180 Dc

STORY

The Mercedes-Benz 180 (W120) came out in 1953 as the first "Ponton" model. The name came from the pontoon-style fenders built into the body, which broke with the pre-war separate wings. It was also the first Mercedes passenger car with a unibody. This gave more interior space, safety and comfort than the earlier 170. The 180 first had a 1.8-litre side-valve four-cylinder engine; overhead-valve engines and diesels came later. It set the pattern for the modern mid-size Mercedes saloon. It was built until 1962, alongside the larger six-cylinder Pontons. It helped restore the company's reputation for solid, well-engineered saloons. The Ponton generation is seen as an important step toward the more technically advanced Mercedes-Benz cars that followed.