One thing I've always loved about Benz's are their awesome brakes. Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer of Disc Brakes in '68 (and have been standard on all cars since then).

Were they also the first with ABS? What was the first model year ABS was available?

Regards,
- Ryan

P.S. I don't actually know the answer, trying to find out

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'95 E420 - 'Shadowfax' 138kmi.
'92 Volvo 740Turbo Bard 193kmi
'74 240D - 'Ol' Green' 4spd Manual 104kmi. (sold )
'77 300D - 'Red' 223kmi (sold)
'75 240D - 'Bianca the Blue Bomber' (sold)

I believe that the 1976 or 1977 450SEL had ABS. The 6.9 I know came with ABS.

I am almost sure about the 1977.

1976 maybe ?

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1994 E500 (MY SUNDAY DRIVER)
1993 190E SPORTLINE LE W/ M104 SWAP
1997 C230
2002 ML320
2000 BMW 528I (WIFEY'S CAR)

"Excuses are crutches for the unfounded."

a (I think) 1969 or 1970/71 MB two door hardtop (not exactly sure the model designation - I seem to remember him saying a 280SE or something like that - it is a fairly large car) that came standard with ABS. Not sure if all this is true or not but he told me that when MB first came out with it the Detroit automakers got it outlawed because they were concerned that the Detroit cars (with way inferior brakes) would not be able to stop in time behind the MB's with the ABS.

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Jim

From Mercedes-Benz.com:

On December 9,1970 - more then twenty five years ago - Professor Dr. Ing. Dr.-Ing E.h. Hans Scherenberg, at that time a member of the Daimler-Benz Board of Management, unveiled a new development which was to revolutionise vehicle handling and road safety.The anti-bloc system, as it was then known, is now famous around the world under the name anti-lock braking system, or ABS for short.

This ground-breaking development averts accidents by preventing wheel lock and keeping the car steerable. It can also be combined with other electronic handling control systems such as Electronic Traction System (DTS), Acceleration Skid Control (ASR), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), or the Brake Assist system currently in development. The ABS wheel sensors and solenoid valves provide the basic foundation for all these systems. Even the new electronically controlled automatic transmission, which adapts to individual driving styles, or the Auto Pilot System (APS), use data provided by the ABS sensors. The same is also true of in-vehicle computers, engine management, screenwiper control - in short, every kind of system that is in any way connected with vehicle speed.



How it all started
At the time, the ABS development team could not foresee what extensive applications ABS would have. Nevertheless, having spent several decades enhancing vehicle safety with landmark developments such as the safety cell, or new, improved wheel location, the engineers in Stuttgart were becoming ever more convinced of "the need to develop systems which adapt to driver behaviour" (Professor Scherenberg). Experience showed that an advanced braking system was only one side of the coin - it was also necessary to consider "the ability of the driver to operate the brake correctly". As Scherenberg put it: "In certain situations, inexperienced drivers in particular are sometimes overtaxed. And even careful, experienced drivers, who are normally able to avoid getting into a hazardous situation, may be forced into emergency or panic braking by the behaviour of other road users. Under Unfavourable conditions, even this type of driver may lose control of his vehicle if the wheels lock." The aim therefore was to prevent the wheels from locking. This preserves the lateral forces at the wheels which, as the engineers had long been aware, is vital in order to ensure that the wheels remain steerable during emergency braking and that the rear axle does not break away. If it is possible to both floor the brake pedal and still steer the vehicle, a very high level of safety can be achieved. In a vehicle fitted with ABS it is thus often possible even under emergency braking to avoid sudden hazards, and it may be possible to avoid rear-end collisions by swerving to the side. It is even possible to apply the brakes after going into a corner too fast, provided the physically critical cornering speed is not exceeded.



Planning and trials
Also, in most cases the braking distance will be shorter when braking with ABS than when braking with locked wheels, particularly if the road surface is not dry and does not offer good traction. Professor Scherenberg reported on this when unveiling the new system: "In tests with a vehicle without anti-bloc-system braking from a speed of 140 km/h on wet concrete, we measured a braking distance of 181 metres. With the system, this was shortened to 112 metres. At the point where the first vehicle was already stationary, the speed of the other vehicle was still something like 86 km/h".Years of experience have shown that there are very few braking situations where a shorter stopping distance is achieved with locked wheels, and even then the advantage is only slight. Such situations include braking on loose gravel or fresh snow. In these cases, a wedge of gravel or snow builds up in front of the locked wheels, which enhances the braking effect. The version of the ABS system fitted in the Mercedes-Benz G-models therefore features an off-switch.Whatever the capabilities of ABS, there remains an onus on the driver to drive in a responsible manner. ABS can largely offset human error occurring, say, in panic situations. But it can't compensate for a driving style which ignores the prevailing road and traffic conditions. Every driver must make responsible judgements for himself about braking distances and cornering speeds.



Electronics brings progress
The very first anti-lock braking systems ever developed were used in aircraft. Their mechanical sensors however could not stand up to the wear and tear encountered in cars. Then in the mid-1960's, new possibilities were opened up by revolutionary new developments in the field of electronics, such as printed circuits and IC's, which paved the way for development of more effective control systems for use in road vehicles. In 1964, Dipl-Ing. Heinz Leiber, then working for TELDIX GmbH in Heidelberg and today head of the Electrics/ Electronics department in the Car Development sector of Mercedes-Benz, started work on the fundamentals of the ABS system. Leiber's name is closely linked to the development of this active safety system which is now in use all over the world. Thanks to the work of Heinz Leiber, Mercedes-Benz was able to develop a fully functional, electronically controlled anti-lock braking system for cars, trucks and buses which was presented to the press on the Mercedes-Benz test track in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim as early as 1970. But since problems were encountered in the manufacturing of the complex electronic control units the introduction of the new system in production vehicles had to be delayed. "The first microprocessors in the early 1970's were not suitable for use in ABS", Heinz Leiber recalls, "and it took courage to develop a large-scale integrated circuit."



World´s first ABS
Finally, in 1978, Mercedes-Benz became the first car manufacturer in the world to introduce the anti-lock braking system. It was offered as an option for the S-class. In 1984, ABS for the first time became standard equipment in the 190 E 2.3-16 and the V8-engined class and SL models. Within ten years of its introduction, a million Mercedes-Benz cars fitted with ABS were on the road. Since October 1, 1992, ABS has been standard on all Mercedes-Benz cars."

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

All I know is I'm a well trained, experienced driver, and ABS has saved my **** a couple of times. Thanks MB. Nice information, John.

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Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

Hehe. And guess what. As the 2.3 16 V was introduced to the press at the Nuerburgring (driven by Formula 1 drivers from Stirling Moss to Aryton Senna) most of the cars had in the first trails quite some problems with the brakes because of the ABS-system.

The whole fleet for the demonstration got new brakes without ABS which got shipped directly from Stuttgart and got put into the car the same night. Of course, this was not supposed to leak to the press at that time

BTW: The first disc brakes are way older than 1971.

Kind regards
Eberhard

Very interesting and educational. I just wished that my '85 300D had that option. Couldn't find one in decent shape that had ABS. Too much of a pain in the a$$ and expensive to retrofit.

Umm...didn't the Tucker Torpedo have 4 wheel disc brakes? I believe that was in '47 or '48, BTW...don't think they had ABS, but they also had seat belts and shatterproof glass windows in a time when that was unheard of...

ABS was another Jensen first, I'm afraid (along with so many other innovations). Mercedes was much later.

The disk brake was invented by Jaguar in the 50's, and gave them a critical edge over Mercedes in sports-car racing (Mercedes had drum brakes that were inherently prone to fade).

Jaguar started putting disks on their production cars in the late 50's/early 60's.

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Paul Gibbons
'93 320CE
'73 Jensen Interceptor (Resting)
Giant Full Sus Mountain Bike

My father had a 1963 Renault R8 which had disc brakes all round as standard. Amazing for a car with only 950cc and 48bhp!

ABS was standard on all Ford Granadas from 1984.

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Mick J
'08 Chrysler 300CRD (MB OM 642 engine)
'95 E220 estate
'89 230TE (R.I.P.)

In 1961 the 300SE had dual circuit hydraulic brake unit with disc brakes fromt and rear. If I'm not mistaken the 300SL had front disc brakes at least from 1954.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired