Mercedes-Benz W128

The Mercedes-Benz W128 is a 6-cylinder luxury car produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1958 to 1960 and marketed as the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE. It was available in sedan, coupé, or cabriolet body styles, and it was the last new model of the "Ponton" range which had design and styling roots beginning in 1953 with the Mercedes-Benz 180 sedan (W120 chassis). It was largely identical to its 220 S predecessor, except for having petrol injection, 'Einspritzung' in German, reflected in the additional E in its 220 SE designation.

Mercedes-Benz W128
Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Sedan (W128)
Overview
ManufacturerMercedes-Benz
Production1958–1960
3,916 built[1]
AssemblyWest Germany
Port Melbourne, Australia[2]
Body and chassis
ClassLuxury car (F)
Body style4-door sedan
2-door coupe
2-door cabriolet
RelatedMercedes-Benz W105 — 219
Mercedes-Benz W180 — 220a, 220S
Powertrain
Engine2.2 L M127 I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,820 mm (111.0 in) — sedan
2,700 mm (106.3 in) — coupé or cabriolet
Chronology
PredecessorMercedes-Benz W105
Mercedes-Benz W142
SuccessorMercedes-Benz W111

The 220 SE featured a unitized body/frame construction and fully independent suspension. All models were fitted with Mercedes' M127 2.2 L (2195 cc) straight 6 gasoline engine with aluminum head, overhead camshaft, and Bosch mechanical fuel injection. This was done by intermittent inlet manifold injection (like the 300 d) and meant that the 2.2-liter engine now produced 115 HP. An automatic clutch was available with the column-mounted 4-speed manual transmission.

At the time, the cabriolet was priced similar to Cadillac's top-end Eldorado Biarritz (DM 23,400/$8,091[3]). Nearly every interior surface of the coupé and cabriolet was covered in wood or leather, and matching leather luggage was available. However, power steering, windows, air conditioning, and an automatic transmission were not available. The W128 was succeeded by the "Fintail" series starting with the W111 line.

Production

The W128 sedan was produced from October 1958 to August 1959 and the Coupé and Cabriolet from July 1958 to November 1960.[4]

BodyUnits
Sedan1,974
Coupé830
Cabriolet1,112
  • 220SE Sedan
    220SE Sedan
  • 220SE Coupé
    220SE Coupé
  • 220SE Cabriolet
    220SE Cabriolet

Later models

The 220 SE model designation lived on for a few more years with the 1959 220 SEb "fin-body" sedans and the 1961 220 SEb coupé and cabriolet (chassis W111).

References

Notes
  1. Deutsche Autos, Band 4, 2001, pp. 31–38.
  2. An Australian Mercedes-Benz? - www.mbspares.com.au Retrieved on 1 November 2012
  3. Mike Covello: Standard Catalog of Imported Cars 1946-2002. Krause Publication, Iola 2002, p. 531; price for 220SEb.
  4. www.mbzponton.org Retrieved 22 September 2016

Bibliography
  • Hartmann, Matthias (2017). Das große Mercedes-Cabrio-Buch [The Big Mercedes Cabrio Book] (in German) (reprint of the original 1992 ed.). Königswinter, Germany: Heel Verlag. ISBN 9783958435810.
  • Oswald, Werner [in German] (2001). Deutsche Autos [German Cars] (in German). Vol. Band [Volume] 4: 1945–1990 Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche und andere [and others]. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. pp. 31–38. ISBN 3613021315.
  • Staud, René (photographs); Lewandowski, Jürgen (text) (2016). Mercedes-Benz: The Grand Cabrios & Coupes. Kempen, Germany: teNeues. ISBN 9783832732936.
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