that it is genuine, hard timber. I did have a set a few years ago, but sold it to, I think, Oscar who used to be a keen contributor.

Anthracite Grey - smashingly stunning colour. Even the interior in that colour is beautiful - a little understated when compared with the red in these pictures. Whichever, highly desirable. Regards Styria

You mean it wasn't a veneer? I'd love to have a full (late) set in this design. In fact due to the 6.9 lacking much interior grandeur to set it well above the other models in the 116 range and especially compared to the 6.3 and 600, it'd be desirable to have wood trim on all the doors, C pillars and even the back of the front seats...

 

[braminator123]

Wow stunning timber! Love the red interior too!

 

[BenzBoy]

You mean it wasn't a veneer? I'd love to have a full (late) set in this design. In fact due to the 6.9 lacking much interior grandeur to set it well above the other models in the 116 range and especially compared to the 6.3 and 600, it'd be desirable to have wood trim on all the doors, C pillars and even the back of the front seats...

And of course the timber surrounding the windows etc was dropped due to safety concerns. No-one wants splinters in their eyes as a result of an accident and you will recall that the W116 made some serious claims about survivability in a crash. It was left to Crewe to find a solution to the problem of wood in a crash and the resolution was to use a combination of solid walnut and walnut bonded to a flexible alloy plate that saved the day for British interiors. The Japanese solution was plastic; some of which is so good it actually look s like timber.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Oversize]

That is interesting Brian! Pity they didn’t choose other options to embellish the 6.9 and distance it further from the standard 450. But I guess they didn’t wish to diminish sales of the 600 which was already running at a loss.

 

[c107]

To offer the counter point, I like how the 6.9/6.3 etc are very understated and at first glance you can miss them from a regular w116/W109. Like the early M cars from BMW as well.

I could see that very subtle improvements would make sense, like nicer wood, perhaps a little more etc.

I took the model badge of my 560SEC which made it even more understated.

Today I find the AMG models rather vulgar and especially the chintzy 'amg line' option on some C180 to make it look like something its not. Obviously Daimler AG is making a lot of money doing it this way and they should ignore me as I am unlikely to buy a new AMG understated or not.

 

[BenzBoy]

AMG is not made any longer for enthusiasts. Ask who are the major individual private shareholders:
https://www.daimler.com/investors/share/shareholder-structure/
More telling is:
https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...-mercedes-shareholder-seeks-alliance-13484827
Sadly, what a genuine enthusiast might consider the best is now past its prime.
Weep tears into your single malt good folks.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Oversize]

Weird that AMG started with any type of mod pre-merger, a dedicated range post merge and now its back to bits n pieces. They should introduce something in between so the don’t dilute the brand. Perhaps re-introduce the ‘Sportline’???

 

[Oversize]

To offer the counter point, I like how the 6.9/6.3 etc are very understated and at first glance you can miss them from a regular w116/W109. Like the early M cars from BMW as well.

I could see that very subtle improvements would make sense, like nicer wood, perhaps a little more etc.

I took the model badge of my 560SEC which made it even more understated.

Today I find the AMG models rather vulgar and especially the chintzy 'amg line' option on some C180 to make it look like something its not. Obviously Daimler AG is making a lot of money doing it this way and they should ignore me as I am unlikely to buy a new AMG understated or not.

I really think the 6.9 needed something to ID the model from the side, plus electric front seats and something else obvious (but classy) to tell your passengers you’re in a super-sedan. If they were worried about weight, they could’ve fitted alloy panels from the diesels.

 

[Oversize]

In fact I don’t know why they didn’t fit alloy panels as part of the package. And I’ll never get the keep-it-all-under-the-same-bonnet-line, small throttle body and lack of cold air intake.

In the pre-ASR and ESC era it might’ve been a case of protecting customers from themselves.... And the last thing a premium brand advertising safety wants is a series of ‘killer’ super-sedans involved in messy fatal collisions. After the Australian ‘Supercar’ scare of 1972 I don’t think they wanted that kind of attention.

 

[braminator123]

You mean it wasn't a veneer? I'd love to have a full (late) set in this design. In fact due to the 6.9 lacking much interior grandeur to set it well above the other models in the 116 range and especially compared to the 6.3 and 600, it'd be desirable to have wood trim on all the doors, C pillars and even the back of the front seats...

Mark, just install the mini flagpoles to each side of the front bumper and rear window curtains!

 

[braminator123]

OMG I'm in love! Can anyone identify the interior veneer in this early W116? Nicer than Walnut and more contemporary than Zebrano... Pity there's no timber trimmings in the center console or back seat and strange that these bigger images were pretty quick to upload.

Are any W116s still running here in Australia with this sublime combination?

Dare I say it, I could seriously consider retrofitting Maccaser Ebony to my vehicle!

 

[c107]

Are any W116s still running here in Australia with this sublime combination?

Dare I say it, I could seriously consider retrofitting Maccaser Ebony to my vehicle!

These sort of colour combinations don't seem as common here in Australia. MB Australia probably set the standard combinations they wanted to order and few put in special orders.

 

[BenzBoy]

Macassar Ebony is an extraordinarily difficult timber to use. Up to 2 years dying and drying time and the result is a timber that is brittle and prone to splitting. It's also known to provoke allergic responses. Despite that, it is a stunning timber. My guess would be that it proved too expensive to process, was in very short supply and thus was replaced by Zebrano that is much easier and more reliable to machine and use as a laminate.

Pity - it looks fantastic with the red upholstery.
BTW; I loathe grey interiors in cars and black is just so boring …. red truly rocks!
Regards,
Brian