1956 Mercedes-Benz “Ponton” Coupe (W180/W128) 220 SE

Vehicle Overview

Three months after the introduction of the launch of the W180 Convertible, Mercedes-Benz launched a fixed-roof version of it named Coupe.

Since it shared most of its parts with its sibling, the 220 S Coupe was based on the same shortened chassis as the 220 A Sedan version. Thus, the German automaker expanded its lineup and provided customers with an elegant vehicle built not just for long travels but also as a boulevard cruiser. It was not built for speed, and that was easy to notice just by taking a look at its specs. But its owners didn’t seem to care too much about that.

Since the Pontoon was designed with a crumple zone at the front, the Coupe carried over all the elements of its open-top sibling. That included the one-piece chromed bumper at the front, which was a radical design for those times. Another safety measure was the introduction of the turn signals placed on top of the fenders, which made them more visible to fellow drivers. Like the rest of the vehicles from those times, it sported round headlights surrounded by chromed rims. From its profile, the curved lines of the bodywork continued on the greenhouse, which didn’t feature side windows behind the doors. At the back, the integrated taillights in the rear quarter-panels, the wide and curved trunk lid, and the single-piece bumper were just a few details that showed the design change in the Mercedes-Benz philosophy.

Inside, the automaker installed a pair of bucket seats at the front and a bench for two in the back. Still, there was hardly any legroom left for those rear-seated passengers. But the automaker knew this and offered the option to fold down the rear bench, thus transforming it into a storage area.

Under the hood, there was an inline-six engine with two downdraught carburetors that produced 106 hp in 1957. A year later, a single-point injection (the injector was in the manifold) was available and increased the output to 115 hp.