1953 Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet

The 300S (W188) was introduced at the Paris Salon in October 1951. It was available as a 2-seat roadster, 2+2 coupé, and cabriolet (officially the Cabriolet A). Although mechanically similar to the much larger contemporary four-door (W186) 300 "Adenauer" sedan, the additional craftsmanship, visual elegance, and 50% higher price tag elevated the W188 series to the apex of its era's luxury cars.

The company's most expensive and exclusive automobile, the elegant, hand-built two-door 300S (1952-1955) and its successor 300Sc (1955-1958) were the pinnacle of the Mercedes line of their era. The 300 S was fitted with a high-performance M188 version of the W186's 3.0 L (2996 cc/182 in³) overhead cam, aluminum head M186 straight-6, the M188. Designed to give reliable service under prolonged hard use, the engine featured deep water jackets, an innovative diagonal head-to-block joint that allowed for oversized intake and exhaust valves, thermostatically controlled oil cooling, copper-lead bearings, and a hardened crankshaft. Triple Solex carburettors and 7.8:1 compression and raised maximum output to 150 PS (110 kW; 150 hp) at 5000 rpm. From July 1952 to August 1955, a total of 560 300S automobiles were built - 216 Coupés, 203 Cabriolet As, and 141 Roadsters were produced.