Mercedes Benz 180/190 Pontoon (1953 – 1962)
In the history of Mercedes Benz, it has rarely been so difficult. Daimler-Benz had to settle on one of the most important new car designs. While the four-cylinder 170S was clearly showing its age, the six-cylinder 220 was just a 170S with a larger power plant. Furthermore, the luxurious 300 Benz still retained its pre-war genes in its styling and chassis.
This shift from more traditional thinking to a modern style showed a bit of the problem Daimler-Benz management was facing in those days. On the one hand, they couldn’t afford to fall behind what competitors were offering, and on the other hand, they knew that a design that was too radically modern might not be appreciated by their more traditionally minded customers. The Mercedes Benz 300 was a clear statement of how much they knew about the preferences of a larger part of their customer base. From 1951 to 1962, the 300 had not drastically changed from its traditional pre-war design.
Only eight months before the launch of the 180, the Daimler-Benz management approved the final pontoon design. At its introduction in September 1953, the new form was accepted by almost all of its potential customers. The new Benz had a 20% more spacious passenger compartment and offered much greater visibility. Drivers could also carry much more luggage, as the trunk had 75% more volume. But the features didn’t stop there. Inside the cabin, heating can be individually adjusted for driver and passenger, and larger, more supportive seats invite a relaxed ride. It is interesting that all this could be achieved in the exterior dimensions of the predecessor, the 170S Benz. It’s also worth mentioning that the new unitary body chassis was much stronger and twice as stiff as the old independent body-on-frame construction.
The term did not exist in those days, but the Ponton 180 could be considered as the first Mercedes Benz E-Class. It was in the same price league as the six-cylinder Opel Kapitän, which from an image point of view more competed with the 220 W187 Benz. At 9,950. – DM ($2,360.-) The new Mercedes Benz 180 wasn’t cheap, but buyers didn’t seem to mind. This latest addition to the Benz family was not only popular at the time of its launch, but was in demand throughout its production run. And for the first time the magic word “waiting list” was heard.
Naturally, for the four-cylinder cars from Daimler-Benz, a diesel engine became available again. The OM 636 was also taken unchanged from the earlier 170 Benz, and still lived up to its reputation as a rather noisy and uncivilized power plant. But its robust and reliable design also made it capable of outliving the vehicle it powered. Little surprise, it was so appreciated by taxi owners, who spoke of 300,000 or more miles with a single engine.
Also, the gasoline engine was a carryover from the previous 170S Benz. So in 1957, four years after the car’s introduction, the 180 received the M 121 OHC engine from the 190, but in a detuned version. Power increased from 52 hp at 4,000 rpm to 65 hp at 4,500 rpm.
The Mercedes Benz 190 was launched in 1956. It was basically a 180 with an engine that developed 75 hp at 4,600 rpm. On the outside, next to a different plate, it had a wide chrome trim along the lower window line. And inside it offered a slightly different upholstery. In August 1959 both Mercedes Benz cars were updated at the front with a lower and wider radiator grille.
At that time, Daimler-Benz had already moved into the “fin-tail era” or “Heckflossen-Zeit” with the introduction of the six-cylinder 220b series. In August 1961, the 190 Benz was discontinued, as the fin-tailed 190 series was introduced. In October 1962, the last Ponton 180 finally left the production floor. Over the years, the car has seen technical and cosmetic updates, but has remained the trusted and dependable Mercedes Benz vehicle, which had ushered in the Ponton era for Daimler-Benz nine years earlier.