Description
Make. MERCEDES BENZ Model. 300 D Year. 1961 Code | Type. W 189 Engine. 6 cylinders in line Displacement. 2 996 cm3 Power supply. Injection Power. 160 HP Gearbox. Automatic Equipment. Air conditioning, velour upholstery, injection, restoration book, original becker station Condition. TBE Paint colour. two-tone burgundy / beige Availability. Immediate - deposit Guarantee. 3 months Engine, gearbox, axle in our workshops, possibility of extension The German answer to the top-of-the-range British brand! A comfortable top-of-the-range saloon, ex-embassy car! History At the first Frankfurt International Motor Show, which took place six years after the war in April 1951, many new products were presented, including luxury cars. In addition to the Model 220, Daimler-Benz unveiled a new model that was even more popular with the public: the Model 300, the biggest and fastest German production car of the time. It quickly became the car of choice for politicians and industrialists alike. It could rightly be described as the true successor to the pre-war "Great Mercedes", even if it was never officially given that name. Among the first personalities to get behind the wheel of the Model 300 were Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, President Theodor Heuss, Finance Minister Ludwig Erhard and Social Democratic Party leader Kurt Schumacher, to name but a few. If the Model 300 has been associated above all with the name of the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, and vintage car enthusiasts call it the "Adenauer Mercedes", it's because "der Alte" (the former Chancellor) never drove anything other than a Model 300, even when travelling abroad. During his time as Federal Chancellor until 1963, and until his death in 1967, Adenauer owned six different 300 models. His first official car, dating from 1951, is now on display in the "Haus der Geschichte" (House of History) museum in Bonn. The 1959 model 300 d, used by Adenauer after his retirement, passed into the hands of Daimler-Benz and is on display in the Mercedes-Benz museum. Like the 170 S, the 300 is not a pure post-war construction. Technically and conceptually, its roots go back to the 1940 model 260, which was not produced in series due to the consequences of the war. Like the 220, the 300 was powered by a six-cylinder engine with an overhead camshaft. In its first version, it developed 115 bhp and reached a top speed of 160 km/ h. The structure and chassis were broadly based on the concept of the 170 S and 220 models, but adapted to the 300's greater weight and outstanding road performance. The main new feature was an electrically controlled torsion bar suspension. Under extreme loads - the upper limit was initially 365 kg - this acted as a levelling device for the rear wheels. In addition to the saloon, available with an optional sunroof if desired, there was also a five- or six-seater D cabriolet. Production of the main series began in November 1951, after the pre-production cars had been extensively tested. In May 1954, the first revision of the model was launched. The improved version, known internally as the 300b, featured a more powerful 125bhp engine with higher compression, wider brake shoes and a vacuum brake booster. Externally, certain details had also changed: the 300 b was fitted with pivoting windows on the front doors, chrome bumpers on the rear wings and front and rear bumper stops. In September 1955, at the third Frankfurt International Motor Show, another modified 300 model was exhibited. This new model, known internally as the 300 c, was recognisable by its enlarged rear window and wider tyres. The profound changes made were not visible on the outside: like the 180 and 180 D models, the 300 c was equipped with a single-joint transverse axle, guaranteeing better roadholding. In addition, it was now available with an optional automatic transmission, not developed by Daimler Benz but supplied by Borg-Warner. This automatic transmission, known as 'Detroit-Gear', was designed as a hydraulic torque converter with two secondary satellites and an integrated single-plate clutch for direct transmission. Like its 300 and 300b predecessors, the 300c model was available with a sliding sunroof and/ or partition if desired, and could also be supplied as a four-door D convertible. In order to ensure more unified production and because demand was low, the cabriolet was withdrawn from the...
