Crime on Wheels
Even today, the Opel Manta is still often the subject of ridicule. Elbow sticking out on the left, a blonde hairdresser in the passenger seat, a ponytail tied to the aerial. A few wheel arch extensions, spoilers, wild colours, a big exhaust. Yes, every now and then that did mark a descent into the darker corners of human existence. But actually far more shocking are the modifications to Mercedes cars – because one would naturally expect a certain level of class from them. The exact opposite is the case; probably no other make has seen more appalling transformations – which, of course, is directly linked to the esteemed clientele. More style than substance – that’s always suited Stuttgart well (there are exceptions, of course), but when you see a 190 E by Schulz-Getzke (cover photo) like this, you have to wonder: what on earth possessed not only Schulz-Getzke, but even more so the buyer? What sort of crowd do you have to be part of to want to be seen in a car like that? And no, the lapses in taste of the 1980s can’t be used as an excuse here. Koenig wide-bodies, heaven, madness and, above all, utter nonsense (though that doesn’t just apply to Mercedes). And what’s really awful is that it’s still the same today – OMG…
The pictures here are from Broad Arrow, where the ‘Patina Collection’ is being auctioned online until 21 August 2026. Someone has actually put together a collection of the worst Mercedes ‘lemons’. No wonder he wants to get rid of them. There are 40 vehicles; we’re only showing a small selection.
Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC Koenig-Specials Widebody, 1973
Willy König was quite a character. A former racing driver, he pimped his own Ferrari 365 GT4 BB to the point of visual nausea – and thus appealed to the tastes of a very specific clientele, primarily in Germany. And they then wanted Mercedes-Benz cars in the Testarossa look as well. And with psychedelic livery. This 1973 450 SLC was presumably transformed into this wide-body beauty from a cheap second-hand car in the late 1980s.
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Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC ABC-Exclusive Widebody, 1986
What Willy König could do, ABC Exclusive Tuning in Bonn could, of course, do as well. However, it was only a brief stint on the scene; by the early 1990s, ABC was already out of business.
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Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Zender, 1984
Zender is a well-known name in the tuning industry, having started out in the late 1960s with body kits for the NSU TT. But that doesn’t automatically mean that everything they did was a success.
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Mercedes-Benz 190 E Schulz-Getzke Widebody, 1984
Our absolute favourite from the Patina Collection – it doesn’t get any worse than this (see also the cover photo). But what can you expect when your name is Schulz-Getzke?
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We have more attractive cars in our archive.