1979 Mercedes-Benz 300SD—Blue Velour for the Win!

One of the fun things about writing for Hagerty is I never know what I’ll run across next. Today’s subject is a case in point. At the time of this writing we had our very first cars and coffee in Bettendorf (and it was a brisk 46 degrees that day in Iowa!) and the first cruise-in at Coral Ridge Mall is about three weeks away. As a result I haven’t seen anything interesting lately to write about. But that changed yesterday.

My second favorite thing, after classic cars, is supper clubs. While there aren’t as many around today as in their prime in the 1950s through the 1970s, there are still several about here in the Midwest, the closest being The Cellar in Geneseo, Illinois—in business since 1960! And one of your author’s favorite places.

But there used to be an equally excellent supper club in Iowa City, about an hour west on Interstate 80 from Klockau Manor. My grandparents, Bob and Ruby, frequented it often in the Sixties and Seventies, often staying for the weekend and bringing along their Pekingese, Sam, as my uncle was attending the University of Iowa in the late 1970s. Their Continental basked in the hotel parking lot rather frequently during that time when they’d drive up to visit.

As a kid, I had to go up to University Hospital once a year due to some lingering issues from infancy, and usually my dad would take me. And often, we would stop at The Highlander for dinner before we went home. The last time was probably in the mid-90s, when I was in high school. Great food, especially the prime rib, and a classy place, with low lighting, vaulted ceiling and chandeliers. Long story short, it closed circa 1995, and while the hotel stayed open, it slowly went downhill, until about five years ago when it was purchased and completely renovated.

And what does this have to do with a turbodiesel S-Class? Well the supper club recently reopened, and back in April I drove up so I could check it out with my Uncle Dave and Aunt Lori. And while I was in Iowa City, I passed this lovely, if a bit careworn, 1979 300SD.

It was nice enough on the outside, but what really got me excited was peering through the tinted windows and seeing the most excellent navy blue velour! It was so nice. And while the exterior paint could use a little buffing and correction, the interior looked brand new.

Most of these S-Classes I’ve seen had the leather instead, usually in saddle tan or tobacco brown. And that looks nice too, but I love this navy velour so much more! What a cushy classic to take to cruise nights!

As the ad said, it had recently been driven to Iowa from Colorado, and apparently runs like a Swiss watch. I always liked the W116s, and had both the Matchbox toy version and the Majorette version as a kid. Sadly, the Majorette model didn’t make it past my childhood, but I still have the Matchbox taxi version!

1979 was the next to last year for this generation of S-Class, and was originally introduced in 1973, though it wasn’t imported to the States until the 1974 model year. While the previous S-Class is my favorite, my first choice would probably be a 6.3 in black with red leather; I also really like the W116s.

In 1979, folks shopping for Mercedes’ biggest sedan had four choices: 280SE, 300SD, 450SEL and the top of the heap and successor to the earlier 6.3—the 6.9, which could get to 55 mph in 7 seconds, excellent for its time.

The 300SD was the only diesel S-Class available, and in 1979 it was turbocharged. The engine was a fuel-injected five-cylinder, overhead-cam unit, backed up with a four-speed automatic with torque converter. Curiously, my 65-page 1979 Mercedes brochure did not list horsepower and torque, but clearly turbocharging the diesel gave it extra oomph.

And it was during the brick house era of Mercedes build quality, way before they became smitten with SUVs and crossovers. As the brochure confided, “The 300SD Turbodiesel is perhaps the most un-Diesel-like passenger car ever built. In wheelbase, in appearance, in its plush interior fittings, the 300SD Turbodiesel is indistinguishable from the most senior gasoline-powered Mercedes-Benz sedans—raising the once humble Diesel to virtual parity with some of the world’s most elegant automobiles.”

I sincerely hope this car finds a loving new owner who will fix the minor exterior issues and drive and enjoy it!

And for the two or three of you wondering, the Highlander Supper Club was excellent! It would have been grand to drive a conveyance such as the 300SD there, but my late-model MKZ still conveyed the proper supper club vibe in the parking lot, ha ha!