Building on the highly successful W111 and W112 series, the first Mercedes cars to be produced in great enough numbers to achieve economies of scale, Mercedes-Benz presented a newly developed luxury sedan in 1965 at the annual Frankfurt Motor Show. With production lasting until 1972 in Europe, and 1973 in North America, a total of more than 383,000 units of the W108 and W109 were built. Quickly changing fashion trends in the 1960s meant that the characteristic tailfins of the W111 'Heckflosse' predecessor, penned by designer Paul Bracq, were lost on the W108 and W109. Other less visible exterior modifications included a lower body waistline and wider doors. The resulting design was a visibly more modern and sleeker car with a more spacious interior. The W108 was the normal wheelbase version, whereas the W109, built in much smaller numbers, offered a longer wheelbase. The W108 and W109 were available with a variety of engines to choose from, most being delivered with the characteristic