Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet - sunbathing for the whole family

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet - sunbathing for the whole family

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Created on May 13, 2016

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - Black suits the Cabriolet very well

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - good all-round visibility for all passengers

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - cost DM 25,500 at launch

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - elegant rear end

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - the headlights were not standard in this form

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - with a length of 4.88 meters an imposing appearance

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - steel wheels were common back then and beautiful hubcaps to go with them

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - stately even from the rear

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - entry via two doors

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - there is room for three people in the rear

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - headrests were not yet in vogue at the time

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - the instrument layout was new for the Coupé and Cabriolet of the W 111 model series

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - Interior with lots of leather and wood

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - interior safety was ensured with upholstery and an impact absorber on the steering wheel

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - a lot of effort was put into an effective ventilation system

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - a lot of manual work went into the construction of a 220 SEb

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - the space was very good for a convertible

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - a cozy interior for five people

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - the Cabriolet was almost 1.85 meters wide

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - if only two people are sitting in the back, they can use a wide armrest

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - type designation also in the interior

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - six-cylinder in-line engine with mechanical fuel injection

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - the straight six produced 120 DIN horsepower at 4800 rpm

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - classic engine construction

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Mercedes 220 S (1962) at the Geneva Motor Show - basic model of a successful series - the body is also used in an improved form for the new 300 SE

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Mercedes Benz 220 SE (1963) - the same body can now also be found on the 190 and 330 SE, the differences lie in the details and in the interior fittings

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (1962) - the prestigious car with high ride comfort

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Mercedes-Benz 220 S (1963) - the carburetor version delivered 110 DIN hp

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Mercedes-Benz 220 S (1965) - Transparency drawing

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1961) - the perfect touring car

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1961) - elegant coupé of the 111 model series

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1962) - Rollover test with the Coupé at a starting speed of 80 km/h

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1961) - elegant coupé of the 111 model series

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Coupé (1961) - was also often ordered in two colors

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1961) - large round instruments characterize the cockpit

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Coupé (1961) - View into the spacious rear compartment

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Mercedes Benz 220 (1961) - Mercedes Hall - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1961

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1963) - on the coast

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - Interior

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - elegant five-seater with sun access

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - largely handcrafted and therefore correspondingly expensive

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - an expensive pleasure

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - visually almost indistinguishable from the later variants

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1961) - the open-top W111 - exclusive in terms of ride comfort, lines and equipment

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - cuts a fine figure even when closed

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - with rolled-up windows

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - presented in August 1961

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet (1961) - first with the 2.2-liter engine

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet (1967) - Dashboard of the 2.8-liter version

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (1962) - a beautiful convertible with room for the whole family

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Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1962) - Swedish television and plattsen star Anita Lindblom in a Mercedes Cabriolet

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 liter Cabriolet (1969) - together with the C111-I, the 300 SEL 3.5 sedan and the 280 SE 3.5 liter coupé on the driveway in Untertürkheim

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 liter Cabriolet (1969) - for sunny excursions

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 liter Cabriolet (1969) - for the short or long journey

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 liter Cabriolet (1969) - plenty of space for up to five people

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Cabriolet (1969) - the fastest version of the W 111

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Cabriolet (1969) - relaxed travel thanks to eight cylinders

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Cabriolet (1969) - the open-top eight-cylinder version

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Cabriolet (1969) - closed

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Liter Cabriolet (1969) - with the V8 in the front

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet (1967) - now with 160 hp

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Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet (1968) - with the big six-cylinder engine

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Cabriolet (1962) - with the big six-cylinder engine

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Cabriolet (1962) - not really intended for off-road use

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Cabriolet (1965) - in advertising for the W111/W112

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Summary

Built from 1961 to 1971, the large Mercedes Cabriolet offered space for five people and the drive and ride comfort of the W111 luxury-class saloon of the time. Visually, however, it went its own way and was so successful that the design also had an impact on later saloons. A total of 7013 convertibles with engines ranging from 2.2 to 3.5 liters were built. They are sought after today and are traded at high prices by enthusiasts. This driving report tells the story of the Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet and shows it in historical and current illustrations, as well as in the sales literature.

This article contains the following chapters

The saloon as a big hit in 1959
The coupé as a herald of the future in 1961
The open-top version shortly afterwards
Sophisticated design
Classy interior
Continuous further development, long life
A progressive car
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In the sixties (and even after that), there was never much choice for those who wanted to drive open-top with the whole family. This was no different in August 1961, when Mercedes presented the 220 SE as an open-top variant, an almost unrivaled offer despite or because of its high price. In the summer of 1959, Mercedes presented new six-cylinder saloon models, known internally as the W 111. These differed from their predecessors above all in terms of bodywork and appearance, as they had more window areas, upright headlights at the front and fins at the rear. But a lot had also changed under the bodywork, with a great deal invested in the chassis and passive safety in particular. The new "Benz" had become so good that delivery times soon amounted to several months, despite considerable prices.

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