At the beginning of the 1990s, a Swiss colleague’s MX-5 with VokuHila was often referred to as a seated bathtub, which he used to vie for attention. In vain, as noted. That’s actually a different story, but interestingly enough, Mercedes also once had an automobile that had the not particularly laudable nickname of a bathtub: derived from the Ford Taunus P3 (also 17M), the W 220 traded under the logo of the extended bathroom interior. This story can be found in Alexander Storz’s compendium The big Mercedes. From the Adenauer to the S-Class, in which he takes his bibliophilic journey through time through the universe of the automotive zodiac sign. One encounters chrome jewels here, precious items and wanderers. No other Mercedes reflected the attitude to life of its time as well as the tailfin generation; Regardless of whether it is a four- or six-cylinder, sedan or coupé, the W 110/W 111/W 112 series is a typical representative of the 1960s. And the Adenauer, that three-liter car, was always something special. Its importance has changed several times in the history of automobiles. In the 1950s, three liters were the measure of all things, apart from the BMW V8, which was built in small numbers in an almost manual small series. All of this and much more will be honored. (Gregor Auenhammer, October 26, 2025)
