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Rare Mercedes Ponton Cabriolet Up for Auction

The forthcoming Historics’ Summer sale on July 19 at Brooklands is to feature a rare, original 1960 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Ponton Cabriolet, which is expected to fetch somewhere between £85,000 and £95,000.

The example in question is one of only 17 right-hand drive models from approximately 2000 220SE Coupe and Cabriolet models manufactured, and comes finished in black with contrasting blue hood, and still sporting the original maroon leather interior.

“Deriving from the German word Ponton, meaning pontoon, the design trend reputedly originated from the German wartime practice of adding tread armour along the full-length of tank sides, and typically led to the integration of the front fenders within the full-width, full-length bodywork,” Historics explains in a statement for the press.

Based on the 220S, the 220SE was powered by a fuel-injected version of the 2.2-litre overhead-camshaft straight-six engine, with maximum power increased from 106 to 115bhp, and while top speed remained unchanged at around 100mph, there was a noticeable improvement in acceleration with the 0-60mph time being reduced by two seconds.

From its delivery in 1960 until 2004, the car was kept in London and maintained by marque specialists, Portland Motors. Since 2004 the car has seen only occasional use at Mercedes-Benz rallies and events.

“The six-cylinder ‘soft top’ on sale at Historics auction bears all the hallmarks of the obviously oversized, slab-sided appearance of vehicles in the post-war Ponton period. It is harnessed however in the style and luxury of a cabriolet configuration, to create a highly sought-after Grand Tourer,
” the statement further adds.
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