– really rare coupé variant of the W180 Mercedes-Benz 220 S Ponton
– red leather interior, noble wood dashboard and decor panels
– analogue clock and a Becker Avus radio
– Classic Data appraisal over € 95,000 in 2017 (condition 2+)
– recent general technical overhaul
– sandblasting of front and rear axle, galvanization of differential and engine compartment
– alternator, starter, carburettor, exhaust system overhauled
– underbody and cavities derusted, cleaned and coated
– transmission, differential and steering gears overhauled
– engine cleaned inside as well as outside and newly painted
– German registration documents and admission as historic vehicle
– an amazing car that will nicely complement any Mercedes-Benz collection!
While other car manufacturers had quickly followed the pioneers Citroen and Opel, who started using unitary construction designs as early as the mid-thirties, Mercedes was a late adopter: Their first unibody car, the 180 of the W 120 series, appeared in 1953. It was followed one year later by the larger 220 (W 180), which was subsequently nicknamed “the large Ponton”.
While nearly 550,000 Ponton sedans were built between 1953 and 1962, subdivided into different series and equipped with various engines, convertibles and coupés have always been highly exclusive rarities: The price of such a vehicle amounted to 170 % of the comparable sedan, due to the high amount of handwork that went into assembling them. With only 2,081 units, the coupé is the rarest shape, 1,251 were built as W 180 and 830 as the successor, the W 128.
Most of these upmarket cars were sold to solvent customers in North America, where Mercedes-Benz at that time partnered Studebaker in a sales group.
Since many coupés were parted out for the benefit of the higher valued convertibles, no more than 700 coupés are believed to be in existence today.