All Hail The Return Of The Mercedes Straight-Six

The gorgeous 300SL Gullwing packed a straight-six engine

After killing them off in favour of V6s in the mid-to-late 90s, Mercedes is bringing back the inline-six engine to its new range.

If you're wondering why you should care, just remember this: some of the most incredible cars from the company's illustrious history are blessed with straight-six lumps.

Merc's venerable M103 straight-six

These include the 300SL Gullwing, the bomb-proof W124 and the C36 - the first officially Merc-sanctioned AMG model.

The new engine family is being developed now, and is expected to be making its debut in the next E-Class, due in 2016. The new unit will be a modular one and will be used for the firm's forthcoming three- and four-cylinder models too.