‘Analogue’ Mercedes 500E restomod to feature steering tiller and hand crank

Here’s TopGear.com’s roving correspondent, Cory Spondent, with his mostly incorrect exclusives from the world of motoring

A tuner specialising in restomodding old Mercedes-Benz performance cars has revealed a 500E saloon fitted with the controls from an 1885 Benz Patent-Motorwagen.

Keen to capitalise on the modern trend of building ‘analogue’ driver’s cars with manual gearboxes and naturally aspirated engines, the tuner decided to offer something even more unique by going back to the very beginning of the automobile.

As such, its restomodded Mercedes four-door super saloon will feature a steering tiller and a manual hand crank starter.

“We see loads of ‘analogue this’ and ‘analogue that’ these days, but mostly they all seem to gravitate towards the same recipe: manual gearbox, no turbos, no touchscreen blah blah blah,” a source close to the project said.

“Which is fine. Cars like that are cool. They make you work for their performance. There’s no distraction. But they’re a bit… samey. You know what’s even cooler? Having to really work just to get up to 10mph.

“Which is why our new Mercedes-Benz 500E But Not An Official Mercedes-Benz Because It’s A Reenvisioned And Reconceived Old Car Turned Into An Expensive Restomod Limited Edition 1/500 features the classic controls from Benz’s very first motorcar.

“You think twisting a nice metal key inside an expertly fashioned ignition barrel is retro and cool? Try hand cranking an old engine using a massive lever without breaking both your wrists.

“Hydraulic steering? Aww, that’s cute. Try turning a 1.8-tonne performance saloon using a geared, comically small tiller.

“Modern six-piston calipers over ginormous vented and grooved discs that’d perform perfectly well on a race circuit inside your beautiful old car? Wow, how imaginative. Must have taken ages to think of that one, guys.

“We’re taking it back to the old school by fitting wooden brake blocks against the forged aluminium wheels operated by a single, leather hand lever. Good luck slowing the thing down from 70mph. Only real driving enthusiasts need apply.”

When pushed on whether the Reenvisioned 500E would also offer the classic Motorwagen’s 1.0-litre single-cylinder engine to keep the experience authentic, the source added: “We’re not silly. You’re getting an uprated 5.0-litre V8 with 700bhp and 700lb ft of torque stuffed under the bonnet.

“Yes, that’s more than double what the original 500E offered using controls from something originally designed to handle less than 1 horsepower. How else could we possibly justify asking $5m a pop for each one?”