In 1962, the Stuttgart-based automaker unveiled the 300 SE Coupé and 300 SE Cabriolet models of the W 112 series at the 32nd Geneva Motor Show. The two two-door, four-seater cars are the result of the consistent combination of technical brilliance, impressive performance and a very special demand for style and elegance. In terms of style, the coupe and cabriolet are based on the corresponding variants of the 220 SE (W 111). The frame floor system is taken over unabridged from the tailfin sedan, underlining the stately appearance of the two two-door vehicles with a wheelbase of 2.75 meters and an overall length of 4.88 meters.

However, compared with the versions with the 2.2-liter engine, the new models wear additional trim elements and are equipped with the engine and technology of the 300 SE sedan. The in-line six-cylinder light-alloy M 189 IV engine initially produced 160 hp (118 kW) at 5000 rpm, and from 1964 the engine then provided 170 hp (125 kW) at 5400 rpm. Depending on the rear-axle ratio and engine variant, the Coupé and Cabriolet thus achieve top speeds of between 175 km/h and 195 km/h.

Standard equipment includes a four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, air suspension and a dual-circuit braking system with disc brakes on the front and rear wheels. Additional chrome embellishments include a chrome strip running from the headlights to the taillights in the longitudinal surround, as well as pronounced trim on the front and rear wheel arches.

In March 1962, the two new models not only marked the top of their series. They also set the general standard for two highly exclusive body styles, each with its own special interpretation of the fascination of the automobile: the luxury-class coupé and cabriolet.

Driving a luxury-class coupe is a form of automotive culture that is as exclusive as it is elegant. That’s because the two-door closed touring car combines flowing forms and a sporty ambience with powerful drives and fine appointments.

The luxury-class convertible, on the other hand, opens up to the sky, tearing down the boundaries between the passenger compartment and the environment. Particularly with the soft top folded back, this type of vehicle combines an originality of being on the road in an automobile with prestigious yet sporty travel. The solid soft top also offers the security of a coupe if desired.

These special values are exemplified time and again by the coupés and cabriolets of the Mercedes-Benz luxury class. That is why the understanding and appreciation of both vehicle concepts are manifested by a large number of types in the brand and model culture of Mercedes-Benz.

The two-door models are convincing as original, independent vehicle designs, despite their technical and stylistic proximity to the saloon. For example, Mercedes-Benz does not use a central bodyshell component of the four-door model for the design of the Coupé and Cabriolet. The developers of the two-door models are also going their own way in terms of design; for example, they only hint at the tail fins of the sedan in the Coupé and Cabriolet.

However, the two two-door models are closely related: Except for the missing roof and the necessary body stiffeners, the convertible corresponds to the coupe in all details. The coupe even has the potential for further models. This is demonstrated by the modification of a 300 SE Coupé in 1962: for this one-off production, the Mercedes-Benz testing department removed the rear roof end with the rear window and installed a retractable folding top. This created a particularly exclusive Landaulet (Landauer), which, however, did not go into series production.

The technical details of both 3-liter models were modified several times during their production. For example, a 4-speed manual transmission was available for the 300 SE Coupé and Cabriolet from March 1963. And January 1964 then brings the changeover of the fuel injection system to a six-ram injection pump, which increases engine output by 10 hp (7 kW) to 170 hp (125 kW).

The Mercedes-Benz coupés and cabriolets of the luxury class already proved to be timeless classics during the 1960s. In the summer of 1965, the W 111 and W 112 tail fin sedans were replaced by the W 108 series. Only the 230 S model, which was created by revising the 220 Sb model, continued to be built until 1968, including as the 230 S Universal station wagon. The coupés and cabriolets remained in the range, however: after all, the exclusive two-door models looked fresh and elegant even next to the new-generation sedans. However, there are some detail changes for the two-door models on the technical basis of the new sedans. On the 300 SE models, for example, these include larger disc brakes and 14-inch wheels.

Construction of the 300 SE Coupé and 300 SE Cabriolet came to an end in December 1967. In September 1969, the 280 SE 3.5 Coupé and Cabriolet were ready as their successors. Their completely newly developed 3.5-liter V8 engine delivers 200 hp (147 kW). With just 708 units produced, the open-top version of the 300 SE is the most exclusive variant of all the Mercedes-Benz luxury-class coupés and cabriolets in this model series. The 300 SE coupé is built exactly 2,419 times from 1962 to 1967.