1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Coupe
Introduced at the 1951 Paris Auto Salon as the performance variant of Mercedes-Benz’s flagship 300 series, the 300 S combined luxury touring with sports car engineering influenced by the company’s contemporary 300 SL racing program.
Production commenced in mid-1952 with coupe, cabriolet, and roadster body styles hand-built at Sindelfingen.
The W188 chassis featured independent suspension at all four corners using coil springs and a rear swing axle. Power came from a 3.0-liter inline-six fitted with three Solex carburetors producing 150 horsepower (roughly a 30 percent increase over the standard 300’s output).
The column-mounted shift lever controlled a four-speed manual transmission, and top speed reached approximately 110 mph.
Standard equipment included vacuum-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, reclining seats, reversing lights, windshield washers, and anti-glare mirrors. Interior appointments featured leather upholstery, burled walnut trim, and precision-crafted chrome instruments.
At $12,680, the 300 S commanded premium pricing, and total production reached 560 examples through 1955, with just 216 built as coupes.
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