Mercedes-Benz 300d “Adenauer” Gets Restored to Its Former Glory

The car in question is a Mercedes-Benz Type-300d, also known as “Adenauer” after Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany who served between 1949 and 1963. At its time, it was the most luxurious Mercedes-Benz, on par with the other pampering vehicles of its era like the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud or the BMW 501, but with superior performance.

The 300d in particular was launched in 1957 and only 3,077 units were built until 1962, when it was replaced by the 300 SE. However, it was enough to give the 300d a legendary status and make it one of the sought-after classic cars of today.

Luckily for them, the Eng family have been hiding one in their garage for the past 40 years. The car was offered by Robert Eng as a gift to his wife, Janet, back in 1962, and then served as the family car until its clock reached 60,000 miles (96,000 km). Since running it became too expensive, the Engs decided it was time to preserve the car in their garage and that’s where it remained until now.

Hidden under a cover, the car lay there in hibernation, waiting for the day somebody would find the courage (and, it has to be said, the money) to restore it back to its original state. That somebody proved to be J.G. Francis from Mercedes Motoring, who saw the opportunity and spent many long hours working tediously on the luxury car. All his dedication can be seen in the final product that is, by his own words, “almost 100 percent original.”

It’s not very hard to imagine the owners’ excitement at seeing their old car brought back to life. It’s equally simple to understand why so many people seeing them drive around Los Angeles come up to the Engs and ask them if the car’s for sale. It’s just that kind of vehicle that instantly makes you want to own it. Let’s just hope this Adenauer Mercedes will be forever kept on the road from now on. Click “play” below for a heartwarming story and some beautiful shots of this exquisite piece of machinery from the past.