1961 Mercedes-Benz 220 S Coupé
The factory data plate on this specific example reads Baujahr 1961 (built in 1961), which surprises people, given that the rounded ponton coachwork reads as a product of the mid-to-late 1950s.
It is in fact one of the final examples built before the model was discontinued, completed the same year the W111 220 SEb Coupé debuted to replace the earlier six-cylinder coupé line.
The ponton coupé was a different proposition from the saloon it shared a drivetrain with: shorter in wheelbase, lower in roofline, and priced around 70% higher, with interior appointments to match (leather upholstery and wood trim were standard where the saloon offered more modest furnishings).
A total of 3,429 coupés and cabriolets were built across the complete run of the carbureted 220 S and fuel-injected 220 SE variants, with series production spanning 1956 through 1960 (and a small number of final cars completed in 1961).
The 2,195 cc single overhead camshaft six with twin Solex carburetors produced 106 hp (SAE gross) and was good for a top speed of around 99 mph. A four-speed manual was standard, with the Hydrak semi-automatic clutch available as an option.
Suspension was fully independent with coil springs all round and a single-pivot rear swing axle.
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