The Ponton nickname comes from pontoon-style bodywork that fused hood, fenders and running boards into one shape.
Lead trim: 180 (M136 1.8 petrol I4) · up to 75 hp
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FactThe Ponton nickname comes from pontoon-style bodywork that fused hood, fenders and running boards into one shape.
The Mercedes-Benz W120 and W121 are technically similar inline-four sedans of slightly different engine displacements, the 180 and 190, designed by Karl Wilfert: the W120 was introduced as the 180 in 1953 powered by the company's existing 1.8 litre M136 engine, and from 1954 was also offered with a diesel as the 180 D (the model table dates the 180D from 1953); the W121 debuted as the 190 in 1956 with a 1.9 litre M121 and from 1958 also had the OM621 diesel as the 190 D. The W120 was sold through 1962 and the W121 through 1961 (442,963 built), and each model's diesel received engine upgrades during its run; the 190 and 190 D were replaced by the W110 190c/190Dc in 1961. Together with the longer-wheelbase, more luxurious 2.2 litre six-cylinder W105 219, W180 220 and W128 220SE models, they constituted 80 percent of Mercedes-Benz' car production between 1953 and 1959, and the W120 was the first predecessor to the medium-size E-Class sedan line. The "Ponton" nickname comes from the pontoon-like styling that unified the hood, body, fenders and running boards into a single envelope. The cars have a self-supporting body, independent double-wishbone front suspension and a rear double-joint swing axle (until September 1955, single-joint afterwards), coil springs all round, recirculating ball steering and hydraulic drum brakes, with a synchronised four-speed constant-mesh gearbox whose small shift lever is on the steering column; most W120 and W121 cars were powered by the diesels, and rolling chassis with two or four doors were also available from the factory. The 180 and 190 were widely used as German taxis, and only these shorter Pontons had low-wattage parking clearance lights at the front bumper top and rear. In 1957 the 180's 56 PS (41 kW; 55 hp) M136 engine, originally designed for the 170 Sb, was replaced with a downtuned version of the 190's M121; at the 1959 Frankfurt Motor Show a slightly wider grille and slimmer taillights were introduced, the wider grille then carried onto the W110 "Fintail" successors. A related two-door roadster, the W121 B II 190SL, was produced from 1955 to 1963. Wheelbase is 2,650 mm (104.3 in) and length 4,460 mm (180) to 4,500 mm (180 b/c, 190 b). The page gives power for the M136 petrol only, so no power is entered for the others.
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VerifiedFIRST · WORLDWIDEFIRST PRINTONLY ONE IN VANCOUVERMercedes called the 2013 W212 update a ‘facelift,’ but it poured close to €1 billion into the refresh — spending that rivaled launching an all-new model just to touch up a mid-cycle E-Class.
6 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180 (M136 1.8 petrol I4) | 1953–1957 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 55 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 180 D / 180 Db (OM636 1.8 diesel I4) | 1953–1961 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 40 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 180 Dc (OM621 2.0 diesel I4) | 1961–1962 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 52 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 180a / 180b / 180c (M121 1.9 petrol I4) | 1957–1962 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 190 / 190 b (M121 1.9 petrol I4) | 1956–1961 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 75 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 190 D / 190 Db (OM621 1.9 diesel I4) | 1958–1961 | 1.9 L Inline-4 | 50 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Nobody has claimed one yet.
With Race Start engaged, this straight-six plug-in hybrid makes 612 PS, the same as the outgoing E63.
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The W124 got by with just one windscreen wiper — an off-centre pivot let it sweep into the corners that a normal single arc would have missed.
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The Ponton nickname comes from pontoon-style bodywork that fused hood, fenders and running boards into one shape.
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