View source for Engineering:Isdera Imperator 108i

{{Short description|German mid-engine sports car (1984–1993)}}
 {{Infobox automobile
| image          = Isdera imperator 1.jpg
| name           = Isdera Imperator 108i
|manufacturer    = [[Company:Isdera|Isdera GmBH]]
| production     = 1984&ndash;1993<br>30 units produced
| assembly       = Leonberg, Germany
| predecessor    = [[Company:Isdera|Isdera Spyder 033]]
| successor      = [[Engineering:Isdera Commendatore 112i|Isdera Commendatore 112i]]
| class          = [[Engineering:Sports car|Sports car]] (S)
| body_style     = 2-door [[Engineering:Coupé|coupé]]
| layout         = Rear mid-engine, rear wheel drive
| platform       = Fibreglass body over tubular steel chassis
| engine         = {{ubl
|{{convert|5.0|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} ''Mercedes-Benz M117'' V8
|{{convert|5.6|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} ''Mercedes-Benz M117'' V8
|{{convert|5.6|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} AMG V8
|{{convert|6.0|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} AMG V8
}}
| transmission   = 5-speed ''[[Company:ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF]]'' [[Engineering:Manual transmission|manual]]
| wheelbase      = {{cvt|2480|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="uc1"/>
| length         = {{cvt|4220|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="uc1"/>
| width          = {{cvt|1835|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="uc1"/>
| height         = {{cvt|1135|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="uc1"/>
| weight         ={{convert|1250|kg|lbs|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="uc1">{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/6262/Isdera-Imperator-108i.html|title= Isdera Imperator 108i specifications|author= Wouter Melissen|date= 21 July 2015|accessdate= 19 February 2018}}</ref>
| related        = Mercedes-Benz CW311<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gallery/mystery-merc-youve-never-heard| title = The mystery Merc you’ve never heard of | accessdate=January 15, 2022 | work=classicandsportscar.com}}</ref>
| designer       = Eberhard Schulz
}}
The '''Isdera Imperator 108i''' was a low-volume German [[Engineering:Sports car|sports car]] produced from 1984 to 1993. The Imperator 108i was born out of the Mercedes-Benz CW311 concept car from 1978, which Eberhard Schulz, who at the time worked as a design engineer for [[Company:Porsche|Porsche]], designed in his free time. Mercedes-Benz had no interest in putting the CW311 into production, so Schulz established his own engineering company, [[Company:Isdera|Isdera]], to produce the car under his own brand.<ref name="uc2">{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/spec/6262/Isdera-Imperator-108i.html|title= Isdera Imperator 108i |first= Wouter | last = Melissen|date= 21 July 2015|accessdate= 8 July 2018}}</ref>

== Specifications and performance ==
Implementing a [[Chemistry:Fiberglass|fiberglass]] body upon a tubular steel spaceframe, the Isdera Imperator 108i was comparable to the exotic sports cars of its day. Little was changed from the original Mercedes-Benz show car with the most noticeable changes being the replacement of the pop-up headlights with two fixed units and more conventional tail lights sourced from Mercedes-Benz. The original Imperator 108i featured a {{convert|5.0|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} Mercedes-Benz M117 V8 engine which gave the vehicle a top speed of {{convert|176|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} and a {{convert|0-60|mph|kph|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} acceleration time of 5.0 seconds. As Mercedes-Benz developed more powerful V8 engines, they were used in the Imperator 108i. Later engines included a {{convert|5.6|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} Mercedes-Benz M117 V8, a {{convert|5.6|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} AMG V8 and a {{convert|6.0|L|cc|0|abbr=on}} AMG V8 which saw an eventual increase of power from {{cvt|300|hp|PS kW|0|abbr=on}} to {{cvt|390|hp|PS kW|0|abbr=on}}, with both AMG engines featuring advanced 32-valve cylinder heads.

Unusually, the Imperator 108i featured a rear-view [[Physics:Periscope|periscope]] in place of conventional rear view mirrors which gave the driver the rear view, creating a bulge on the roof. It also featured gullwing doors.

Inside, the car featured a luxurious interior and sourced many interior components from the [[Engineering:Porsche 928|Porsche 928]].

== Model year changes ==
In 1991, the car received a face-lift which saw the return of the pop-up headlamps from the 1978 show car and a more curvaceous body shape, additional vents at the front near the doors, NACA duct on the front in place of three vents, redesigned front grille and repositioning of turning indicators from the front grille to the bottom of the headlamps along with optional wing mirrors. Around 17 cars were produced with the face lift design.<ref name="uc1"/>

== Production ==
Production ended in 1993 with a total of thirty examples produced, two of which were exported to {{wipe|Japan}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=1991 Isdera Imperator 108i Mercedes Gullwing|url=http://germancarsforsaleblog.com/1991-isdera-imperator-108i-mercedes-gullwing/|publisher=German Cars For Sale Blog|accessdate=14 March 2012|date=24 March 2010}}</ref>

==Gallery==
{{gallery
|File:Isdera imperator 4.jpg|Rear view
|File:Isdera Imperator 108i IAA 2021 1X7A0189.jpg|With Mercedes-Benz badging
|File:Isdera Imperator 108i 000 000 1984-1991 frontleft 2012-05-17 U.jpg|An Imperator 108i featuring the 1991 face-lift
|}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

[[Category:Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicles]]

{{Sourceattribution|Isdera Imperator 108i}}