Beschreibung:

1960 Mercedes-Benz 300d 'Adenauer' Saloon
Registration no. to be advised
Chassis no. 18901012001930
Engine no. 12798412000346• One of 581 300d saloons built in 1960
• Left-hand drive
• Non-original Mercedes-Benz engine
• Manual column-change gearbox
• Repainted and re-trimmed in 2020
One of Mercedes-Benz's first all-new designs of the post-war era, the 300 saloon debuted in 1951 and would succeed in re-establishing the Stuttgart firm in the front rank of prestige motor manufacturers, marking as it did a return to the marque's tradition of building high-performance luxury automobiles of the finest quality.
The 300 featured independent suspension all round, four-wheel drum brakes, hypoid bevel final drive, dynamically balanced wheels and remote electrical control of the rear suspension ride height. Initially developing 115bhp, the 3.0-litre, overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine, also used in the 300 SL sports car, gained the latter's fuel injection in the restyled, longer wheelbase (and even more roomier) 300d of 1957. Other improvements included larger brakes (servo-assisted from 1954), optional power steering (on the 300d) and the adoption of three-speed automatic transmission as standard on the latter.
Custom built by Mercedes-Benz's most experienced craftsmen, the 300 was luxuriously appointed and trimmed with materials of the highest quality. Fast and elegant, it was one of very few contemporary vehicles capable of carrying six passengers in comfort at sustained high speeds. It was the car of choice among West German government officials and was widely favoured by businessmen, financiers and politicians. Indeed, 'Adenauer' became its unofficial model name, after German Chancellor Dr Konrad Adenauer, its most famous customer. Between 1957 and 1962 when production ceased, Mercedes-Benz made 3,077 300d saloons, this car being one of 581 completed in 1960.
Owned by the vendor since 2021, this Adenauer four-door saloon was brought to the UK in July of 2022 and is presently undergoing UK registration. The vendor advises us that the bodywork is in good order having been repainted in 2020, while the interior received new leather trim to the seats. It should be noted that this car is fitted with a Mercedes-Benz 2.2-litre six-cylinder M127 engine and a manual column-change gearbox. The brakes are currently ineffective and thus the car is sold strictly as viewed.