Books by Nik Greene

"You don't simply decide to buy an S-Class: it comes to you when fate has ordained that your life should take that course. The door closes with a reassuring clunk - and you have arrived," said the sales brochure of the first real Sonderklasse, the W116. The Mercedes 126 S-Class of 1979-1991 remains the most successful premium saloon in the company's history and is considered by many to be one of the best cars in the world. With over 300 colour photos and production histories and specifications for both Generation One and Two models, this is an essential resource for anyone with an interest in this timeless car.    

When Bruno Sacco walked through the doors on his first day at Mercedes-Benz on 13 January 1958, it is highly unlikely that his Daimler-Benz colleagues could ever imagine that this nervous young man would not only revolutionize design but would change the way design and innovation connected with brand tradition forever.  Bruno Sacco is one of the most influential automotive designers of the late twentieth century; many models launched during his era now characterize the Mercedes-Benz brand. When Nik Greene asked Bruno Sacco to assist with this book, he replied humbly "No-one designs a car alone, and more to the point, I never, for one minute, wanted to. From the moment I became Head of Design, I put down my pens and became a manager of minds." With over 330 photographs and illustrations, this book includes an overview of the early days of functional vehicle design and the influence of safety on design evolution. The protagonists of Daimler-Benz design from Hermann Ahrens to Paul Bracq are covered. Design philosophy and innovation under Bruno Sacco is discussed along with the Sacco-designed cars and, finally, the Bruno Sacco legacy.

Enables you to avoid the most common pitfalls and faults that otherwise can ruin the ownership of a 'Sonderklasse'.

“Every Coupé from Mercedes-Benz has always embodied elegance on four wheels, whether today, 40 years ago or a century ago; our coupés are legends of each and every era in which they were built.” - Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic In the very beginning, the automotive industry was dominated by open-top vehicles whose body shapes were very much based on the horse-drawn carriage, there were open and closed carriages and then there was the Coupé. Mercedes-Benz is and has always been a trendsetter, not only in terms of technology, but also in design but what must never be underestimated was the idea of moving away from the ‘classic Coupé saloon style body but also what had become their corporate identity, the Mercedes-Benz, radiator grill. With over 300 photographs and illustrations, this first volume of the Mercedes-Benz Coupe includes an overview of the early days of 'Sports-Car' design  and the influences of aerodynamics on design evolution. The book discusses the early protagonists at Daimler-Benz  and how they influenced design of the Coupe shape. It shows how the Racing Coupe influenced what became the production Sport Coupe, and covers the experimental and one-off prototypes and the continuation of the Super Sport Light concept through the 'S-Class' range.