Description
Brand. MERCEDES BENZ Model. 300 D Year. 1961 Code | Type. W 189 Engine. 6-inline cylinders Displacement. 2 996 cm3 Fuel system. Injection Power. 160 HP Mileage. 27 800 Gearbox. Automatic Equipment. Air conditioning, velour upholstery, injection, restoration file, original Becker radio Condition. Very good (TBE) Paint colour. bi-tone Bordeaux / beige Availability. Immediate - dealership sale The German answer to the premium English marque! A luxury saloon with grand comfort, formerly an ambassador’s car! History At the first Frankfurt International Auto Show, held six years after the war, in April 1951, many novelties were presented, including luxury cars. Besides the 220 model, Daimler-Benz unveiled a new model, even more popular with the public: the 300, the largest and fastest of the German production cars of the era. It quickly became the preferred car of political and industrial representatives. It is rightly described as the true successor to the pre-war “Great Mercedes,” even if it never officially bore that name. Among the early personalities to have driven the 300 were Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, President Theodor Heuss, Finance Minister Ludwig Erhard and SPD leader Kurt Schumacher, to name a few. If the 300 has been mainly associated with the name of the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and classic car enthusiasts call it the “Adenauer Mercedes,” it is because “der Alte” (the old Chancellor) never travelled in anything other than a 300, even on foreign trips. During his tenure as chancellor until 1963, and then until his death in 1967, Adenauer owned six different 300 models. His first official car, dating from 1951, is now displayed at the Haus der Geschichte (House of History) museum in Bonn. The 1959 300 d used by Adenauer after his retirement passed into Daimler-Benz hands and is on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Like the 170 S, the 300 is not a post-war pure construction. Technically and conceptually, its roots go back to the 1940 260 model, which was not mass-produced due to the war’s consequences. Like the 220, the 300 was powered by a six-cylinder overhead-cam engine. In its first version, it developed 115 hp and reached a top speed of 160 km/ h. The structure and chassis broadly followed the concept of the 170 S and 220, but were adapted to the greater weight and the remarkable road performance of the 300. The main novelty was an electrically controlled torsion-bar suspension. Under extreme loads—the upper limit was initially 365 kg—it served as a leveling device for the rear wheels. Besides the saloon, available with a sliding sunroof if desired, there was also a five- or six-seat D cabriolet. Production of the main series began in November 1951, after the pre-series cars had been extensively tested. In May 1954, the first revision of the model was launched. The improved version, internally named 300 b, was fitted with a more powerful 125 hp engine with higher compression, wider brake jaws and a vacuum servo. Externally, some details had also changed: the 300 b was equipped with pivoting windows for the front doors, chrome bumper guards on the rear wings and front and rear bumper stoppers. In September 1955, at the third Frankfurt Auto Show, another modified 300 model was exhibited. This new model, internally named 300 c, was recognisable by its enlarged rear window and wider tyres. The substantial modifications were not visible from the outside: like the 180 and 180 D, the 300 c was fitted with a single-joint steering axle, guaranteeing better handling. In addition, it was now available with an optional sliding sunroof and/ or a partition if desired and could also be offered in a four-door D Cabriolet version. To ensure more unified production and because demand was low, the Cabriolet was withdrawn from the sales programme in April 1956 and produced only...
