International Press Reviews of the Mercedes-Benz SL, 1955-2016

Mercedes-Benz 380 SL (R 107, production period 1971 to 1989). This model was in production from 1980 to 1985. Phantom view from front left. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: U97222)Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198)

“auto, motor und sport” noted in Issue 21/1955: “Amongst the sports cars of our time, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is both the most refined and the most fascinating – a dream of a motorcar.”

The British “Autosport” trade magazine praised it in its issue of 13 May 1955 after running road tests: “Truly, this car is indeed a projectile, and as our aircraft flew from Frankfurt to London I carried with me a souvenir of its performance – stiff, cramped neck muscles, a physical memento of its tremendous acceleration.”

Hopes of success in the US market were also pinned on the car: the magazine “Road & Track”, published in the United States, April 1955 Issue, enthused: “When enclosed comfort is combined with a remarkable ride, uncanny wheel adhesion, quick steering and performance equal to or better than almost any car you can name, the conclusion is inevitable. The sports car of the future is here today!”

The British magazine “Autocar” wrote on 25 March 1955: “For a passenger who has not travelled in the 300 SL before, the effect is electrifying. The occupant receives at first a mild pressing back into the seat and then, as the power comes in between 3,500 rpm and 4,000 rpm, he feels as though he is being rocketed through space.”

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (W 121)

Shortly after the presentation of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL at the International Motor Sports Show in New York, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 3/1954, wrote: “The Mercedes 190 SL is an elegant and fast touring sports car which can be used as a normal utility vehicle for everyday use, but also offers the possibility of being used with success at smaller-style sporting events. [...] As with the 300 SL, Mercedes has dispensed with the tradition-honoured radiator for this new model. The very harmonious front section, however, shows that it is possible to achieve a distinguished, sophisticated line without neglecting the attributes of both fashion and practicality.”

In its October 1955 issue, the US magazine “Road & Track” wrote in a road test about the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL: “The outstanding achievement of the 190 SL is without doubt its quality in design and workmanship. But a close second is the general feeling of solidity which it immediately conveys. [...] The car is at its best at high speeds.”

The “Automobil Revue”, Switzerland, wrote in its issue of 14 November 1956: “Despite its high performance, the 190 SL is not really a sports car, but an uncomplicated, serious touring car with all four wheels firmly on the ground, as it were. Thanks to its exemplary handling characteristics, it is one of the very few types of vehicle that allow one to reach the highest average speeds in complete safety without haste and with full consideration for other traffic.”

In 1960, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 15/1960, published a detailed test report on the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL: “The 190 SL owes its good reputation not only to its elegant appearance, but equally to its robustness and reliability and its precise handling characteristics. The quality craftsmanship of the body and roadster top are worthy of special mention.”

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198)

“Motor-Revue”, Germany, published a first driving report in its spring issue 21/1957. The test driver wrote: “When using the prescribed tyres, the 300 SL Roadster can be accelerated with the front wheels turned in at critical cornering speeds without showing the slightest tendency to break away. These lamb-like characteristics of a – depending on the axle ratio – 235-250 km/h sports car with tremendous acceleration, basically due to soft suspension and excellent matching, make the new Roadster the most powerful and at the same time safest car I have ever met. Even with the soft top down, I find the complete absence of vibrations, droning and resonance inside the car very remarkable – which is also down to the careful matching of the roll cage, suspension and wheels, which has been perfectly achieved.”

Mercedes-Benz SL of the W 113 model series

The specialist magazine “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 6/1963, characterised the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL: “A sports car that reaches 200 km/h, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds and has the smooth engine running and comfort of a touring car.”

A detailed test report in “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 21/1963, added: “The conclusion is that the 230 SL is one of the most refined sports cars ever made. Nevertheless, it deserves to be counted amongst the genuinely sporty cars, because it not only achieves sporty performance, but is also as manageable and safe to drive as one would expect from a sports car. [...] And finally: you can drive the 230 SL very fast, but you can also use it to maintain the dawdling pace that road traffic so often forces upon you.”

“Road & Track” took a close look at the 280 SL in Issue 8/1968: “The ride, over all sorts of roads, is fantastic. The body is absolutely rigid and rattle-free, regardless of which top is installed, and the supple suspension just works away down there without disturbing the superb poise of the SL.” 

Mercedes-Benz SL of the R 107 model series

In a first test of the Mercedes-Benz 350 SL, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 9/1971, wrote: “The main feature of the 350 SL proved to be the good suspension comfort, which can definitely be measured by limousine standards: at both slow and fast speeds, large bumps were managed well and small ones absorbed in such a way that they never become annoying, even on very bad roads.”

In 1986, “Road & Track”, USA, Issue 11/1986, compared the Mercedes-Benz 560 SL, already in its last production era, with the Cadillac Allanté, and summed up: “Legendary quality is Mercedes’ primary stock in trade, but brilliant performance and outstanding ABS braking have freshened it this year. Against these attributes, Cadillac brings better handling and greater luxury to bear while failing to match Mercedes’ performance and quality.”

“auto motor und sport”, Germany, wrote about the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL in Issue 5/1986: “Even in bends, the SL [modified with a new engine] exhibits behaviour that does not fit in at all with the way it is generally perceived. With its precise power steering, very high potential lateral accelerations and now only slight load alteration effects, this sedate-looking car with a long bonnet offers pretty much exactly what one expects from a thoroughbred Gran Turismo.”

Mercedes-Benz SL of the R 129 model series

Shortly after the premiere of the Mercedes-Benz SL 500, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 16/1989, wrote: “In general, the new SL is unsurpassed by any sports car in terms of passive safety. Apart from the sophisticated body construction and the optional airbags for driver and front passenger, the automatically deployed roll-over bar also takes away the fear of roll-overs. A little residual fear must have remained, because auto motor und sport did not attempt to put the function to the test.”

The American trade magazine “Road & Track”, Issue 3/1993, test-drove the twelve-cylinder Mercedes-Benz 600 SL: “Drive the 600 SL, however, and the change is dramatic. Although the 500 SL provides everything we expect from a Mercedes (a 0-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds, fine handling and safety), the V-12 just adds another dimension to this luxury sports car. Some of that is pure power. Time to 60 mph – by our watch – drops another 0.4 sec., but what impresses most is all that torque lying in wait when you kick the 4-speed down a gear or two. Add the matter of smoothness – the smoothness of power that builds strongly rather than erupts, and the aural smoothness of the engine’s hum in the background, even at full throttle.”

In a test report, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 16/1998, wrote about the Mercedes-Benz SL 500: “For nine years, the Mercedes SL 500 has embodied a highly cultivated blend of performance, safety and comfort. This philosophy includes the standard automatic transmission as well as the perfected juxtaposition of two roofs.”

Mercedes-Benz SL of the R 230 model series

In a test report on the Mercedes-Benz SL R 230 model series, “auto motor und sport”, Germany, Issue 12/2004, noted the following about the SL 500: “Plenty of comfort, plenty of safety, the dignified design, a touch of sportiness, horsepower à la carte, plenty of fresh air and, most recently, a hardtop in the boot – this rare mixture secures the two-seater a special position that makes it almost unrivalled”.

The stages of open-top driving in a Mercedes-Benz SL 350 were described by “autorevue”, Austria, Issue 7/2008: “Climate stages as the cool dusk falls: first you raise the front and rear side windows, then you ask the passenger to open the draught stop [...]. Then you might switch off the seat ventilation and switch on the heated seats. The climate control fans out basic warmth. Next comes the Airscarf in three heat settings, that seductive warm-air neck blower (which you will then miss on your settee in the sitting room). Finally, there is the grand roof finale in all its glory, and all is well.”

Shortly after the debut of the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series, “Road & Track”, USA, Issue 1/2009, enthused: “Will anyone buy an SL 65 AMG Black Series for street use? Probably not. But for those few who might, the car is quite civilized on the road. The ride is firm, but not overly so. To truly appreciate the incredible prowess of the SL Black Series, take the car to the track. Its sheer power and speed, together with confidence-inspiring handling, make it one of the most satisfying supercars in the world.”

Mercedes-Benz SL of the R 231 model series

“autorevue”, Austria, judged the Mercedes-Benz SL 500 like this in Issue 6/2012: “The build quality, feel and functionality are simply superb, even if you apply the very highest standards. The SL remains the most compact way to drive a luxury saloon, even if it has noticeably increased in dimensions both inside and out.”

“sport auto”, Germany, wrote in its test report on the SL 63 AMG with performance package in Issue 9/2012: “The 564 hp SL 63 AMG is adept at bringing its elemental power to bear on the asphalt. The traction offered by the rear-axle limited-slip differential deserves praise.”

“Auto Zeitung”, Germany, in Issue 11/2016 about the Mercedes-Benz SL 400: “For decades, Mercedes has set the standard for luxurious, open two-seaters par excellence with the SL. [...] But this new one will appeal not only to SL traditionalists and aesthetes. Technical improvements include roof actuation up to 40 km/h after starting, the new standard LED Intelligent Light System as well as the partly optional arsenal of updated assistance systems from crash avoidance to lane keeping and lane change aids to the friendly parking butler that finds parking spaces and takes over the steering work.”

The Remarkable Car Films of 1971

By Lisa Page, in Hagerty Media, March 4, 2021.

With the era’s racing films and road movies, James Bond and Bullitt, the 1960s gave us the genesis of the modern action film, but the decade that followed defined and refined it. Stunts and stunt driving were more impressive than ever, and there was a boom in road movies and car chases. The 1970s is remembered as one of the best and most innovative decades in film, and cool cars were essential to this cinematic evolution.

Road films like Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider had been watershed moments in film history, and so the late ’60s through the early ’70s became a particularly prolific period for the genre: they reconfigured the western, trading in horses for cars. The American psyche had been fundamentally altered by a tumultuous period, from assassinations to the Vietnam War, and films reflected this change, abandoning the peace and love era for the new decade’s darkness, disillusionment, and fascination with antiheroes. And so the car-centered movies of the early ’70s would be defined by rebellion and wanderlust and loners on the road in search of new frontiers in dusty muscle cars.

Advances in technology also helped shape and pave the way for great films with equally great cars. Films like Grand Prix and Bullitt changed how vehicular action was shot, bringing about the advent of camera cars and the ability to put real people in real cars on a real road, meaning rear projection was slowly becoming a thing of the past.

These circumstances would come to a head 50 years ago in 1971. It was the perfect storm of road odysseys, gripping car chases, and spectacle, a year that gave us some of the best star cars of all time. Splashed on screen was an embarrassment of riches from James Bond’s 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 to Kowalski’s 1970 Dodge Challenger.

The Last Run

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In Richard Fleischer’s film, George C. Scott plays Harry Garmes, a getaway driver in a Bullitt-esque black turtleneck who comes out of retirement after nine years for one last job. (We all know how that goes.) Garmes has a symbiotic relationship with his car, a rare 1957 BMW 503 convertible that was clearly a beloved relic from the peak of his career. This BMW is doubly special, as there were only 413 built from 1956 through 1959, and only 139 of these were convertibles. Fleischer showcases this unique car with lovely footage of Scott driving it around the Portuguese and Spanish countryside, as well as a solid chase where Scott is pursued by a pretty white ’69 Jaguar XJ6 and a ’69 Dodge Barreiros Dart.

Le Mans

Bernard Cahier/Getty Images

Le Mans was Steve McQueen’s long-gestating magnum opus about the greatest endurance race in the world. Lee H. Katzin’s documentary-style film was shot on the Le Mans circuit during and after the race, with real race car drivers, at speed. It was a massively expensive and troubled production without a script, but it paid off with some of the best racing footage ever filmed. It also boasted a star-studded cast of cars: Ferrari 512s, Porsche 917s, and a slate gray 1970 Porsche 911S not unlike the 1969 Porsche 911S that Steve McQueen had at home in America.

Diamonds Are Forever

United Artists

Diamonds Are Forever boasts a moon-buggy chase through the desert, a yellow 1970 Triumph Stag, and the briefest cameo from a ’68 Aston Martin DBS, but its true star is a red 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1. The Mustang was brand new at the time, given to the production by Ford. James Bond takes it for a ride through a flickering-neon Las Vegas while pursued by a fleet of police cars with a luminous Jill St. John in his passenger seat. Bond finally eludes the sheriff by driving the Mustang on its side, improbably skating through a narrow alley on just two wheels. In an infamous goof, the car emerges from the alley on the wrong side—but no one really watches James Bond movies for their realism.

Dirty Harry

Warner Bros.

Our introduction to loose cannon Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) finds him battling bureaucracy to try and take down a sniper called Scorpio. Harry earned his nickname because he “gets every dirty job that comes along,” and he finds plenty of these dirty jobs while cruising the streets of San Francisco in his unmarked prowl car, a midnight blue 1968 Ford Custom 500. During the ’60s, the Ford Custom was a popular model for police, as it was a powerful car at a reasonable price point. (The Galaxie was a bit too luxe.) In his Ford Custom, Harry looks for trouble or creates some of his own, usually taking the law into his own hands, whether he’s catching robberies in progress or hunting Scorpio.

Two-Lane Blacktop

Universal Pictures

In Monte Hellman’s existential road movie, the American dream is elusive, defined by one of its characters as a place where “the nights are warm, and the roads are straight.” The film follows its lonely characters as they race cross-country for each other’s pink slips. The Mechanic (Dennis Wilson) and The Driver (James Taylor) drive a souped-up 1955 Chevy One-Fifty two-door sedan, with Warren Oates as GTO in an Orbit Orange 1970 Pontiac GTO. Screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer explained that the bright orange GTO is “the consumer car par excellence, a metaphor for the consumer culture. It’s absurd, but in a great way,” whereas the Chevy is “the artist’s car, made and created by people who are in love with the process of building a car.”

Execs thought the movie would be boring because it was all shot inside a car, so Hellman countered with a diagram illustrating how he could shoot 24 different angles. Though Two-Lane doesn’t provide the adrenaline rush of, say, The French Connection, Hellman demonstrated just how good a car can look on film.

The French Connection

20th Century Studios

The film that launched a thousand car chases. With The French Connection, William Friedkin established himself as the master of the chase. Popeye Doyle (the legendary Gene Hackman) commandeers a 1971 Pontiac LeMans to pursue an elevated train. In an attempt to create a documentary feel, Friedkin’s approach to filming was extremely reckless, with no streets blocked off or permission from the city to shoot. He had stunt driver Bill Hickman (also of Bullitt fame) in the driver seat going up to 90 mph for 26 blocks. What results is a perfect synthesis of character and story, an illustration of Popeye Doyle and his indomitable drive. The French Connection and its chase were so influential they became an aspirational template for modern crime and action films.

Duel

Universal Pictures

Richard Matheson was inspired to write his story about extreme road rage after his own terrifying experience nearly getting annihilated by a massive truck. This became Steven Spielberg’s immaculate feature-film debut, his horror riff on the road movie and a precursor to Jaws. Duel’s David and Goliath story pits a red 1971 Plymouth Valiant, an underdog of a car driven by everyman Dave Mann (McCloud’s Dennis Weaver), against a hot-rod 1955 Peterbilt 281 tanker. This invulnerable truck is operated by an unseen, possibly supernatural force. (In truth, seasoned stunt driver Carey Loftin of Bullitt fame was behind the wheel.)

Vanishing Point

20th Century Studios

Another existential road movie and elegiac to the counterculture of the 1960s. Where Two-Lane is pared down and unsentimental Vanishing Point is romantic, mythic, tragic. In it, car delivery driver Kowalski (Barry Newman) bets he can make it from Denver to San Francisco in under 24 hours. In doing so, he catches the attention of every cop in between and inadvertently becomes “the last American hero,” at least according to Cleavon Little’s disc jockey Super Soul. Kowalski’s “soul mobile” is a white 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 440 Magnum, an instant icon that Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to decades later in his 2007 film Death Proof.

Enhanced Digital, Flexible and Sustainable Production at Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations 360 (MO360) makes complex vehicle production completely transparent and maximizes its efficiency. The new digital ecosystem comprises a family of software applications which are connected via shared interfaces and standardized user interfaces. These applications use real-time data to support the worldwide vehicle production of Mercedes-Benz Cars. Large parts of MO360 are already in use at more than 30 plants around the world. The networked plants supply data which the MO360 applications can access. Other applications for the digital support of production staff at Mercedes-Benz Cars are set to be integrated into MO360 successively. MO360 combines efficiency and quality tools in a functional unit for maximum transparency in highly digitalised automotive production. The digital ecosystem is being used in full for the first time at the new Factory 56 in Sindelfingen. It will thus serve as a blueprint for all plants throughout the Mercedes-Benz Cars production network.

"With MO360, Mercedes-Benz is setting milestones in digital production. The key enablers of the new digital ecosystem are smart data usage, maximum transparency and streamlined processes. This makes the seamless networking of previously separate processes possible and increase efficiency," explains Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG responsible for Production and Supply Chain Management. MO360 enables the automotive manufacturer to make use of cutting-edge big-data analytics and also to implement artificial intelligence methods in production. "Thanks to improved processes, comprehensive data availability in our MO360 data lake and fast decisions based on real-time data, we will be able to increase production efficiency by more than 15 percent by 2022. We are ensuring the complete digital support of each member of the production staff," according to Burzer.

MO360 integrates the information from the main production processes and IT systems of the more than 
30 Mercedes-Benz passenger car plants worldwide and brings together important software applications. It delivers significantly optimised KPI-based production control, for example. It also makes individual, needs-based information and work instructions available to each employee in real time. One precondition for the transparency of all production processes, equipment monitoring and access in real time is that all elements in the system speak the same language. Mercedes-Benz ensures this by comprehensive, worldwide use of the control software "Integra": from sensor level at individual machines right up to production control, and also in its cooperation with all suppliers and system partners. Sophisticated cloud solutions deliver scalability and allow extensive big-data processing. All this makes MO360 the key ecosystem of Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations and therefore also the new benchmark for highly digitalised automotive production.

All in all, MO360 reflects the Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations aspiration to manufacture excellent products based on outstanding production methods. The ecosystem is based on all Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations strategic pillars: driving digitalisation forward, using resources sustainably, delivering the potential to use and expand motivated employees, providing maximum flexibility in the global production network as well as outstanding processes and maximum operating safety.

"A key success factor for MO360 lies in the fact that cross-functional teams of production and IT experts develop the ecosystem by agile and iterative collaboration. Organisational boundaries no longer have a role to play," stresses Jan Brecht, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz. "All teams systematically utilise continuous feedback from production to optimise and enhance the digital tools. The teams continuously improve the software in short-cycle sprints with the aim of providing MO360 users with lasting perceptible benefits. In this way we are able to achieve regular software release cycles of just two weeks. For software engineering in the field of production, that is an absolute record," explains Brecht.

New standard for highly digitalised automotive production

The importance of MO360 is also shown by the Factory 56 at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant, which will be opened in September 2020. With it, Mercedes-Benz is redefining automotive production. This factory of the future meets all of the criteria for fully digital, flexible and sustainable production. For this, as one of the most modern automotive production facilities in the world, it relies consistently and comprehensively on innovative technologies and processes with Industry 4.0 technologies. High-speed mobile phone networks are also installed in parts of the production hall based on the future-oriented 5G standard, in order to connect processes, machines, plants and devices to each other. MO360 also comprises inch-perfect tracking of all vehicles in the factory halls in real time, so that each application in the ecosystem knows precisely, at any time, where a particular vehicle is located.

In the Factory 56, the employees work in a fully digital manner. As a key component of MO360, the PAPERLESS FACTORY gives each employee precisely the individually tailored information they need to work on the Mercedes-Benz vehicle right in front of them. In addition, all worker feedback, such as on quality inspections, is in digital form. This way of working not only increases efficiency, but also sets standards for sustainable production. Factory 56 alone will save around ten tonnes of paper per year thanks to the PAPERLESS FACTORY.

360-degree quality assurance

Mercedes-Benz produces top-quality vehicles. It is therefore crucial that all employees in production are supported to optimum effect in their work. The QUALITY LIVE quality management system, which is likewise part of the MO360 ecosystem, provides them at all times with press-button access to the live status of each individual vehicle. To make it possible to react to any non-conformities immediately and before the end of the production line, QUALITY LIVE has access to all production data. The system informs the quality management representatives and the workers proactively by smartphone or handheld about the current quality status in their area. As a subsystem of MO360, QUALITY LIVE also supports the structured problem-solving process as well as continuous process optimisation. It does this, when necessary, by making suggestions for efficient rework using AI methods. This makes for optimised quality control loops with the objective of ensuring that vehicles roll off the line without the need for rework. The stored knowledge is available to all the plants of the global production network.

Data availability and compatibility in real time

The applications of the MO360 ecosystem interlink seamlessly with each other: They are fully integrated both in terms of processes and data. As a result, production data for example flow fully automatically into digital Shopfloor Management (SFMdigital), so that those responsible are aware of the live status of production at any time. They have fast and focused access to production- and control-related KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), enabling them to react quickly and transparently to what is currently happening on the production line. Alongside workforce deployment, the KPIs include the "first time capability rate" (all vehicles without rectification work), the production targets per shift or the work in process, which shows how many vehicles make up the target/actual comparison in an area, for example in interior fitting. MO360 thus simplifies the decision-making process for efficient control of production while maintaining vehicle production in perfect quality constantly at the highest possible level. In daily shop floor rounds, SFMdigital supports the structured application of quality processes and at the same time functions as a digital communication tool - for the problem-solving process, for example.

State-of-the-art software engineering

In developing the MO360 digital ecosystem, Mercedes-Benz relies on cross-functional, collaborating teams made up of IT and production experts. The focus of this product-oriented approach is on "Full Digital Value" – the added value created by a digital tool in production. Newly developed functions are continually tested in ongoing production. The feedback gained in this way flows directly back into software development in short cycles.

State-of-the-art IT technologies and procedures play a dominant role in the digitalisation of Mercedes-Benz production. A key element is DevOps: with this form of organisation for modern software development, integrated teams take on overall responsibility not only for development (Dev) of the software components, but also for their subsequent operations (Ops). Technologically, MO360 relies on reusable API interfaces (Application Programming Interface), scalable cloud solutions, and primarily on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). As such, the MO360 teams make use of the advantages of the global developer community as well as the dynamism and cost-efficiency of Open Source projects.

The modular family of applications is intuitive to use thanks to a modern user interface and clear controls. A common element of all MO360 applications is the so-called microservice architecture. This refers to the modular design of the overall system using independent components, which, in turn, communicate via API interfaces. The microservice architecture enables further applications to be successively integrated into MO360 without coming up against complexity limits.

Thus, for example, in future the maintenance of all Mercedes-Benz plants around the world will be connected to the MO360 digital ecosystem with the "SMART MAINTANANCE" application. This is because maintenance data provides new potential, such as for predictive maintenance. An example: If MO360 can detect that an electric motor in a production facility will soon need replacing, this can be done promptly in a suitable time window before wear and downtimes result in possible additional costs. In future, the "AUTO SC" application will also be used to optimise logistical processes both between and within plants.

In a next step it is planned to network a complete factory with MO360 at one location and develop it as a test factory for the plants worldwide. It is also conceivable to make parts of MO360 available to interested partners. "Our know-how is very much in demand – we received this feedback in initial informal discussions in completely different fields of activity and sectors," says Jörg Burzer. Jan Brecht goes on to explain: "For this, too, we are clearly thinking along the lines of Open Source. We will release our MO360 Frontend Toolkit on Github.com in the third quarter of 2020. We are already excited about receiving feedback and, above all, about additional innovation impulses from the worldwide community."

1960 Chrysler Imperial Dash Option!

From Ed -- Perhaps one of the oddest dashes on a car in the 1960s was the 1960 Chrysler Imperial that would scare dogs and little children -- looking through the non-circular steering wheel with the curvilinear horn ring and staring at the gauges one sees a monster or an alien.

Not sure I'd want to view this on a long trip!  Push button transmission to the left and heater/ventilation buttons to the right.  There was also the option to get the dash in lavender.  Yes, lavender.  And that one had the optional air conditioning with vents on the dash that  could be twisted to get the desired air flow.

ONE WONDERS IF THERE ARE ANY SURVIVORS IN COLLECTOR'S HANDS!