1958 Mercedes-Benz 300D 'Adenauer' Saloon

In 1951 at the Frankfurt Auto Show Mercedes-Benz introduced a new line of vehicles that would be its top-of-the line offering in the post-war era. Two configurations were offered, a limousine and a four-door Cabriolet. The 300 Series, also known as the W186, was first shown at the 1951 Paris Auto Show and it became instantly popular with the social elite, the rich, and the famous. Available in seven different colours, the cars were powered by a six-cylinder overhead valve carburetted engine. Optional equipment included a Becker radio, VHF short-wave telephone, custom wood trims, leather or cloth seats, carpeting, and even a dictation machine. In late 1954, the model was updated resulting in the 300B, improvements including finned drum brakes, a brake booster, and vents in the front door. The next instalment of the 300 was the 300C, which appeared in 1955 and continued through 1957. The 300 'D' model, series W189, was produced from August 1957 and continued until March 1962. There was a total of 3077 examples produced. The cars were powered by a Bosch fuel-injected six-cylinder engine that produced an impressive 160 horsepower. A Borg-Warner automatic gearbox was a popular option. Total production of the six different 300 series cars, which lasted from 1951 through 1962, totalled 12,290 units. 

A limited number of the 300 Series sedan and cabriolet models were also given the name 'Adenauer', which was derived from Dr. Konrad Adenauer, the chancellor of Germany. He used six of these 300 models during his time in office.