And these 1970s cars were not low sitting.

The only one with this stupid looking tucked-under winter tire stance is a mule that is used by MB for driving promo stuff today which doesn't even have a Wankel engine.

This car was/is equipped with an R107 V8 because the wankel was never devoloped to a finished MB engine standard and is too rare to use it.

You probably refer to this oddball:

https://www.thedrive.com/car-reviews/mercedes-benz-c111-review


Also, the narrow rears were used on the Diesel engined record cars as late as in 1978, for less friction and aero reasons.

https://infernalco.co/2020/04/17/mercedes-c111/


This is the proper look of the originals:

https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/mercedes-benz-c111-review-thedrive_13.jpg


Museum car:

https://www.autosieger.de/images/articleimages/pool/mb_c111_II_03_20_700.jpg


MB Museum storage, the earlier version on the right, with the rear lights like the huge Schuco toy in the 1970s used as a template:

https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/lE2QJJ/s1/mercedes-c-111.jpg