1959 Mercedes-Benz 300D Saloon

Description

In 1951 at the Frankfurt Auto Show Mercedes-Benz introduced a new line of vehicles that would be their top-of-the line offering in the post-war era. There were two configurations offered, a limousine or four-door Cabriolet D. Intended for the US market, the vehicles were large and powerful and carried a sticker price that was far above the cost of a typical four-door sedan. They were intended for the wealthy and prominent in society.
The 300 Series, also known as the W186, was first shown at the 1951 Paris Auto Show. The car instantly became popular with the social elite, the rich, and the famous. The cars were powered by a six-cylinder overhead valve carburetted engine. There were seven Mercedes-Benz colours to select from. Optional equipment included a Becker radio, VHF short-wave telephone, custom wood trims, leather or cloth seats, carpeting, and a dictation machine, to name a few.

In late 1954, the model was updated resulting in the 300b. The 300b included improvements such as finned drum brakes, a brake booster, and vents in the front door.
The next instalment of the 300 was the 300c, which appeared in 1955 and continued through 1957. A sedan version of the 300C cost over $10,800 while the convertible version cost $14,230.

The 300 'd' model, series W189, was produced from August of 1957 and continued until March of 1962. There were a total of 3077 examples produced. The cars were powered by a Bosch fuel-injected six-cylinder engine that produced an impressive 160 horsepower. The Borg-Warner automatic gearbox was a popular option.
Total production of the six different 300 series cars, which lasted from 1951 through 1962, totalled 12,290 units.
A limited number of the 300 Series sedan and cabriolet models were given the name 'Adenauer', which was derived from Dr. Konrad Adenauer, the chancellor of Germany. He used six of these 300 models during his time in office.