1951 Mercedes 220A: The German Economic Miracle 

1951 Mercedes 220A: The German Economic Miracle 

Engine Inline 6 Horsepower 80 HP at 4600 RPM Torque 142 Nm at 2500 RPM Engine Location Longitudinal front Drive Type RWD Weight 3915 lbs | 1775.814 kgF/R Brakes Hydraulic drum Transmission 4-speed manual

The 220 was the first Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder post-war car, based on the 170 S, presented at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt in 1951, together with the Mercedes-Benz 300. 

Source: Automotive Heritage

In the early 50s, the German automaker got the opportunity to expand its lineup and produce a more prestigious car than the pre-war Mercedes-Benz 170S. In 1951, the 6-cylinder 220 (W187) was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show.  Externally, it resembled the 170S model but differed from it with integrated headlights on the wings. The company offered several body types, including a 4-door sedan, 3-seater Cabriolet A, 4-seater Cabriolet B, and Coupe. The sunroof was offered for sedans and coupes. However, in 1953, the sedan was replaced by the W105 series car, and coupes and convertibles were produced until 1955.

The origins

Source: Wallpaper Flare

Back in 1947, when Germany was still in ruins, the board of Mercedes-Benz planned luxury, executive, and sports cars in keeping with their old tradition. A few years later, the company’s post-war era of six-cylinder engines began. In April 1951, the new model was presented at the IAA. It was identical to the 170S in chassis and bodywork, except for the headlights, integrated into the fenders, but with a wholly redesigned six-cylinder engine under the hood with an overhead camshaft and an 80 HP power output. The engine had a very long service life and, modified several times, was built for almost four decades.

Interestingly, this automobile was introduced just two years after the 170S was launched, as the six-cylinder Opel Kapitän had already been available in Germany since 1948. Of course, they did not want to leave this market segment to a competitor. The new vehicle had good driving characteristics, hence – good driving behavior, thus continuing the brand’s traditionally high-quality performance. It still showed features of the classic 1930s design and was offered as a four-door sedan, two-seat convertible A with two windows, four-seat convertible B with four windows, and, for the first time after the war, in small numbers as a two-seat coupe. A car like the Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolet A was still a pipe dream for most of the population. Still, it also meant a clear commitment and a signal in the direction of economic recovery also called the economic miracle that should go down in history. In 1954, 180 and 220S began a new era of self-supporting pontoon bodies, with it the end of the “chassis.” The 220A offered a memorable experience of stylish driving in one of the few surviving cars of the post-war period.

The 1951 model year 

Source: Hemmings

In 1951, a 6-cylinder Mercedes-Benz 220 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, equipped with an overhead valve engine with a volume of 2195 cm3 and a power of 80 HP. It had an X-shaped tubular frame with a wheelbase of 2845 mm, independent front suspension with double wishbones and springs with an anti-roll bar at the front, swing axles at the rear, hydraulic drum brakes, and a 4-speed manual transmission. The newly developed engine with an overhead camshaft was installed in the essentially unchanged chassis of the 170S, which gave the car significantly better driving performance. This engine type of the M180 series proved to be so successful that it was used as a basic model with modifications in various Mercedes automobiles for 40 years. A modified bonnet and headlights embedded in the fenders were the new design features of the perfectly proportioned body, which still had elements of the design language of the 1930s. The elegant look of the convertible was then refined during the construction period through the use of a slightly curved windscreen, which was installed on the convertible in November 1953. The new luxury class model was offered as a four-seater sedan, two-seater Cabriolet A, four-seater Cabriolet B, and, for the first time since the war, a two-seater coupé. The Cabriolet A was the most exclusive model of the 220 series, alongside the coupe, of which only 85 were built, with 1,278 units built at a base price of 18,500 DM, and only very few could afford such a vehicle at the time.

Did you know?

Source: WallpaperUp

The Stuttgart-based manufacturer sold 1,278 Mercedes Benz 220 Cabriolet A between 1951 and 1955. The Japanese artist Hiro Yamagata used a few dozen as a background for his “Earthly Paradise” series.

Contact us if you have this or another classic car to sell.

1951 Mercedes 220A: The German Economic Miracle 

Engine Inline 6 Horsepower 80 HP at 4600 RPM Torque 142 Nm at 2500 RPM Engine Location Longitudinal front Drive Type RWD Weight 3915 lbs | 1775.814 kgF/R Brakes Hydraulic drum Transmission 4-speed manual

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