Mercedes-Benz Engine
M198
The Mercedes-Benz M198 is a SOHC I6 gasoline piston engine.
- Years
- 1954–1962
- Configuration
- I6
- Fuel
- Gasoline
- Top power
- 243 PS
The dry-sump, fuel-injected six that made the 300 SL — and made Mercedes a postwar sports-car legend.
Derived from the M186 of the 300 Adenauer but tilted 50° to the left for a lower hood, the M198 displaced 2,996 cc (85 × 88 mm) with a single overhead cam, Bosch mechanical direct injection and a dry-sump oil system. Early Gullwing coupés made about 215–225 PS DIN; the later roadster tune climbed toward 240 PS.
Only a few thousand engines were built for the W198 Coupé (1954–57) and Roadster (1957–62). Its combination of alloy head, dry sump and injection was exotic even by racing standards — and it remains the defining powerplant of the original 300 SL.
Versions.
Every factory version of the M198.
| Version | Displacement | Bore × Stroke | Compression | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198.980 | 2,996 cc | 85 × 88 mm | 8.55 | 164 kW (220 hp; 223 PS) at 5,800 rpm | 279 N·m (206 lb·ft) at 4,900 rpm |
| 198.982 | 2,996 cc | 85 × 88 mm | 8.55 | 179 kW (240 hp; 243 PS) at 6,100 rpm | 294 N·m (217 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm |
Applications.
Every model powered by the M198.