Mercedes-Benz W188
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| Mercedes-Benz 300 S/300 Sc | |
|---|---|
 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S roadster | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz |
| Production | 1952−1958 300S: 1952-1955 300 Sc: 1955-1958 W188 Coupé: 314 W188 Cabriolet/Roadster.: 446[1] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Two-door luxury car |
| Body style | 2 door coupé 2-door cabriolet 2-door roadster |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Platform | Mercedes-Benz W188 |
| Related | Mercedes-Benz 300 Mercedes-Benz 300d Mercedes-Benz 300SL |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2996 cc M188 I6 (300 S) 2996 cc M199 fuel-injected I6 (300 S) |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | W188: 2,900 mm (110 in) |
| Length | W188: 4,700 mm (190 in) |
| Width | W188: 1,916 mm (75.4 in) |
| Height | W188: 1,510 mm (59 in) |
| Curb weight | W188: 1,670 kg (3,680 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz 770 |
| Successor | Mercedes-Benz W112 |
The Mercedes-Benz W188 was a two-door luxury sports tourer produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1951 and 1958. The company's most expensive and exclusive automobile, the elegant, hand-built two-door 300 S (1952-1955) and its successor 300 Sc (1955-1958) were the pinnacle of the Mercedes line of their era.
The pair's conservative styling belied their technological advances,[2] sharing numerous design innovations and mechanical components with the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing", including engine, suspension, and chassis.
In addition, it shared other refinements with Mercedes' flagship four-door (W186) 300 "Adenauer" sedan, including a pedal-operated chassis central lubrication system, and a dashboard operated electrical torsion-bar activated rear load-leveling suspension leveling system.[3]
The W188 was available as a hard-topped coupe, a cabriolet, and a roadster (fitted with a lighter, fully retractable soft top without the cabriolet’s heft and large landau bars).
A total of 760 W188s were produced between 1952 and 1958, 560 300S and 200 300 Sc.
300 S
[edit]The 300 S (W188) was introduced at the Paris Salon in October 1951. It was available as a 2-seat roadster, 2+2 coupé, and cabriolet (officially the Cabriolet A). Although mechanically similar to the much larger contemporary four-door (W186) 300 "Adenauer" sedan, the additional craftsmanship, visual elegance, and 50% higher price tag elevated the W188 series to the apex of its era's luxury cars.[4]
The 300 S was fitted with a high-performance M188 version of the W186's 3.0 L (2996 cc/182 in³) overhead cam, aluminum head M186 straight-6, the M188. Designed to give reliable service under prolonged hard use, the engine featured deep water jackets, an innovative diagonal head-to-block joint that allowed for oversized intake and exhaust valves, thermostatically controlled oil cooling, copper-lead bearings, and a hardened crankshaft. Triple Solex carburettors and 7.8:1 compression and raised maximum output to 150 PS (110 kW; 150 hp) at 5000 rpm.
From July 1952 to August 1955, a total of 560 300 S automobiles were built - 216 Coupés, 203 Cabriolet As, and 141 Roadsters were produced.[1][5]
300 Sc
[edit]
The 300 Sc (W188) appeared in 1955, featuring upgrades to both its engine and suspension derived from the high-performance 300SL Gullwing introduced a year earlier and the (W186) 300c, its most advanced version. These included the Sc's new M199 inline-six receiving a significantly detuned version of the 300 SL's M198 mechanical direct fuel-injection system, and a rear suspension improvement from the 300c.[6]
With an increased 8.55:1 compression ratio, the M199 produced 175 hp (130 kW) at 5400 rpm, and 188 lb⋅ft (255 N⋅m) at 4300 rpm.[7]
Prices rose to DM 36,500, and a total of 200 300 Sc's were built - 98 Coupés, 49 Cabriolet As, and 53 Roadsters through April 1958.[1]
References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Deutsche Autos, Band 4, 2001.
- ^ "Mercedes Benz 300 | Buy & Sell | Beverly Hills Car Club". 2017-09-01. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
- ^ 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster, Bring a Trailer
- ^ [1] “Mercedes-Benz 300 S: Dreamlike synthesis between luxury and sport”, mercedes-benz.com
- ^ "Luxury Car Transportation".
- ^ 300 S and 300 Sc Convertibles and Roadsters (W 188), 1952 - 1958, Mercedes Archive
- ^ 300 Sc Roadster Mercedes-Benz Archive
Additional sources
[edit]- Hartmann, Matthias (2017). Das große Mercedes-Cabrio-Buch [The Big Mercedes Cabrio Book] (in German) (reprint of the original 1992 ed.). Königswinter, Germany: Heel Verlag. ISBN 9783958435810.
- Oswald, Werner [in German] (2001). Deutsche Autos [German Cars] (in German). Vol. Band [Volume] 4: 1945–1990 Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche und andere [and others]. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3613021315.
- Staud, René (photographs); Lewandowski, Jürgen (text) (2016). Mercedes-Benz: The Grand Cabrios & Coupes. Kempen, Germany: teNeues. ISBN 9783832732936.
External links
[edit]- "300 S (W188)". Phil Seed's Virtual Car Museum. Retrieved December 1, 2005.
- "300 (W186, W189)". Phil Seed's Virtual Car Museum. Retrieved December 1, 2005.
- "Mercedes-Benz Type 300 Adenauer". MBZPonton.Org. Retrieved December 1, 2005.