Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet - sunbathing for the whole family
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.
Continue reading this article for free?
Photos of this article












































































































































