So far as I know, MB has always used a hinged accelerator pedal. Most of the older cars I've seen (1950's and back) did, too -- GM certainly did until the late sixties, so did Ford and Chysler.

The "floating" pedal debued in the mid to late sixties -- Ford starting with the "new" body style in 64 or 65, GM about the same time, supposedly easier to drive.

I guess MB never felt a need to change -- the operating rod on the MB slips in the pedal, so you don't get the "overcenter" action you have on, say, a 1962 Oldsmobile, that caused you to mash down on the gas at takeoff, since the pedal was almost immoble at idle. Took considerable pressure to go "over center" and then down, but very little resistance once it "popped over".

I've always thought that particular design was a result of the need to floor the accelerator on the old Buick Twin Turbine automatic -- to get the car moving before you fried the tranny from excessive slip. Started out in low gear, high slip turbine (two speed and reverse gear set, TWO two speed (high and low slip) fluid couplings. Famous for burned transmission oil.

And a side note to whoever said that MB automatics circa 1967 were "primitive" and "they never made an automatic before" -- MB made the 8 speed auto for the Super Panzer during WWII --long before Hydramatic designed anything for automotive use!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!