Which Mercedes-Benz body first used Barényi's crumple-zone patent?

The Mercedes-Benz W111 was the first Mercedes-Benz body to use Béla Barényi’s crumple-zone patent.

Barényi’s safety concept divided a car into three zones: a rigid passenger compartment between deformable front and rear sections. In a crash, the outer sections absorb energy by controlled deformation while the central safety cell helps preserve occupant space. His early concept dates to 1937, and a more developed patent was granted in 1952.

Mercedes-Benz first applied the patented body-safety architecture to the 1959 W111 saloon, better known as the “Fintail” because of its pointed rear styling. Its longitudinal members were straight around the passenger cell but shaped to deform toward the front and rear.

The W124, W140 and W116 came later and incorporated further safety developments, but they were not the first Mercedes bodies to use this patented crumple-zone design. The W111’s importance is structural, not merely cosmetic: its famous tailfins concealed a landmark safety cell and crash-management system.