1950 Mercedes-Benz 170S

The Mercedes-Benz Type 170S was added to the lineup for 1949 and represented the peak of achievable luxury in early postwar Germany. It set the path of further 'S-Class' models, combining comfortable interior fitments, performance, and ease-of-drivability.

Mercedes-Benz had introduced the 170 (W136) line in 1936 as a mid-range and modestly equipped model that accounted for the bulk of their passenger car production. The chassis was also used as a basis for small trucks, ambulances and taxi cabs. Demand for a more upmarket version birthed the 170S for the 1949 model year. It was slightly larger than the standard 170 and was equipped with a full-length folding canvas roof panel and a leather interior. The 170S came with 15-inch wheels and - in 1950 - a 1767cc, L-head four-cylinder engine that offered just over 50 horsepower with 6.5:1 compression. They had a four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh in all four gears, an oval-tube backbone-type chassis, modern double wishbone/coil spring design being adopted at the front, while at the rear the track was widened and telescopic shock absorbers fitted. Styling was similar to the Type 230 from the pre-War era and was available as a cabriolet and a sedan. It had a tall vertical grille shell and freestanding headlights, but the bodywork was otherwise extremely modern. From the firewall rearward, the 170 S had a similar resemblance to the 300 sedans, in scaled-down form, and the Cabriolet A model bore a strong resemblance to the 300 S Cabriolet that would soon arrive.

The 170S, birthed from humble beginnings, was a landmark model for the Stuttgart-based manufacturer and between 1949 and 1951, Mercedes-Benz produced 2,433 examples of the soft-top 170S Cabriolet. Production of the 170 (W1360 model, between 1936 and 1939, and then from 1947 through 1953 resulted in about 155,000 total units during both production runs.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2011