1954 Mercedes-Benz 300b

Daimler-Benz's flagship model during the 1950s was the 300 series, championed by Heads of State and Captains of Industry and indelibly linked with German politicians to the point where they were nicknamed 'Adenauer' after the Chancellor of the day. When the 300 was announced in 1951, it was unquestionably one of the most sophisticated cars built since the war. Remarkably, the company had largely recovered from the devastation of World War II, and its engineers had succeeded admirably, bestowing it with mechanical sophistication that complemented its elegant and modern transatlantic styling. The new 2,996cc six-cylinder engine had a light alloy head, chain-driven camshaft and seven-bearing crankshaft. The twin Solex carburetors had an automatic choke, and the motor developed 115 bhp. This, combined with an all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox, was necessary to propel the heavy 300 around at very respectable speeds. Other notable features included a fully independent suspension and a hypoid bevel final drive.

The 300 was one of the first all-new designs of the post-war era and was introduced in 1951 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Designed by Hermann Ahrens, it helped re-establish the Stuttgart firm in the front rank of prestige car manufacturers and signaled a return to the marque's tradition of building high-quality and high-performance luxury automobiles.

Mercedes-Benz produced the W186 Model 300 from 1951 through 1957, with approximately 12,190 units constructed. Drilling down further, the 300 was built - albeit informally - in three versions, known as the 300a (a.k.a. 300), 300b, and 300c. A total of 7,646 were the W186 Saloon, and 642 were the Cabriolet D. These four-door, powerful cars quickly received the nickname 'Adenauer' because six custom examples of the 300 saw use by the German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, its most famous customer.

Specification
The Mercedes-Benz 300 used a cross-braced, oval-tube chassis similar to the one used by the 170S and 220, with four-wheel drum brakes and an independent suspension. The rear suspension ride height was remote electrical controlled, and it was given the added refinement of hypoid final drive and dynamically balanced wheels. The 3.0-liter, overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine initially offered 115 horsepower.

The Mercedes-Benz 300B
An updated 300 was introduced in March 1954 and was known as the 300B. A total of 1,639 examples were saloons, and 136 were cabriolets (87 300 B Cabriolets were built in 1954). Even more horsepower was extracted through better carburetion and an increased compression ratio (Solex carburetors and compression ratio of 7.5:1), now rated at 123 horsepower.

Mercedes-Benz's most experienced craftsmen were tasked with trimming and appointing the 300 with materials of the highest quality.

Saloon and cabriolet body styles were offered with construction on par with the legendary pre-war 500 K and 540 Ks, complete with a sumptuous, leather-swathed interior, beautiful hardwoods, chrome-plated solid brass trim, and seating accommodations for six passengers. The Cabriolet Ds were hand-built to order at Stuttgart with a landau bar-assisted cabriolet top.

The Mercedes-Benz W186 was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W189 model 300, produced from 1957 to 1962. During its lifespan, a total of 3,077 W189 Saloons and 65 W189 Cabriolet D body styles were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2023