The first Mercedes-development after the Second World War. The type designation is valid for the coupe and the convertible. Therefore you can not use the roof of the latter anyway for supporting, one of the reasons why, in this car yet realized no self supporting body. So there is a chassis of traditional design, and what kind of one! Each a massive rectangular carrier, vertically built in, combines a front cross tube going to the outside with a rear cross directly in front of the rear axle. Forward they continue to just before the bumper. Oval tubes reinforce the central tunnel. The coupe has the same frame and therefore likely to be even oversized. The bumpers are fixed with special holders front and rear to the longitudinal beams, allowing them in case of a slight impact a certain freedom of movement. Rear the chassis achieves such a height that the two ends of the swing axle support thereon via coil springs. There are also in front coil springs at for the car size appearing very fragile double wishbones. The body looks very smooth especially in plan view. As with the last pre-war vehicles there is the (top) trapezoidal engine compartment with very high starting fenders the only in the area of the doors pass into the running boards. Forward, they end in the headlights. Already standard on the right and left from the radiator grille are installed two nearly hemispherical auxiliary lights. The massive chrome bumpers carry enormous bumper horns and rubber pads, very unusual for the time. Beautiful: the slim and mile long chromed turn signalson the fenders. The doors are attached in front what prevails now gradually. Giant doors connect front and rear, no triangular windows or other subdivisions. Beautiful the Landau-linkage on the convertible top. In the rear, the body has some difficulty to disguise the huge luggage compartment. To the mass the knob of the hood fits quite well, but not the side-mounted turn signals above the fender. Obviously, it has been found at the last minute that an integrated into the elegant tail lights turn signal, can not be seen from all directions because of the huge bumper horns. A longitudinally mounted in-line six, one can imagine, of course. One would be surprised by the relatively large opening on the side which shall be closed by just such a sheet. As is fitting for such a top model, the crankshaft is mounted sevenfold and has also appropriate counterweights. In other words, this engine you should hardly hear. Interestingly, the relatively large diameter in the gear rim. Here probably a larger transmission probably will make work easier. Unlike today, three piston rings seal off and an oil scraper ring ensures the preservation of the oil volume. Nothing special offers the mounted fourfold overhead camshaft with shock absorber the via towing levers respectively rocker arms opens the valves. Unusually, however, the mixture preparation, being done by three single-downdraft carburetors. No wonder that the later introduced injection system delivers significant power increase. Few surprise with the electrical system, for the schematic diagram, also with such a luxury car, almost even is sufficient one DINA-4-leaf. 12 Volt systems are, however, still a rarity at the time. Also the comfort of a magnetic switch is still far from being achieved in each car. The starter of the 300 must certainly not be operated via cable pull.
Look for a change to the dashboard. It does not have any padding for passive prevention of accidents but features beautiful woodwork with a clock in the top center as highlight. Here we meet the speedometer with the additional instruments right and left even for the first time. The steering wheel impact absorber is made just as little safe as the rigid steering column. As indicator actuation you have to turn the steering wheel rim and of course reset by yourself. Column shifter is widespread and here even combined with four fully synchronized gears. A rarity is the original "Becker-Europa" radio that fits very well with the amount of chromium. Hardly less dangerous to injury than the steering, the handbrake. In addition, the high-beam actuation in the footwell and slightly higher the push-button for the central lubrication, today we only know from the truck or automatic controlled by the motorcycle chain. Pressing incidentally, the horn so a three-tone signal system sounds. We deal with the active safety. Drum brakes are the measure of all things, the disc brake is not an issue until the next decade. Front in Duplex assembly and rear in Simplex assembly, they are still being built for a long time, after all at this premium product with servo assistance from 1954. With hydraulic defect you must rely on the handbrake because no breakdown in two circles is available. But for that the hand brake is designed elaborately, the rear even with brake shafts. The swing axle is regarded as independent suspension, and thus as technically advanced, even if its only joint is not yet displaced downwards as in the later versions. But who will thunder with this heavy car through the corners, so that the rear wheels set up with positive camber and provide a slight tilting moment. Otherwise no peculiarities, just maybe, that the front axle including stabilizer has many unusual suspension links and for that the steering gear is relatively simple with its steering finger. 08/12