MERCEDES BENZ Typ 220 (W187) 1951-1954 Photos, engines & full specs

In 1951, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the new 220 model. It replaced the former 170, paving the way to the S-Class. It was the first step

Only six years have passed after the end of WWII and the German automotive industry started to rise back from its ashes and opened the gates of their first Motor Show in Frankfurt. The new model was trying hard to separate from the pre-war models. It was also the first post-war Mercedes-Benz with an inline-six engine.

The 1951 Mercedes-Benz 220 featured flared arches over the front wheels, with a raised engine bay as in the pre-war vehicles. The main difference was that the headlights were enclosed in the fenders and not supported by bars, as before. The flat windshield and raised greenhouse still resembled some pre-war vehicles, such as the W153. The sedan version, featured suicidal-type front doors, with the rear doors being hinged on their front side. The spare-wheel was placed inside the trunk.

Inside the car, there was room for four passengers, with more legroom for the rear occupants. Since Mercedes-Benz was a luxury brand before the war, it tried to stay on the same path even though the times were different.

Part of the technological archive and the engineers survived the war and gathered back to rebuild the brand. They installed a new inline-six engine with an overhead camshaft, which was unusual. And it worked well. The 80 hp unit was better than what the manufacturer obtained with the former 2.2-liter unit from 1938 that offered 55 hp.