It was a kind of scorching summer season afternoons, I used to be taking a stroll in Knightsbridge for some quaint automobile recognizing. Because the saying goes in England, good climate brings out good automobiles. I bumped into a couple of acquainted automobile spotters and exchanged notes simply to see what good automobiles have been on the town that day.
That is the a part of London the place G63s, Cullinans and Urus get ignored by automobile spotters as they’re simply too many. Something under that caliber will get ignored as properly, so when i heard the unmistakable sound of an M156 engine I made a decision to go away my buddies who have been all ready for a McLaren Senna to start out up because the proprietor completed a espresso.
To my shock, I couldn’t discover the automobile making that sound, I knew for certain it was the 6.2L V8 AMG engine however there was nothing current to assert that noise. A number of automobiles got here with that engine, an SLS AMG could be a pleasant sight however the preferred automobile with that engine is the W204 C63 AMG. There was gentle visitors forward however nothing acquainted, simply a few Flying Spurs and the standard BMW i7 chauffeur automobiles.
As I circled to stroll again to the McLaren Senna, visitors began transferring and the sound got here alive once more. At this level I used to be decided to unravel the thriller.
“Present your self M156!” I assumed to myself, as if a present of arms was the subsequent signage. Then a black cab appeared, very black. However upon nearer inspection I noticed it was not a black cab in any respect however a Mercedes-Benz Ponton wearing full black. By full black I imply darkness, see for your self.
Quick ahead, I obtained my digital camera prepared and made a couple of movies which might later take the web by storm, going viral in each occasion somebody posted them. By the tip of that week, this all black Ponton had been seen over 20 million occasions on social media. That is when it grew to become my mission to find the automobile as my subsequent Undertaking Publicity characteristic.
The yr is 1961, MB 190 is the toughest sedans in the marketplace (okay bit much less cooler than the fintails of that period) however nonetheless. 6 a long time later this one has been revived with a full W204 powertrain and inside. 6.2L AMG V8, I’m unsure if it’s even authorized. pic.twitter.com/zZ4y4TNCyY
— Earl Karanja (@Earlsimxx) August 15, 2023
Finding the proprietor was simple, the web has made issues simple right now. The corporate that constructed it was tagged quite a few occasions on my submit and we managed to set a date for shoot and a few rationalization. What adopted subsequent was a narrative that I by no means anticipated, essentially the most orthodox method to a mission automobile.
Refill your cup of tea and hearken to what the proprietor needed to say…
The corporate that constructed it’s referred to as Xtreem Motors based mostly in Mitcham, a small village in Southwest London. Ivo the proprietor ran me by the mission and despite the fact that I didn’t take any notes it’s arduous to overlook how the entire thing got here to be.
It began in 2020 nearly when Covid lockdowns have been of their prime, automobile costs had tanked and the entire world was in main panic mode. Ivo had acquired an outdated rusty Mercedes-Benz Ponton for subsequent to nothing and he wanted to construct one thing out of it. With no work coming to the workshop attributable to Covid, he determined to get busy on a private mission.
Ivo began life on the streets of London after migrating from Bulgaria, having grown up working for his fathers storage enterprise he was capable of monetize his acquired abilities as a avenue mechanic in London early 2000s. He finally saved up sufficient to arrange his storage enterprise similar to his father and as of this writing his final 23 years have seen him arrange one of many greatest automobile and bike specialist facilities in Southwest London. Quoting him, “…I don’t bear in mind not having soiled oily arms whereas rising up, I used to be all the time within the storage with my dad”.
So what occurs when you could have an enormous empty storage facility throughout lockdown? Mechanics can’t keep residence all day even when the world is falling aside, they may all the time discover issues to repair or make. Ivo traveled out of London the place a younger lad wanted some pressing money in change for his 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe (W204).
The lad had marketed it for about £25,000 however Ivo negotiated the value right down to £17,000 for a fast deal. It was a stunning white C63 AMG Coupe with the efficiency pack and traditional purple nappa leather-based inside. He traveled with some money as deposit, the steadiness was to be accomplished by wire switch. However upon arrival on the lad’s home, issues took a sudden flip.
The lad got here to the window lined up like a mummy, he refused to open the door and directed Ivo to drop the money in a basket. Ivo, a bit confused now, stepped again however it dawned on him that the younger lad merely didn’t need to catch covid. So he dropped the money exterior the home, instantly the keys have been thrown to him and he was directed to take the automobile and depart! He nonetheless wanted to wire the remainder of the cash however the younger man didn’t look after any of that, he simply wished him gone.
Anyway, Ivo drove again residence smiling on the entire scenario and the way it unfolded dramatically. He had two automobiles and an excessive amount of time on his arms, a couple of of his mechanics have been nonetheless round regardless of the restrictions on individuals motion. Working from residence is not going to lower it for this explicit mission.
That is what i understood of this mission, or moderately let me put it like this. 1961 Mercedes-Benz Ponton + 2012 C63 AMG = Ponton 63 AMG. Merely put, two automobiles grew to become one. Let’s learn the way, and if you’re not refilling your cup but then get a smaller mug rattling it.
Step one was to detach the Ponton shell from its chassis, this concerned a rigorous course of that appeared like scaffolding. One other workforce was busy stripping down the W204 C63 AMG Coupe, right here they have been eradicating the physique elements whereas retaining the chassis, inside, flooring, engine and all of the electronics.
I don’t even know what to name it, perhaps the gallery under will clarify higher. Inside per week that they had stripped each automobiles down. The C63 AMG solely had the chassis left to it, it might nonetheless run because the engine and electronics have been left intact. They needed to take the inside out to create a working house however the dashboard was largely left intact. Even the sensors have been left intact.
Then they took the shell of the Ponton and put it on the C63 AMG chassis. In fact it might by no means match, and that’s why all of us thought essentially the most logical course of could be to take the C63 powertrain and put it into the Ponton. Nevertheless, the Ponton’s chassis would by no means deal with the torque and energy of a modern-day AMG not to mention a naturally aspirated V8 engine that runs on a secret cocktail of elephant’s testical juice.
In order that they actually pressured the Ponton shell on the C63 AMG platform. Keep in mind it is a 2 door automobile so new pillars additionally wanted to be modified, loads of framing was accomplished and all the automobile has a completely welded/bolted roll cage to extend the rigidity. The exhaust pipings you see within the rear part are a part of the additional framing wanted for stability, so no, these are usually not purposeful and are usually not associated to the precise exhaust system.
The inside is absolutely W204 C63 AMG, with out the additional insulation and padding, no air baggage both however you do get a 6 level harness system which you don’t want until you could have a helmet on.
The automobile is lighter than the unique C63 due to its naked bare inside. Apart from the seats and the dashboard, the inside is just about bare. I seen the roof will get fairly scorching which in turns makes the cabin hotter however you could have absolutely functioning A/C from a contemporary German sedan. I needed to ask him to show off the A/C because it was getting fairly chilly throughout our quick drive to central London.
Talking of the drive, it drives like a contemporary automobile, think about a lighter C63 AMG. The torque is nearly instantaneous and you’re going to get a number of wheelspins in case your foot is simply too fast to the ground. In consolation mode it drives very quietly however in Sport and Sport+ the bully comes alive. You even have guide mode, as i mentioned earlier they retained all of the electronics from the 2012 AMG.
So then, what do you name this? A Ponton mission or a C63 AMG mission. Two automobiles grew to become one, they exist inside one another.
For now adios, see you subsequent time after we discover one other cool mission to show.
