1971 Mercedes 300 SEL Reborn As Icon Derelict With GM LS9 Engine

Depending on who you’re speaking to, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL may not come up when talking about the hottest and sexiest Mercs of all time. But the W109 had its merits, especially those sold with the V8 engines. Most notable of which was the Red Pig, which catapulted the then-young AMG brand onto motorsport overnight.

If you want one, well, you’d be hard-pressed to find a Red Pig on sale, though Mercedes introduced Red Pig-inspired one-off AMG models last year to celebrate the legendary race car. However, Icon 4×4 (or just Icon) has introduced a 300 SEL build that might tickle your fancy – the Derelict 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL.

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The Los Angeles-based tuner builds upon the classy styling of the 300 SEL, restoring and modifying it for modern times. The interior received upgraded materials inspired by the original ones used by Mercedes-Benz, while the wood trims are restored. The center console is redone but OEM-inspired, while the gauges are still original but with updated internals and custom displays by Redline Gauges. Even the stereo is original, albeit, modified to hide an audio unit with Bluetooth controls, four Focal 2-way speakers, dual subwoofer, and an amplifier.

Outside, Icon kept everything original and unaltered, featuring time-aged patina exterior paint, stainless, and chrome finishes. The one-piece billet aluminum wheels are machined by EVOD while also wearing a time-aged patina appearance.

Icon worked on restoring the mechanicals of this classic full-size sedan. It comes with a full Art Morrison frame, four-wheel adjustable coil-over with independent rear suspension, tubular control arms, Art Morrison Dana 60 IRS differential, and a custom 304 stainless tig welded dual exhaust with hand-built headers by Deeds Performance.

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The most surprising part of the build is the use of GM’s LS9 engine for Icon Derelict’s power plant. Power ratings weren’t disclosed in the press release but the supercharged 6.2L LS9 V8 in the C6 Corvette ZR1 made 638 horsepower (476 kilowatts) and 604 pound-feet (819 Newton-meters) of torque. This is coupled to a hand-built 4L85-E automatic transmission, originally used for trucks and SUVs.

Icon debuts the Derelict 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL build at the 2022 SEMA Show happening this week. It’s available on a special commission basis, with a starting price of $450,000.