This is a 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC that was modified in-period by the team at Koenig Specials, a team of (possibly mad) Germans led by the inimitable ex-racing driver Willy König.
The cars turned out by the Koenig Specials crew were some of the first truly off-the-wall, high-performance modified cars – long before companies like Liberty Walk, RWB, and Mansory took up the mantle. Interestingly, this car is also said to have appeared in a period German drama film.
Fast Facts: The Koenig Specials Mercedes 450 SLC
- This 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC was modified in-period by Koenig Specials, the German tuning outfit led by racer and entrepreneur Willy König. It carries the full wide-body treatment the company became known for, including flared arches, deep spoilers, side strakes, and wide gold BBS wheels that push it far beyond stock appearance.
- The cabin has bright red leather, a KS-branded Italvolanti steering wheel, and Persian-style patterned floor mats that may be later additions. The engine bay looks almost stock aside from some cosmetic chrome touches. The original 4.5 liter M117 V8 made 222 bhp and 278 lb ft in standard form, using a single-cam per bank, two-valve-per-cylinder layout.
- Koenig Specials earned its reputation in the 1970s and 1980s by building outrageous reworks of high-end European cars, including Testarossas with four-figure horsepower and 911 Turbos capable of near-200-mph speeds. König’s designs became influential in the tuning world, and the company’s surviving creations now appeal to collectors who value their rarity and wild styling.
- This particular SLC is said to have appeared in a German drama titled “In Namen des Vaters”, though that detail remains unverified. The car is currently offered on eBay out of Fort Lauderdale with a $49,000 Buy It Now price. Koenig Specials still sells body kits today, even though they no longer build complete cars.
History Speedrun: Willy König And His “Koenig Specials”
Koenig Specials GmbH was founded by eccentric millionaire and successful racing driver Willy König (sometimes spelled “Willy Koenig”) 1977 to formally sell kits and parts that Koenig had been developing and selling since 1974.
Here we see Willy König (right) with his son, in front of three of his creations. Image courtesy of Koenig Specials GmbH.
The cars built by Willy and his team were extreme to say the least, so extreme that former friend Enzo Ferrari demanded that any Ferrari modified by Koenig have its badges removed or face legal action – as the company no longer considered it to be a Ferrari.
Love them or hate them, Willy and his team at Koenig had a significant influence on the global car tuning and modification scene. The company sold wide body kits, suspension systems, performance engine parts and they offered fully-built cars.
One of the company’s most famous creations was an extensively modified Ferrari Testarossa with an avant garde body kit and a significantly modified twin-turbo engine capable of 1,000+ bhp. They also built a Porsche 911 Turbo with up to 550 bhp and a top speed not far off 200 mph.
A slew of wild cars rolled out of the Koenig facilities during the 1970s and 1980s, today they’re considered quite collectible but only to a specific kind of collector – one who cares more for the car’s unusual nature than their lost originality.
This is a 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC that was modified in-period by the team at Koenig Specials, a team of (possibly mad) Germans led by the inimitable ex-racing driver Willy König.
Interestingly, Koenig Specials GmbH is still in operation to this day selling body kits for cars from its glory days, though they no longer build custom cars in-house.
The Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC By Koenig Specials
This is a 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC that was modified in-period by Koenig Specials, the listing doesn’t go into too much detail on the mods that were applied to the car, but we went over the images in detail and added our findings below.
The one thing that can’t be argued is that the car received the full Koenig Specials bodykit treatment, with the flared wheelarches, front and rear spoilers, Testarossa-style side strakes, and wide, gold center BBS wheels.
Inside, you’ll find a red leather interior, with a KS Italvolanti steering wheel, and a set of Persian floormats – although it’s not clear if these are original or if they were added later. Under the hood there appear to be minimal engine mods, perhaps a little additional chrome but no fire-breathing twin-turbo upgrade kits.
In stock trim the Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC was capable of 222 bhp and 278 lb ft of torque, it was powered by the M117 V8 with a single overhead cam per bank, two valves per cylinder, and a displacement of 4,520cc from 1973 until it was upgraded to 4,973cc in in 1978.
The Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC was capable of 222 bhp and 278 lb ft of torque, it was powered by the M117 V8 with a single overhead cam per bank, two valves per cylinder, and it has a displacement of 4,520cc.
The listing for this car notes that it appeared in a period German drama film named “In Namen des Vaters,” however we haven’t been able to find any additional information about this film or verify the claim. It is also the German name for the British/Irish film “In the Name of the Father” starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson, and Pete Postlethwaite, but this doesn’t seem to be related to the car in anyway.
The car is now being offered for sale on eBay out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a Buy It Now price of $49,000 USD and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more of make them an offer.
Images courtesy of Plush Auto
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
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