Mercedes-Benz W120/W121
Mercedes-Benz W120/W121 | |
---|---|
Mercedes-Benz W191 | |
Successor | Mercedes-Benz W110 |
The Mercedes-Benz W120 and Mercedes-Benz W121 are technically similar
The W120 was nicknamed the Ponton (along with other Mercedes models) after its introduction, because it employed ponton, or pontoon styling, a prominent styling trend that unified a car's previously articulated hood, body, fenders and running boards into a singular envelope.
Together with the longer wheelbase and more luxurious 2.2-liter inline-six cylinder W128 model 220, they constituted 80 percent of Mercedes-Benz' car production between 1953 and 1959.[2]
The W120 was the first predecessor to the medium size Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan line.[3]
History
The base, four-cylinder 180/190 and the W105 six-cylinder 219 Ponton models looked very similar in appearance, from the rear doors forward, to the more luxury W128 and W180 stretched wheelbase six-cylinder 220a and 220 S(E) models. From behind, one could not easily differentiate even the top-of-the-line 220SE (E for 'Einspritzung', or fuel injection) from a base 180 model, but the longer bonnet (and wheelbase), and chrome touches identified it as an upscale, six-cylinder model.
The 1951 to 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 W186 Adenauer company flagship used a much larger frame and body, and was an entirely different car.
The 180 and 190 four-cylinders were widely used as German taxis. Only these shorter Pontons featured low-wattage parking clearance lights at front bumper top rear. A simple left-right toggle above and to the left of the driver's knee selected which side would illuminate, so as not to needlessly run down the battery in winter, no small concern when restarting diesels. Heater air intakes were on both sides of the radiator grille only on the W120/W121.
The form and body of the car changed little during its production run. However, in 1957, a year after the introduction of the 190 saloon, the 180's 56 PS (41 kW; 55 hp) M136 engine, which had originally been designed for the
A related roadster variant, the R121, better known as the
At the 1959
At the time, Studebaker-Packard had an agreement with Mercedes-Benz to distribute their cars in the US market. A prototype was built based on the W120 with Packard-styled headlights similar to those fitted on the Packard Patrician. This prototype was called the W122 but it never reached the production state; This was likely because the W120 platform that the prototype was based on was reaching the end of its life cycle, while the compact luxury sector was not that developed in the US market yet.[6]
Technical description
The Mercedes-Benz W120 and W121 are four-door saloons with a
Mercedes-Benz built the W120 with all of their then-present four-cylinder engines: the
Models
Model | Chassis code | Years | Type | Engine | Number built[8] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
W120 sedan | W120.010 | 1953–1957 | 180 | 1.8 L M136 petrol I4 | 52,186 |
1957–1959 | 180a | 1.9 L M121 petrol I4 | 27,353 | ||
1959–1961 | 180b | 29,415 | |||
1961–1962 | 180c | 9,280 | |||
W120.110 | 1953–1959 | 180D | 1.8 L OM636 diesel I4 |
116,485 | |
1959–1961 | 180Db | 24,676 | |||
1961–1962 | 180Dc | 1.8 L OM 621 diesel I4 | 11,822 | ||
W121 sedan | W121.010 | 1956–1959 | 190 | 1.9 L M121 petrol I4 | 61,345 |
1959–1961 | 190b | 28,463 | |||
W121.110 | 1958–1959 | 190D | 1.9 L OM621 diesel I4 | 20,629 | |
1959–1961 | 190Db | 1.9 L OM 621 diesel I4 | 61,309 |
References
- "Mercedes 180-D". Road & Track (1959 Road Test Annual): 81–83.
- ^ An Australian Mercedes-Benz? - www.mbspares.com.au Retrieved on 31 October 2012
- ^ Morelli-Bertier, Michèle (1998-12-17). "Raisonnable passion" [Rational passion]. Rétro Hebdo (in French) (89). Paris, France: 30.
- ^ https://mercedes-benz-publicarchive.com/marsClassic/en/instance/ko/Ponton-Mercedes-four-cylinder-models-W-120-W-121-1953---1959.xhtml?oid=5131 "Ponton Mercedes", four-cylinder models (W 120, W 121), 1953 - 1959
- ^ Simoneit, Ferdinand, ed. (1977). "Vor 20 Jahren: Auto Motor u. Sport in Heft 23 und 24 / 1957" [20 years ago: AMS in issues 23 and 24, 1957]. Auto Motor und Sport (in German) (23). Stuttgart: Vereinigte Motor-Verlag GmbH & Co KG: 6.
- ^ http://www.mbzponton.org//valueadded/other/radiator/shell.htm Mercedes-Benz Ponton Radiator Grille Shell Evolution
- ^ Alexeyev, Stanislav. "Design History: Packard's Request, Almost Fulfilled By Mercedes-Benz". curbsideclassic.com. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ a b Daimler AG (ed.): 180 D / W 120 D I, 1954 - 1959, in Mercedes-Benz Public Archive, retrieved 8 January 2021
- ISBN 3-613-02131-5, p. 32.