See Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a series of luxury sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The classification was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116 S-Class, which succeeded previous Mercedes-Benz models dating to the mid-1950s...

 for a complete overview of all S-Class models.

The Mercedes-Benz W180 is a 6-cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...

 sedan, coupé

Coupé

A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...

, and convertible

Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...

 made from 1954 to 1959. The models associated with the W180 chassis

Chassis

A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...

 code were the 220a and 220S. The latter has often been identified as the first E-Class, though Mercedes-Benz did not officially adopt the E-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive-size cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. The E initially stood for Einspritzmotor, ; a new feature in volume production vehicles at the time that the E-Class first appeared, with the E as a suffix to the...

 nameplate for its midsize line until 1984.

The W180 was one in a series of Mercedes-Benz models to informally receive the "Ponton

Mercedes-Benz Ponton

The Ponton was Daimler-Benz's first totally new Mercedes-Benz series of passenger vehicles produced after World War II. In July 1953, the cars replaced the pre-war-designed Type 170 series and were the bulk of the automaker's production through 1959, though some models lasted through 1962.The...

" nickname. This was in reference to the unibody-type, pontoon-shaped

Ponton (automobile)

Ponton or Pontoon styling refers to a 1930s-1960s design genre — ultimately the precursor of modern automotive styling. The trend emerged as distinct running boards and fully articulated fenders became less common and bodywork began to enclose the full width and uninterrupted length of a car...

 exterior styling which was also featured on the later W128

Mercedes-Benz W128

The Mercedes-Benz W128 was a 6-cylinder automobile that was available in sedan, coupé, or cabriolet body styles and produced from October, 1958 to August, 1959...

 line.

220a (W180 I)

Introduced in March 1954, the 220a was a more luxurious and up-scale version of the W120

Mercedes-Benz W120

The Mercedes-Benz W120 and W121 "Ponton" cars were produced from 1953 through 1962. They were sold under the "'180" and "190" model names....

 model 180 with a wheelbase stretched by 170 mm (6.7 in) to accommodate the longer straight-6 engine taken from the W187

Mercedes-Benz W187

The W187 was Mercedes-Benz's line of six-cylinder luxury cars in the early 1950s. It was sold as a sedan, coupe, and cabriolet, all with the 220 model name. Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 220 sedan was replaced by the W105/W180 line in 1953...

 model 220, that in this application delivered 85 PS fed by a single carburettor. 220a production ended in April, 1956 with 25,937 units produced.

220S (W180 II)

The 220a was succeeded in March 1956 by the 220S, which was externally almost identical, but had an upgraded version of the 2.2L inline-six (100 PS, later 106 PS), due to the use of twin-carburettors.

Visually, the 220S featured a new one piece front bumper, instead of the 3-piece bumper used on the 220a. Also, the twin chrome and rubber strips running under the doors of the 220a were replaced with solid chrome strips. The most obvious difference is the addition of a chrome strip running along the front fenders and doors of the 220S.

The 220S was available with a 4-speed column shift manual transmission, with an optional Hydrak automatic clutch. This made use of small microswitches on the gear selector that automatically disengaged the clutch when the driver changed gears. Many cars have subsequently been converted to use a standard clutch, due to the high maintenece costs of continuing to use the Hydrak clutch.

Also introduced with the 220S was the W105 219

Mercedes-Benz W105

The Mercedes-Benz W105 is a part of The "Ponton" family. It was produced from 1956 to 1959 with a conventional, watercooled four stroke, reciprocating piston type with 6 cylinders engine.-History:...

, which from the a-pillar forward was essentially a single-carburettor 220a, but rearward from the a-pillar it used the shorter body of the W120/W121 180/190 models.

In July 1956 a Cabriolet (two doors, four seats) joined the line-up, and in October 1956 a Coupé version followed suit. Some Cabriolets were finished with folding rear seats to accommodate additional luggage.

Until October 1959, 55,279 220S saloons and 3,429 Cabriolets and Coupés were built.

The fuel-injected 220SE versions that officially bore the model code W128

Mercedes-Benz W128

The Mercedes-Benz W128 was a 6-cylinder automobile that was available in sedan, coupé, or cabriolet body styles and produced from October, 1958 to August, 1959...

were introduced in October 1958 and carried on until November 1960.
USA:  || style="text-align:center;"| DM 12,500
$ 4,175 || style="text-align:center;"| DM 12,500
$ 4,494 || style="text-align:center;"| DM 21,500
$ 7,138
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