The Mercedes-Benz C111 Research Vehicle was first completed in 1969 and sported a fiberglass body with gullwing doors. The C111 was tested with a center mounted Wankel Engine, turbo-Diesel engine with the final C111 model hosting a 500 hp V8 Gasoline engine. Breaking several diesel and gas speed records, the most impressive records came when the Mercedes-Benz C111 set a lap speed record with Dr. Hans Leibold behind the wheel. Dr. Leibold acheived 250 mph to finish a lap in 1 minute, 56.67 seconds on May 5, 1979.
Althought Mercedes-Benz received several request for purchase of the C111, it never went into production. The Mercedes-Benz C111 instead remained a research vehicle – setting standards for the design of modern sports cars.
