Yesterday we chatted up a high-mileage 840Ci until the owner showed up and we all had to look busy. But that wasn't before 55% of you bought a ticket for the Nice Price express. That car's attraction was in its originality and nearly factory-fresh appearance, and today we have another product of der Fatherland, but if this one went home, its own mother might not recognize it.

Mercedes Benz has a long history of making autobahn-chewing locomotives. When the W116 S-Class superseded the W109 in 1974, the opportunity was taken to upgrade the M100 from 6.3 litres to 6.9. The 450SEL 6.9 was built on its own assembly line, and debuted with a number of advanced technologies including Citroen-sourced hydropneumatic suspension and an early attempt at anti-lock brakes, co-developed with Bosch.

That mighty 6.9 put out like a porn star. Factory specs are 286-bhp and 405-ft-lb of twisty-twist, enough to pull the 4,200-lb car to sixty from a standstill in a hair over seven ticks. The iron block V8 uses a forged crank and connecting rods along with sodium-filled valves for strength and durability. After being hand-built, each engine was bench-tested prior to being dropped under the hood of the 116-inch wheelbase sedans. Very limited in production numbers, and at over $16,000 new, the top of the line Benz competed with Ferrari and Rolls for executive car buyer's dollars.

But that's not the case today, as we have a 1978 example that's asking only $6,000 to plop down behind the driver's seat. Not only that but it comes with a litany of upgrades, euro-spec parts, and one option that isn't from that exclusive assembly line- a roadster top. Yeah, this is a 450 SEL not an SL, and it's still rocking the four doors. What it's missing is the frame around those doors as well as all the metal that connected those frames together. You could lament the loss of the sunroof, which would give you the option of open or closed motoring, because this bad boy lacks any kind of top whatsoever. That means that those living in rainy climates, or lacking covered parking should probably just keep walking here.

Now this is a Euro-spec car so it sports the pencil bumpers rather than the federal car's battering rams, but with the structural integrity of the top gone, it'd probably be best not to run into anything harder than an old friend at the mall.

So, one man's meat is another man's 6.9 without a roof, and while this is a unique property, it may not be for everybody, what about that $6,000? Does that price blow the doors off as well as the roof? Or, is this one 6.9 that you think should be 86'd?

You decide!

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Obviously, a sedan is a four-door automobile with a trunk in the back; we'd say it's fair to expect any good sedan should also drive confidently, be reasonably comfortable, and tastefully styled. So, along those lines, a very good sedan would be something like an Audi A6 — very good to drive, very comfortable, and very nice to look at. You might be thinking then, a super sedan is something like the fire-breathing Audi RS6, a machine that takes all the premium facets and simply adds more. That's part of it, but a true super sedan also needs exclusivity and that most intangible quality: character. With that in mind, here's our list of the top ten coolest super sedans ever.

10.) Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas (Series 1)
It may look like a Jag, but that's because it essentially is an upmarket version of the Series 1 Jaguar XJ. So why not just get the Jag? Remember, these were cars produced by British-Leyland in the '70s, so basically you were paying the Daimler premium not just for the badge, but for someone to actually pay attention when they were bolting the thing together. With that you got better wood, leather, and exclusivity as well. 885 Double Six models equipped with the monstrous Jaguar 5.3-liter V12 were made, with just 351 of those being the long-wheelbase top-of-the-line Vanden Plas models. Grace, pace, space, and then some. [source, image]

9.) Maserati Quattroporte IV Evoluzione
Since its first incarnation in the '60s, the Maserati Quattroporte has been the definitive super sedan. We think these fourth generation models were the coolest. Made during an era when Maserati was content purely as niche brand, it was arguably the most exotic Quattroporte, with styling by the same guy that penned the Lamborghini Countach. The last run of cars, known as the Evoluzione, benefited from a long list of minor improvements brought on by the brand's new owners: Ferrari. The twin-turbo 3.2-liter V8 was good for 336 HP. Perhaps not as beautiful as the first or most recent generations, the Quattroporte IV was crisp, clean, and handsome. [source]

8.) BMW 745i (E23)
The first thing to know about the E23 BMW 745i is which 745i is being talked about. The 745i that most of the world knows is powered by a turbocharged version of the commonplace M30 inline-six mated to a slushbox. Early models had 3.2-liter engines fed by 10 PSI of boost, later models with 3.4-liter mills but just 6 PSI from the turbo. That's all well and good, but down in booming '80s South Africa, the turbo setup simply wouldn't fit under the hood of right-hand-drive models. So, some touring car racers decided to just take a 7-Series and drop in the M88 inline-six from the BMW M1 supercar, good for 286 HP. Now referred to by some as the M745i, these cars were the closest the world has ever come to having a true BMW M7. The idea caught on, but of about 209 examples built, only a precious 17 or so came with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Tick the right boxes and you could even have power reclining rear seats covered in water buffalo hide. [source]

7.) DeTomaso Deauville
Italian style with American grunt was what defined DeTomaso, but not everyone knows the supercar builder also had a super sedan. Using the same 5.7-liter Ford V8 found in the Pantera, the Deauville is said to have had as much as 330 HP on tap. Sure it was equipped with a humble 3-speed slushbox, but don't think that meant it wasn't fast. For instance, Alejandro De Tomaso arrived in a Deauville at the car's press release at the DeTomaso factory stating that he had left Rome just two hours before, meaning he had averaged about 155 MPH...though that may have been a bit of hyperbole considering the standard car topped out at about 143 MPH. Either way, with just 244 examples built, the Deauville was seriously exclusive, and unmistakably cool. [source]

6.) Iso Rivolta Fidia
Say you wanted the Italian-American character of a DeTomaso, but with Chevy power and a bit more flair? Look no further than the Iso Rivolta Fidia. Designed by one Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was still working for Ghia, the Fidia perforates its sharp, slab-sided body with elegant vents along the C-pillar and behind the front fenders. It's the sort of sedan that would look perfect parked in a two-car garage next to a Ferrari Daytona. Equipped with a 350 HP 5.3-liter V8 sending power through a 4-speed manual gearbox, it might even be able to keep up with the prancing horse. But was it cool? Well, John Lennon thought enough of the Iso to buy one. [source, image]

5.) Bentley Turbo RT
Inevitably, any list of super sedans will include a Bentley, but why this one? While it's hard to distinguish one of Crewe's cruisers from another, the RT is set apart from the standard Bentley Turbo R by details like the sport wheels and radiator mesh grille. But if that isn't enough to make you take notice, the 400 HP erupting from the 6.75-liter turbocharged V8 should be. Still not impressed? How about 590 lb-ft of torque available at just 2000 RPM. Admittedly, there have been more powerful Bentleys since the Turbo RT, but this was the last super sedan sold before Volkswagen took ownership of Bentley in 1998. Just 50 were made. [source]

4.) Lagonda Rapide
No, not that Lagonda; not that Rapide either. This here is the original. Based on the Aston Martin DB4, the Lagonda Rapide pioneered the 4.0-liter inline-six engine that would later be used in the DB5, as well as a rear-axle design that didn't again see production until the DBS of the late '60s. The 236 HP may not seem like much today, but with a top speed of 130 MPH, it was plenty. From 1961 to '64 only 55 Rapides were made. [source, image]

3.) Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9
We've already gone on at length as to why we love the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, back when we parked it in the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage. But how can't you be in awe of the mighty 6.9? It wasn't a simple muscle car with 286 HP and 405 lb-ft of torque from the big V8, it was a sophisticated showcase and perhaps the best all-around car of its time, with a Rolls-Royce price tag to match. [image]

2.) Monteverdi 375/4
A Swiss super sedan with Mopar power, the Monteverdi is pure coolness. The standard 7.2-liter V8 engine was no slouch, but the High Speed was what you really wanted. Indeed, this thing had a HEMI, 426 cubes worth, and the 7.0-liter V8 was good for essentially as much power as you wanted to tune it to make — production 375/4s were in the neighborhood of 450 HP. Combine that with a tube-frame chassis, a TV in the back seat and devastatingly sinister styling, and it's hard to imagine anything we'd rather own. [source, image]

1.) Ferrari 456 Venice
Of course, the top spot goes to none other than a creation commissioned for the Sultan of Brunei's massive collection. Pininfarina made many cars for the Sultan over the years, but the handful of Ferrari 456 sedans were perhaps the most elegant. Powered by the same 5.5-liter V12 as the standard coupes, they had 436 HP. If a super sedan is the perfect blend of sedan and supercar, the 456 Venice was the definitive example.

The car's full name is Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9, though no one bothers with the 450SEL part. In fact, you can just drop the MB out of the title altogether — 6.9 by itself will suffice. The 6.9 is part of that elite group of cars known simply by their alphanumerics (or, in this case pure numerics). F40. M1. 959. ZR-1. Even a car as fully fly as the M5 doesn't qualify without the the chassis number (e.g. E39). (Which Corvette Z06, for instance?) But 6.9 can mean nothing but a 6.9. Also, with the exception of the wider tires, the only way to tell a 6.9 apart from its baser 450 SEL brethren is a metallic badge on the trunk. Compare that level of stealth with today's badge-festooned über-sedans, all of which look like wolves in shark costumes. Of course you could always select factory option 261 and delete the badge, which is the correct way to fly.

And fly the 6.9 did! But before we get to the specifics, consider what the 6.9 means to pistonhead culture. Sinatra, Telly Savalas and the Shah of Iran each owned one, as did JFK Jr. We've all seen Frankenheimer's Ronin 13-dozen times and therefore all know the director of Grand Prix used both an M5 and an S8 for his magnum auto opus. But what car from Stuttgart could hold its own against the best from Munich and Ingolstadt in one of the greatest odes to the car ever filmed? Only one, really. Too bad they had to add in the fake tire smoke.

First Chase From Ronin

Even more fantastic, after 30 years, Claude Lelouch has finally admitted the car on whose bumper he strapped a camera to film C'était un rendez-vous was none other than a 6.9. For decades, peeps (me included) believed the car tearing through the guts of Paris was in fact a Ferrari 275 GTB. If you walk into the Peterson Automotive Museum today you will find a video of Rendez-vous playing next to a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 with a sign proclaiming its use in the film. Sure, Lelouch did dub in the soundtrack from a Ferrari, but for a big ole two-ton sedan to pull off a Ferrari impersonation for 30 years? Well, that's about as good as a car with extra doors gets.

C'était un rendez-vous

What makes the 6.9 so gosh darn hot? Like all great cars, we'll start with history. In 1966 an engineer named Erich Waxenberger decided to stuff the M100 V8 from the fab MB 600 limousine (owned by both John Lennon and the Pope) into a W109 S-Class chassis. In doing so, he created the world's first Q-Car. This was a watershed moment. While practically everyone gets the appeal of, to quote Brock Yates, "American dim-bulb street racer variety," muscle cars (think McConaughey in Dazed and Confused) it takes a more sophisticated palette to understand just how friggin' right-on a stonking motor in a stock looking sedan is. And Mr. Waxenberger's 6.3 started it all. The 6.3 was produced from 1968 until the oil crisis of 1973, when Daimler-Benz killed it. Make no mistake, the 6.3 was a hell of a car; so much so that I almost put it to a vote against the 6.9. But, after much pondering, I decided the 6.9 is just that much better.

In European trim, the big 6.9-liter mill cranked out 286 horsepower and 405 lb-ft or torque (the Malaise Era US version got its wings clipped to the tune of just 250 horses and 360 torques). If you can set your mental time machines back 30 years and reread the previous sentence, smoke will billow out of your ears. In 1977 a Corvette was limping up 219 hp and 255 lb-ft of twist. A Ferrari 308 GTS? You don't even want to know (205 hp and 181 lb-ft). Only the really exotic stuff (Countach, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Ferrari 512 BB) was making more power and only 18-wheelers produced as much torque.

Yet unlike American muscle of the time, the engine wasn't simply big. Sure, the 6.9 sported a bored out lightweight V8, but you know those Germans. The exhaust valves were sodium filled, the intake valves were nitrided and all featured chrome stems. The engine was fully dry-sumped (using over 12 quarts of oil!) because that was the only way to give the car proper ground clearance, for the big old engine block dropped further down than the centerline of the crank. The cylinder heads were aluminum and the valve lifters were hydraulic.

The suspension was also hydraulic, recalling another Fantasy Garager, the Citroen SM. In fact, the two systems are similar, with a compressor hitched to the 6.9's timing belt providing the massive compression (2100 to 2900 psi) needed to make such systems fly. Er, float. The 6.9 also sported the world's first set of antilock brakes. This meant that you could cruise safely and quite comfortably all day long at the 6.9's top speed, just shy of 150 mph. The aforementioned Yates hooned the big Mercedes for 100 miles around Road Atlanta, doing nothing more than adding 5 psi to the tires. The 6.9 was simply unflapped. To quote:

I estimate that there aren't a dozen production sedans in the world that could be driven really hard for 10 laps or 25 miles around Road Atlanta without suffering severe mechanical ailments.

Therefore I posed what seemed to be a legitimate challenge for the 6.9 — 100 miles around Road Atlanta; 40 laps at speed. If such a distance could be accomplished without difficulty, the capacities of this automobile would far surpass anything outside a few lightweight, two-seaters and beyond the realm of comprehension for a heavy, four-door luxury sedan...

... It was over in one hour and twenty minutes, with an average speed just over 72 mph. The car rolled into the pits and aside from a slight, completely normal hissing sound as the hydropneumatic suspension readjusted itself, the 6.9 was behaving as if nothing had happened — much like a strong, young thoroughbred after an early morning exercise. This incredible machine had just been flogged for 100 miles on one of the most rigorous stretches of road to be found anywhere and it was now appearing to shrug its shoulders and await the next challenge! Barring a slight scuffing on the left side tires - owing to the predominance of right hand corners at Road Atlanta, and some black flecks of brake lining on its alloy wheels, the 6.9 looked as if it had just returned from a low speed tour through Central Park.

Massive power, utter stealth and the ability to turn 100 miles on one of the America's toughest tracks into a stroll in the park is the stuff they make dreams out of. Yates goes on to explain that he was hitting around 125 mph on the back straight. I remember just barely being able to get a 400 horsepower Maserati to 125 mph on that same straight. $40,000 is a good chunk of change for a car today. In 1977, that was a few dollars more than a Rolls-Royce and more than twice what a Jaguar cost. It also happens to be the price Mercedes wanted for a 6.9. Was it worth the money? Not only will we answer yes, but we want one in the Fantasy Garage. Happy voting.

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The Jalopnik Fantasy Garage, So Far:
RUF RT12 | 1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage | Honda 1300 Coupe 9 | 1931 Daimler Double Six 50 Corsica Drophead Coupe | Ferrari 288 GTO | Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 | 1970 Buick GSX 455 | First Generation BMW M Coupe | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 | Ford GT | Citroen SM | Porsche 928 | Jensen FF | DeTomaso Vallelunga | Audi Quattro S1 | Buick GNX | Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R | Honorary Fantasy Garager: The LS1 Powered Rotus | Lamborghini LM002 | Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe | Ferrari 250 GTO | Bentley Speed Six | Talbot-Lago T150C SS Figoni et Falaschi Raindrop/Teardrop Coupe | Porsche 917 | Audi RS4 Avant | Maybach Exelero | Lamborghini Miura

For those playing along at home, the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was the 1970s equivalent of AMG hardware. It was the company's flagship — an S-Class with firepower to match far smaller sports cars with far fewer seats. Its antecedent was the Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3, which was a highly precise, Teutonic response to the rise of American-style muscle and cheapo gasoline. Slicing off the rear half of this 450 to approximate caminoness insults all that is good and proper with the world, likely murdering kittens and class hamsters and depriving small children of dairy products by its mere existence. To paraphrase Yoda, let this happen not. [Thanks (sort of) to Tyler for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Related:
Party 'Til You Puke: Another Benzamino! [internal]

One of the most storied automotive films ever, er, filmed, Claude Lelouch's C'etait un Rendezvous has been cloaked in mystery since the moment it was released. Was it one of Lelouch's F1 racing pals behind the wheel of what often was assumed to be a Ferrari 275GTB? Was it Lelouch himself? No, no and yes. No, it wasn't a racing driver, the car was a Mercedes 6.9 that the director still owns (the Ferrari was dubbed in to add to the thrill factor), and yes, it was Lelouch behind the wheel.

What's more, the girl at the end is Claude's babymomma, and he did in fact have one spotter, when he exits the second tunnel near the Louvre. The spotter was supposed to radio the driver in case there was traffic after a blind turn. Lelouch got no signal, so he hammered it. It turns out later that the walkie-talkie was broken.

The Ferrari was dubbed in after the 6.9's own score was deemed to be not-so-exciting (although, due to the Merc's air suspension, it made an ideal camera car for the touchy gyroscopically-balanced camera), and as Lelouch posits, the run really did happen, but the Ferrari noises make it more exciting. What's more, as Herr Roy — our tipster and translator on this one — points out, yes, there are a few glitches in terms of shift timing in the film (he counts three), but the fact that 98% of them are right-on is frankly pretty amazing.

How'd they do it? Our guess is a chassis dyno on a soundstage, but that's a card that Lelouch has yet to reveal.

Mapping the Rendezvous [Internal]