Umm, "todays standards" caint touch the olden days when race circuit determined design and auto companies actually told the market what was best, fastest, most economical etc in every category. Question of auto industry discovering itself with marked independence back in the olden days.

Nowadays its like girly-show 'fashion designer' cars catering to consumer tastes, gov. regs and weird marketing interference. The 6.9 w116 is/was last ghasp of MB actually pushin the limit and asserting itself, as i'm sure we all oughta agree.