Hear the roar of this 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL with a supercharged V-8

Yes, Jonathan Ward gets a lot of ink, video views, and time with Jay Leno. why? Because his shop, Icon, continues to produce such nasty things: a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL powered by a 6.2-liter V-8 with a supercharged GM LS9. The LS9 is the engine that goes into the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and is rated at 638 horsepower in the GM Performance Parts catalog. The engine is backed by a GM 4L85E four-speed automatic transmission with massage. The car debuts in the SEMA show in Las Vegas this week.

Here’s a video of this crooked transatlantic conglomerate through a nearby tunnel and along several roads. It doesn’t look much like an old Mercedes.

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Ward released this thing as part of its “Abandoned” line, which preserves the weathered look of old cars while stuffing them with modern items and adding luxury that matches their $450,000 (starting) price tag.

Although the Mercedes W108 and W109 series of large sedans (built between 1965 and 1972) are known as the basis for the epic 300SEL 6.3, it is not quite the power to take such a heavy hit. in the end The big 6.3-liter V-8 M100 6.3 only made 247 horsepower when the car went on sale in 1968. That puts the LS9 up to almost 400 horsepower.

So, as the Icon does with many Derelicts, it was fitted with a custom ladder frame made by Art Morrison Enterprises in Fife, Washington, which is equipped with a fully independent suspension system, rack-and-pinion steering, massive Brembo brakes, and lots of expensive stainless steel fittings. The new frame meant rebuilding the entire structure of the vehicle, originally built as a one-piece body, including a new floor.

Perhaps the most refined element of the car’s appearance are the solid aluminum rims, equipped with tires that almost erotically squeeze under the fenders. Yes, that’s right, it’s erotic.

Ward is known for his obsessive attention to intricate detail, and the 300SEL is packed with them. New woodwork, some kind of ultra-concealed mega-sound system, heating this, ventilation that, it’s all neatly here and carefully hidden.

How fast is that? Let’s go to Jonathan Ward’s store in leafy Chatsworth, CA and find out. Soon.