History: Werner Niefer’s W140 days

Werner Niefer, one of the many key figures behind the W140, was once quite important but is often overlooked today. Alternatively, on German Wikipedia, he’s referred to as the “Father of the Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse W 140.” These seem like two extremes.

As the former number one figure in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, Werner Niefer is a truly valuable person. However, due to his sudden and untimely death at the age of 65, much of what should have been passed down is scattered throughout history—no memoirs or biographies. As a researcher on W140, I feel obligated to comb through Niefer’s public career. This article attempts to explore Werner Niefer’s life and his relationship with the W140.

Prior 1987, “One of Our Own”

Wermer Niefer was born on August 26, 1928, in Plochingen/Neckar and grew up in Notzingen near Kirchheim/Teck. The modest son of an innkeeper, he lacked a high school diploma and worked his way up through a toolmaking apprenticeship and engineering school. In 1943, at the age of 15, he entered Daimler as an apprentice as a toolmaker and, after the war, studied at the Esslingen School of Mechanical Engineering from 1948 to 1951. After graduating with a degree in engineering (FH), he began working as a production engineer at the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant. In 1962, he was tasked with managing large-scale engine production at Daimler-Benz and Maybach Motorenbau in Friedrichshafen. In 1969, he was appointed Managing Director of both companies in the newly formed and expanded Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Munich and Friedrichshafen.

In 1976, Werner Niefer became a member of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG, where he was responsible for worldwide production until 1986. This included production planning and the manufacture of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Germany and abroad. It was during that time that he and his team produced the Mercedes vehicles now known as “vaults”- W 123, W 126, R 107, Gelandewagen. So fans of all classic Mercedes above should be familiar with him. He introduced a new production structure, within which the tasks of the individual production plants were redefined in the spirit of an economical and forward-looking structure. Furthermore, Prof. Niefer shaped the further development of production technology with the goal of high quality, flexibility, and productivity, closely linking these tasks with responsibility for the employees in the plants.

“Quality cannot be tested; it must be ensured through production.” Niefer, seems to be the embodiment of Daimler’s quality assurance: a tireless Swabian who is friendly to others but extremely tough in his work. For Niefer, the secret to success is “quality, pure and simple.” “Quality is paramount,” Niefer says. Daimler-Benz employs hundreds of inspectors who show up unannounced on the assembly line. They pick a car, disassemble it, and check whether it meets quality standards. Other inspectors make surprise visits to Daimler repair shops to check customer service. Quality also begins with the supplier. Daimler carefully selects its suppliers. Those favored by the discerning gentry of Stuttgart are like those once supplied to the royal court. Despite this, Daimler managers do not abandon their personal inspection of goods. They prefer to be hands-on, such as with automatic transmissions. “The star product,” says Niefer, “must remain flawless.”

Niefer, who had served as production manager for many years, was noted for his responsiveness. Niefer’s strong position stemmed not only from his professional skills but also from his extraordinary ability to motivate his employees. To the employees who had apprenticed with him at Daimler, Production Manager Niefer, far from being a distant member of the board, remained a friend. When Niefer entered the factory, they greeted him as warmly as if he were standing at the workbench with them: “Hello, Werner, how are you?” The production manager said, “Our employees are our company’s greatest asset.” He was full of stories, having once flown a Starfighter, and his office was filled with various technical models, which he was happy to show visitors. Niefer’s friendly demeanor sometimes belied his energy and tenacity.

This wasn’t to say Niefer lacked competition for promotion. During this time, well-educated directors at Deutsche Bank, Daimler’s second-largest shareholder, believed someone like Niefer would be better suited to the company’s factories than its top management. However, Niefer was favored by his colleagues, and at a company like Daimler, only those who had grown up within the company, “one of our own” were trusted. Niefer got along well with Edzard Reuter, who would become Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management, and he persevered, ultimately rising to the top. Despite controversy stemming from complaints about the quality of early W 124 taxis, on January 1, 1987, he took over the Passenger Cars division as a member of the Board of Management.

1987-1990 Get involved with W140

The W140 had been under development for over five years before Niefer transitioned from production management to oversee the entire passenger car division. Closely involved were Rudolf Hörnig, who had been head of R&D since May 1983 and led development until the W140’s architectural design was frozen in December 1986. He was the “real fanatic” who started it all, as far as the development of the W140 was concerned. Wolfgang Peter, another fanatic known for his bad temper, who took over from January 1987, reported to Niefer. By the time Niefer took over the Passenger Car division, the W140 program already had its V12 engine concept in place, a frozen exterior design, and several structural elements well underway in development.

Just after Niefer took over, BMW launched the 750i V12, featuring a 4988cc engine producing 300 PS. This was one horsepower more than the 299 PS of the 560 SEL without a catalytic converter. This was the first time a BMW, and indeed a German manufacturer, had produced a V12, which infuriated Niefer. “I have great respect for BMW’s engine development, but it would be a mistake to rush and rush any 12-cylinder engine out of the box.” To the Mercedes-Benz development team, 300 horsepower was too little and lacked any technical innovation. “We will launch a 12-cylinder engine that is better than anything currently available in the world.” Soon after, the V12 engine’s displacement was increased from 5.6 to 6.0 liters, with the goal of achieving 400 PS.

On September 1, 1987, the Supervisory Board also appointed him as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG. Niefer had a lot on his plate, but he was deeply concerned about the W140. Development of the R 129 was nearing completion, and its release was only a matter of time. The W140 would be the first vehicle released under his supervision. In fact, it will be his only car if he retires at 65 as planned. In 1988, BMW surpassed Mercedes in car sales in Germany, a feat never before seen in the history of the two top companies. Although the W 126 had overwhelming sales in the United States, its sales in Germany were already lower than those of its Munich-based rival. At this time, Mercedes-Benz was also facing some negative public opinion due to Daimler’s previous acquisition of Dornier and AEG’s expansion. The entire company gradually placed its hopes on the next generation S-Klasse.

In May 1989, Niefer heard something outrageous: At a press conference, BMW touted the safety of its 7 Series, as if Daimler-Benz was no longer the leader in the field. So, Niefer brought in two top models from Munich and had them crash into a wall on an internal crash test facility. The results were incredibly satisfying, reassuring Nief that Daimler’s decade-old S-Class was still the best in safety. He immediately called BMW driver Eberhard von Künheim and asked his colleagues to refrain from such advertising in the future. On May 30, 1989, Prof. Niefers was appointed chairman of the board of the newly founded Mercedes-Benz AG.

After Niefer took over, R&D spending in the passenger car division increased rapidly. In 1986, Daimler-Benz’s development expenditures totaled DM 1.9 billion, having previously increased by 0.1-0.2 billion annually. However, by 1990, this figure had reached DM 3.1 billion, with an increase of 0.4 billion in 1988 alone. A substantial share of the division’s resources at that time was already committed to the W140. Rapidly rising costs unsettle Daimler shareholders.

The official board acceptance test from June 5 to 10, 1990, in Almeria, southern Spain. The entire board, led by Werner Niefer and his deputy Helmut Werner, as well as executives from vehicle testing and development, drove various new S-Class models (300, 400, 500, 600), alternating between two old S-Class vehicles, two SL roadsters, a BMW 750i, and a Lexus. In his four decades of testing at Mercedes, Werner has developed a instinct that others can only dream of. For example, the numerous devices convey decibels, flow noise, steady-state conditions, and initial temperatures down to the decimal point. But with his highly sensitive personal antennas, Werner can also immediately diagnose the source of a problem.

The Spain tour is his last test drive, then the 65-year-old retires—with two tears in his eyes. Because Werner has petrol in his veins. His scores over the years have been engine noise and rolling resistance, lean angle, and abrasion. And for all adversities, he had his own words, which each of his foremen understood, whether the car swayed, yawd, or chug. The briefing took place on the evening of June 8th at the Meson d’Pincelin restaurant in Almanso, north of Villena. The prominent test drivers sat together at the table, relaxed. Niefer, still protected from the sun by his visor cap, talked about his feelings about the new car. And everyone was satisfied.

1990-1993 Defending achievements

In 1989, Niefer took over the newly reorganized passenger car division of Mercedes-Benz AG to a difficult start. In a year of prosperity for the automotive industry, Mercedes’ operating profits plummeted. In June 1990, he was embroiled in another public relations crisis: while enthusiastically test-driving a bus in Rome, he tragically seriously injured a woman from Stuttgart. He did not have a bus driver’s license, and the court trial was pending. The truck division was also questioned for illegally supplying 20 heavy-duty vehicles to the Iraqi army. This almost became a turning point, and criticism ensued from all sides. Niefer was a modest man, but his boasts, inspired by his pride in the new S-Class, made it a target of public criticism before it was even released.

BMW’s public relations department, using spy photos, hyped the W140’s styling, calling it a “cathedral” and saying it “would never fit in a regular garage or car wash.” Meanwhile, nearly every automotive and business review responded with criticism of the car’s size and weight. In November 1990, Niefer invited BMW CEO Eberhard von Kuenheim to Sindelfingen to view the upcoming W140, prompting Kuenheim to call a halt to the hostilities. Niefer responded personally to the size and fuel consumption: “The W 140 is not big, considering that people are getting bigger” “And the fact that a twelve-cylinder engine consumes more fuel than, say, a four-cylinder engine is nothing unusual according to the laws of physics” “No corresponding competitor’s engine reaches our outstanding values”

Having spent 2 billion Deutsche Marks with 1050 employees developing the W140, Niefer was seen as a true car man. Naturally, he had the support of many of his peers. All those who criticized the car’s size and weight, calling it “too heavy” or at least “difficult to control”, were dismissed as “nonsense” by former racing champion Niki Lauda, who said: “The new S-Class will also sell very well.” “We need such cars; the entire German industry lives off them,” VW boss Carl Hahn told all the complainers. He politely declined the new Bentley Continental R, lingered longer in the W140, carefully examining the interior. BMW development chief Wolfgang Reitzle, who welcomed the new competition to his own luxury cars in his own way, said: “Finally, a real alternative again.”

To promote the new S-Class, Niefer took a series of significant steps. These included personally attending regional market launch events and expanding his connections with the political and entertainment circles. He also signed a long-term partnership agreement with the International Olympic Committee, which stipulated that Mercedes would provide 26 vehicles, including the S-Class, by 1996. A rest center featuring S-Class sedans would also be set up at the upcoming 1992 Barcelona Olympics. However, Niefer did not take the leap with AMG on the W140, as the car was ready for series production but lacked sufficient market prospects.

Despite Niefer’s defiant response to critics and his repeated claims that the W140’s 1991 sales miracle had been a success, Mercedes-Benz had to contend with the sharp decline in sales of the new S-Class compared to the previous generation, and someone had to be held accountable. Previously, some speculated that Niefer might not retire at 65, but he finally clarified: he would leave the company in 1993, marking his 50th anniversary. In March 1992, Niefer reorganized the company’s board of directors. Following a series of embarrassing criticisms of the W140 from both the company and the market, Niefer persuaded development chief Wolfgang Peter to defect to Mannesmann, where he was succeeded by Dieter Zetsche. In 1992, Zetsche managed to reduce R&D spending by DM 0.1 billion compared to the previous year, returning it to 1990 levels.

Niefer’s successor would be Helmut Werner, the former head of the truck business. This Continental executive wasn’t a member of Niefer’s family, but he had previously gotten along well with Niefer. Although Niefer wasn’t scheduled to retire until May 1993, Helmut Werner had already been given “full operational management” in January. In his final days, Niefer emphasized, “We must reduce the high costs as quickly as possible,” Niefer said, even resorting to “brutal” measures if necessary.Otherwise, “the brilliance of the star will soon fade.” Niefer has privately revealed that he had to do some offensive work for Edzard Reuter, such as layoffs. A 50-year veteran of the automotive industry, was forced to recognize at the end of his career that even Mercedes-Benz, the seemingly unattainable pinnacle of German automotive manufacturing, was at risk.

However, Niefer had another job to do: he would continue to work as Edzard Reuter’s deputy until December 1993, helping to develop the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Sadly, Niefer passed away unexpectedly on September 12, 1993, from complications following lung cancer surgery. To this end, Daimler-Benz AG held a memorial service at the engine production hall in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim on September 15. The location of the memorial service expresses the deceased’s deep connection to the company and its work. In this atmosphere, Edzard Reuter, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG, honored the person and work of Werner Niefer before 1,300 guests from all over the world:

“Werner Niefer created a lasting memory for himself with his initiatives, actions, and decisions, which live on as products, as operating sites, and as a company throughout the world. And he died in such a way that he remains alive in people’s hearts, so that their work, since their departure, will be remembered for a long time. From the very beginning of his journey from Notzingen into the world of automobiles, Werner Niefer repeatedly began his life’s work anew, with each completed stage already having the next in mind, tirelessly active without a predetermined end, full of ideas and enthusiasm, full of creativity and courage – someone who seemed to be fed by a never-failing Energy, certainly fueled by ambition, but above all by the deep conviction that standing still always means regression, and fueled by love for the people who were always at the center of his attention.”

The end

The obituary has already beautifully summarized Werner Niefer’s life. Unfortunately, our knowledge of his life, particularly his special connection to the W140, is very limited. We have tried our best to synthesize the available information from known sources. As a top executive at the company, he wasn’t always present; for example, he’s absent from the famous photo of the “Fathers of the W140.” But we know for sure that Niefer’s influence on the W140 was profound, a legacy that is directly reflected in the cars we make today. His values are undoubtedly reflected in our cars, and they will live on forever.