Do you still remember that feeling of a new beginning? In Mythosraum 4 of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, the sounds of rock 'n' roll are in the air. They form the soundscape for a vehicle that attracted a lot of attention exactly 75 years ago (if we count the first drafts): the Mercedes 300, known internally as the W 186 series.
The example on display there immediately catches the eye. It is not painted in the usual, dignified black, but in a glowing medium red (color code DB 516). This is a rarity, as most of the 6.214 units of the first series produced left the factory in more subdued colors. But regardless of the color: the sheer size and the imposing front end clearly communicated in 1951: here comes the boss.
As for the leaders: the list of famous users is long, but one name is as closely associated with this car as chrome with a bumper. Konrad Adenauer, the first Federal Chancellor, appreciated the car so much that the vernacular did not hesitate to rename the W 186 "Adenauer's Mercedes". Adenauer used a total of six 300 series cars during his 14 years as Chancellor, the last of which, from 1959, can also be seen in the Mercedes factory museum.
The designers and coachbuilders gave the 300 an elegant and prestigious design in every detail. In an article about the new representative sedan in February 1952, the British “Autocar” praised it: “The Mercedes-Benz bodies are produced in the famous coachbuilder’s workshop in Sindelfingen and are distinguished by their stylistic continuity combined with unpretentious lines.” The brilliant solution is that the dynamic bulge of the fender continues all the way to the front doors. The chrome strips on the front fenders end in clear glass instead of yellow – an unusual detail for the 50s.
Let's take a look at the interior of a red 1952 300. Here, superb craftsmanship is combined with a rich use of materials that is almost impossible to find today. Wood dominates the dashboard and window frames, and the upholstery is a pleasantly firm mix of fine fabric and artificial leather. Particularly charming: the Becker "Nürburg" radio with chrome buttons and the huge, ivory plastic steering wheel rim. The speedometer reaches 160 km/h. In 1951, this was almost science fiction, when the average German was still driving slowly along country roads in a VW Beetle with its modest 25 horsepower.
Under the long bonnet sits a 3-litre inline six-cylinder engine that develops 85 kW (115 hp). This made the 300 not only the largest but also the fastest German production car of its time. A top speed of 155 km/h made it a capable long-distance touring car. Later versions, such as the W 189 (from 1957), were even equipped with intake manifold injection.
A real special feature then as now: the adjustable driver's seat according to Keiper's patent. What is standard today was a real luxury back then. The backrest could be tilted individually – a milestone in comfort on long journeys. Anyone who looked around did not find the rear-view mirror on the glass, but on a curved chrome base on the left wing.
“Unsurpassed… yet affordable”, that was the Mercedes slogan. Well, “affordable” is a relative term. When it went on sale in 1951, Daimler-Benz charged a high price of 19.900 German marks. To put that in perspective: a VW Beetle cost around 4.400 German marks at the time. The average monthly salary was around 300 German marks. It took a considerable economic miracle to make this car affordable. Nevertheless, it was a success and cemented the brand’s reputation as “the elite of cars”, as the American magazine “Road & Track” aptly noted in 1954.
This iconic sedan shares the magic number 300 with other Mercedes models from that time that were also powered by the powerful three-liter six-cylinder in-line engine: the 300 S Coupé, Cabriolet and Roadster (W 188, 1952 to 1955) and the legendary 300 SL (W 198, 1954 to 1963). Anyone who wants to experience this milestone in German automotive history firsthand can do so at the Mercedes-Benz Museum (Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–18 p.m.). The red example from Mainz in particular proves that luxury doesn't have to be black to make an impression.
