Mercedes-Benz S-Class I (W187) photos

The Mercedes-Benz 220 sedan, internal designation W187, premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show in April 1951, marking the post-war inauguration of Mercedes' flagship luxury line. Built on a traditional chassis frame with classical separate wing styling and integrated headlamps, the W187 catered to high-ranking executives with handcrafted wood and leather cabin appointments. The model range comprised a four-door luxury sedan (W187), a stylish two-door coupe, and 2-door/4-window convertible variants (Cabriolet A and Cabriolet B) featuring insulated soft tops.

The engineering milestone of the W187 was its modern 2.2-liter overhead-camshaft (OHC) M180 inline-six gasoline engine outputting 80 horsepower (later bumped to 85 hp in 1954). This engine produced smooth power delivery, enabling a top speed of 140 km/h. Power was transferred via a column- or floor-mounted four-speed manual transmission. Production ran until 1955, establishing the technical foundation for future flagship S-Class generations and cementing Mercedes-Benz's leadership in high-end automotive manufacturing.