Chassis 187 012 4500233
Motor 187 920 4500303
Aufbau 187 012 450078

In the Wiesenthal Collection since 1987
Beautifully restored condition
Matching Numbers

The 34th IAA took place in April 1951 in Frankfurt for the first time. Mercedes used this stage to reassert its place at the top end of the market. For enough time the 170, a mere entry level before the war, had to hold up the star. Now the attendees in Frankfurt were stunned with the first post-war six-cylinder models, which represented a fresh start for the brand and the beginning of a new era.

The 300 was the spearhead that had been missing for so long and which evoked the splendour of the past. The 220 bridged the gap to the unattainable. Its 80 hp motor reaching 140 km/h, was a great success and its basic layout lived on until all the way into the 1980s. The exterior appearance was barely altered, thus could not deny where it was coming from. The pre-war models continued to exert their influence.

While the saloons may have been lacking a modern touch, the cabriolets made up for this with style and elegance. The two-window, three-seater Cabriolet A was of particularly captivating beauty. True to the pre-war naming system, there was also a four-window Cabriolet B and a sporty Coupé from the end of 1953 onwards.

Even the saloon was attainable for just a select few at 12,000 Mark. The Cabriolet A cost 0 percent more, while the coupé with a sun roof was almost double in price, making it as expensive as the high-class 300. The masses could only dream of owning one of these cars. his corresponded with the quantities. 16,000 saloons were produced, compared with around 1,000 of each cabriolet. Their price dramatically reduced the coupés number to a mere 85.

In 1954, the metal exterior was finally brought up to date with the “Ponton” design. While the new saloon marked a complete departure from the pre-war era, the Cabriolet A and Coupé continued for the time being. For one year, they were produced with a further five horses before finally being discontinued in May 1955, although there was no successor on the horizon. Together with the out-of-this-world 300 S the 220 Cabriolets and Coupés remain unsurpassed in terms of their beauty, glamour and classic style.

This 220 Cabriolet A started its journey overseas when it left the factory on 30 April 1954. More precisely, it travelled to a Chicago-based company called Geib that were renowned producers of instrument cases. The black car was fitted with red leather and a black soft-top, a Telefunken radio, elongated bumper guards and white wall tyres. It was joined on the boat by an assortment of replacement parts and a kilo of paint.

The picture-perfect cabriolet returned to the Old World in 1987, when it joined the Wiesenthal collection. It was registered on 18 July, and an old notebook reveals that a good deal of test drives took place over the days that followed. There were minor issues with warm starts and the second gear, but those were resolved by autumn of the same year. Otherwise, its driver again attested the 220’s good condition and, above all, the amazement on the faces of astonished passers-by. A highly detailed record was kept of every kilometre driven and every tiny issue that arose over the next few years.

In 1990, the cabriolet was overhauled at Bergstaller, the engine rebuilt in 1993, and the carburettors in 1995. Eventually, the body was expertly restored in 2003/2004 and the interior renewed. It goes without saying that this was done to match the exact look it had left the factory 50 years prior. An original luggage set was also thrown in for good measure to mark this occasion.

The years have passed since then leaving barely a trace: the 220 cabriolet A remains as impressive, sporty, luxurious and elegant as it was on the day it was made. And it still makes jaws drop wherever it goes.