Round half-hour from the birthplace of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart is a expert that’s been operating at the marque since prior to the flip of the millennia.
Again within the overdue ’90s, a passionate, graduate electric engineer through the title of Frank Rickert used to be operating at AMG’s Affalterbach plant when he had an concept. Frank noticed a chance to take in depth AMG and Mercedes-Benz wisdom he realized at the task, and use it to flip the present merchandise he used to be operating on up a notch.
At this level, Frank knew the entirety there used to be to find out about retrofitting fresh handsfree telephones (and take into account, this used to be new tech again then) into older Mercedes-Benz fashions. He sought after to do extra to the automobiles than simply the units even though, so he made the soar and began his personal corporate.
In 1997, Frank created Mechatronik. A German play at the phrases ‘mechanics’ and ‘electronics,’ Mechatronik would develop over the years yet to come, changing into an business chief in distinctive, custom-order Mercedes-Benzes, supplied with no longer simply the most recent generation to be had, but additionally fashionable powerplants to compare the trendy expectancies of the three-pointed stars on their bonnets.
Appearing me round their amenities and telling me the Mechatronik tale is my excursion information, Kevin.
Kevin has been a part of the industry since 2017, and is easily versed within the historical past and keenness that is going into the corporate’s product. That itself is rather spectacular, because the achieve of Mechatronik’s paintings and skill is so huge that it stretches additional than any storage and workshop I’ve noticed prior to.
As of late, Mechatronik specializes in two main operating spaces (3 if you happen to rely Cartique, the Mechatronik supercar dealership, which we will be able to have a look at all over again.)
The primary house is recovery and upkeep. With over 25 years of revel in operating on Mercedes-Benzes, there truly isn’t a subject or drawback that fazes the Mechatronik group right here in Stuttgart. All through my excursion I noticed all method of shopper automobiles being maintained in and across the storage.
Those automobiles had been flawless. Mechatronik’s upkeep division isn’t some type of elementary mechanics shed with a couple of C-Magnificence diesel taxis up on ramps getting new wheel bearings. No, the shoppers who deliver their automobiles listed below are world. Those other folks have uncommon, low-mileage examples of Mercedes-Benz’s largest hits, and Mechatronik is the specialist they accept as true with to seem after them.
With nice wisdom comes a stacked CV to give a boost to their paintings. Kevin proudly informed me that Mechatronik is the one specialist officially recognised through Mercedes-Benz that may legitimately carrier and care for the CLK GTR.
Discuss with the Mechatronik facility at any given time and chances are high that they’ll have one CLK GTR being labored on. After I visited, the group had two in. One, the silver street automobile you’ll see within the pictures, and the second one, a complete GT1-spec automobile in bits, getting recommissioned again in combination for a brand new hire of existence.
Subsequent to that? Oh, only a CLK DTM dressed in the ever iconic Vodafone livery… with the 4.0L V8 that powered the automobile to win the 2003 DTM championship out at the facet for upkeep. Seeing those automobiles in bits truly provides to the magic of engineering that went into growing them. Not anything used to be compromised to be able to pursue racing victory.
My spotlight? More than likely the 190 E DTM automobile that Keke Rosberg drove within the 1992 championship a decade after his F1 championship win.
But it surely’s no longer simply the mid ’00s and overdue ’90s that function within the Mechatronik’s garages. This talk over with happened a pair days after Mechatronik’s annual open area weekend, they usually nonetheless had a few of their maximum attention-grabbing initiatives out on show for me to {photograph}. Their fashions of selection are the W113 SL Pagoda and the W111 Coupe.
Now, if Mechatronik are certified for the task of having a look after those automobiles, one can start to symbol the care and a spotlight that is going into the second one part of the industry. Along the upkeep, Mechatronik additionally construct their very own Mercedes-Benz fashions from the bottom up as custom-order automobiles.
Charmingly known as the M-SL or the M-Coupe (M status for Mechatronik), those automobiles obtain the Mechatronik remedy each in recovery and in upgrades. “The primary automobile we did used to be the Pagoda. Then, we used the two.3 V6 that got here in quite a lot of ’90s Mercedes on the time,” Kevin started to inform me.
“As of late, our automobiles include a collection of two V8s – both a 4.3 or 5.0, either one of which got here new in Mercedes automobiles in 1997, such because the S500.”
Sourcing the automobile itself is exclusive to every buyer. Mechantronik can search them out, however ceaselessly the automobile is already within the proprietor’s ownership. Kevin explains: “A few of our shoppers deliver their very own Pagodas, which can be circle of relatives heirlooms. Most likely the automobile used to be owned through the buyer’s father.”
“Sticking with our heritage, we retrofit quite a lot of digital items onto the automobiles. ABS and ASR get built-in in, in addition to creature comforts corresponding to electrical home windows or heated seats,” defined Kevin. Those are issues we take without any consideration nowadays, however needless to say we’re speaking about Nineteen Sixties automobiles right here.
With that sorted, the automobile is then given the Mechatronik remedy. I make this sound directly ahead, however it is a two to three-year-long procedure. It comes to deep-diving into each unmarried side of the automobile, from a restored, almost new powertrain, to an immaculately repainted frame and best possible sewing in a completely tradition internal.
When you didn’t know higher, you wouldn’t be capable of inform that those choices weren’t to be had at the authentic base automobiles. “The automobiles aren’t made to be race automobiles. We attempt to stay the texture of the previous automobile with such things as the previous guidance field and length proper visuals.”
“With that mentioned even though they’re nonetheless rather sporty. As an example, now we have an ideal courting with KW and use their suspension parts at the automobiles. The function for us is for the M-SL and M-Coupe to be the very best, usable vintage day-to-day driving force, and we take dynamics into consideration right here. We make them completely best possible.”
Kevin’s self assurance is subsidized through the culmination of Mechatronik’s labour. The magic concerned with the M-SL and M-Coupe is their usability and reliability which comes from the more moderen, upgraded energy vegetation. “A few of these automobiles cross to shoppers in all places the arena the place upkeep of an previous, authentic Pagoda is difficult. The M-SL even though may also be taken care of in puts corresponding to South Africa or Australia which aren’t the simpler puts to possess previous automobiles. Take a Mechatronik’s Pagoda to a Benz broker even though, and also you’ll have extra success.” After-sale servicing and service is one thing I didn’t even believe prior to chatting with Kevin.
Even in a spot like London even though, the place vintage automobile possession is more straightforward than ever, I nonetheless discovered myself strolling clear of my talk over with to Mechatronik HQ lusting over an M-SL. It’s a part of the Germanic perfection and beauty that comes hand in hand with the usability of the automobiles.
Upload within the iconic appears of the Pagoda and you have got your self exactly what Mechatoniks got down to create – a great, usable vintage day-to-day driving force.
Michał Fidowicz
Instagram: candyshowroom
