New Air Springs for Vintage Cars

May 2011ContiTech has collaborated with the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center to reconstruct a 40-year-old component for the Mercedes 600.

Through to the present day, the Mercedes 600 remains the incarnation of prestige motoring. To overhaul the suspension system on the armored version of the luxury vehicle, two premium manufacturers, ContiTech and Mercedes-Benz, brought air springs that were beginning to show their age into line with the current state-of-the-art.

Back in 2009 the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center approached ContiTech: The old air springs were no longer being made, so new ones were needed. This involved overcoming a number of obstacles. The problem was that the drawings for the air springs – produced by Phoenix in the ’60s and ’70s – no longer existed. So ContiTech developers meticulously studied the components, some of which were up to forty years old. They adapted the new air springs not only to the vehicle but also to what is now state-of-the-art.

It should be kept in mind that 40 years ago, the Mercedes 600 was regarded as the highest state of technological perfection. Features on the car included air springs, automatic transmission, air conditioning, power steering and power brakes. The governments of a number of countries had the luxury vehicle, which debuted in 1964, in their official fleets. It is in circulation to this very day. Heads of state, celebrities and, of course, vintage car aficionados still gladly make use of the armored version of the 600.