Bodies
The car was available as a two- or four-door Torpedo bodied “Tourenwagen”, a four- and (from 1935) two-door “Limousine” (sedan/saloon), a three- or four-seater Cabriolets or as a sporting two-seater. [2]
In 1934 a lengthened version of the car was introduced, its wheel base increased by 350 mm (14 in) to 3,050 mm (120 in). Models offered on the longer wheelbase included a six-seater “Pullman-Limousine”, a “Pullman-Laundaulet”, a longer Torpedo bodied “Tourenwagen”, a more streamlined 4-door “Limousine” (sedan/saloon) and three different longer wheel base Cabriolets listed respectively as the “Cabriolet A”, the “Cabriolet B” and the “Cabriolet D”. [3]
Engine and running gear
The side-valve six-cylinder engine had a capacity of 1,961 cc which produced a claimed maximum output of 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) at 3,200 rpm. The engine shared its 85 mm (3.3 in) piston stroke length with the smaller 6-cylinder unit fitted in the manufacturer's W15 model, but for the W21 the bore was increased by 5 mm (0.20 in) to 70 mm (2.8 in). The stated top speed was 98 km/h (61 mph) for the standard length and 95 km/h (59 mph) for the long bodied cars. Power passed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission in which the top gear was effectively an overdrive ratio. The top two ratios featured synchromesh. The brakes operated on all four wheels via a hydraulic linkage. [4]
During the model's final year, Mercedes-Benz announced, in June 1936, the option of a more powerful 2,229 cc 55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp) engine, which was seen as a necessary response to criticism of the car's leisurely performance in long bodied form. [1]
Commercial
In terms of features and performance the W21 represented considerable progress when compared to its predecessor, and was priced at the same level although it was equipped a little more simply and in standard-wheelbase form was a little smaller. The appearance of a long-wheelbase version a year after the introduction of the standard bodied car was in part intended to address comments that the W21 as originally launched was a little small to be considered a full-size taxi. Nevertheless, the standard-wheelbase model achieved output of 9,281 cars during a production run of slightly more than three years, while the long-wheelbase model achieved 6,341 cars during a shorter production run of slightly above two years. [5]
A notable success was the popularity of the longer-bodied six-seater "Pullman-Limousine"–bodied version for use as a "Kraftdroschke" (Taxi). It was presumably simple flattery when, in August 1934, Opel announced a long-wheelbase-Pullman-bodied version of their Opel 6. The cars were conceptually similar and even shared an identical 3,050 mm (120 in) wheelbase, although the Opel was lighter, a little less powerful and in terms of performance claims slightly faster. The biggest difference for the buyer was probably the one that surfaced when paying for the car. Even the least expensive of the longer-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz 200s, the non-Pullman–bodied four-door Limousine was listed in 1934 at 5,700 Marks while the "Pullman-Limousine"–bodied version started at 6,550 Reichsmark. The "Pullman-Landaulet"(with a cabriolet-style folding hood over just the rear row of seats) or a “Cabrio-Limousine” (Opel) or “Tourenwagen” (Mercedes-Benz) but at every level the prices quoted indicate that Mercedes-Benz were commanding a large price premium with the taxi operators.
The Mercedes-Benz W136 was Mercedes-Benz's main line of inline-four cylinder motorcars from the mid-1930s into the 1950s. The model 170 V made its public debut as successor to the W15 Typ 170 in February 1936. Between 1936 and 1939 it was Mercedes' top selling model.
The Mercedes-Benz W187 is a luxury car produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1951 to 1955. Introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in April 1951, the W187 was powered by a single overhead camshaft inline six-cylinder M180 engine and available as a saloon, coupé, and cabriolet, all designated with the 220 model name.
The Opel Admiral is a luxury car made by the German car manufacturer Opel from 1937 until 1939 and again from 1964 until 1977.
The Mercedes-Benz 500K (W29) is a grand touring car built by Mercedes-Benz between 1934 and 1936. First exhibited at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show, it carried the factory designation W29. Distinguished from the 500 sedan by the "K" for Kompressor, only fitted to these performance cars, it succeeded the Mercedes-Benz 380 introduced just the previous year. It offered both a larger, more powerful engine and more opulent coachwork to meet customers' demands for greater luxury and performance.
The Adler Diplomat is a substantial six-cylinder “limousine” (saloon) built by the Frankfurt auto-maker, Adler. It was introduced in March 1934 as a direct replacement for the manufacturer's Standard 6. Less directly the six-cylinder Diplomat also replaced the Adler Standard 8 since Adler's large eight-cylinder car was discontinued in 1934 without a direct replacement of its own.
The Mercedes-Benz Mannheim 350 replaced the W03/Typ 350 models in 1929. The structure originated by Ferdinand Porsche was modified by Hans Nibel.
The Mercedes-Benz 380 is an eight-cylinder powered automobile introduced by the German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz at the Berlin Motor Show in February 1933. It was withdrawn from production during 1934. Several models with similar names were produced by Mercedes-Benz during the 1930s, so that in retrospect the car is frequently identified using the manufacturer's Works Number as the W22.
The Mercedes-Benz W 153 was a luxury six cylinder passenger car built in parallel with the W 143 from 1938, and first presented in public at the Berlin Motor Show early in 1939. It was one of several Mercedes-Benz models known, in its own time, as the Mercedes-Benz 230.
The Mercedes-Benz Typ 230 n was introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1937 as a successor to the Typ 230 . It was one of several models over the space of nearly eight decades to be sold with a name along the lines "Mercedes-Benz 230", and is therefore in retrospect more normally named according to its internal works designation as the Mercedes-Benz W 143.
The Adler Standard 8 is a large passenger car introduced in 1928 by the Frankfurt auto-maker, Adler. It was a big eight cylinder “limousine” (saloon) closely modelled on the manufacturer’s Standard 6 which had first appeared in public in October 1926. However the Standard 8 had a longer 3,325 mm (130.9 in) wheelbase as well as a 50 mm (2.0 in) wider track. Although it closely resembled the Standard 6, the Standard 8 was larger all round. The Standard 8 engine had eight cylinders, but individually the cylinder dimensions, at 75 mm (3.0 in) x 110 mm (4.3 in), were identical to those on the six cylinder car as well as on the four cylinder with the Adler Favorit which appeared in 1929.
The Opel 2.0-litre, also known as the Opel »6«, is an executive car that was manufactured by Opel. Produced from January 1934, the 2.0-litre replaced the Opel 1.8 litre which had ceased production in November 1933. Production continued till June 1937, but the replacement model, the Opel Super 6, was already in production in November 1936, after which production volumes for the 2.0-litre were very much diminished.
The Opel 7/34 PS is a large but relatively inexpensive six-cylinder-powered car manufactured by Opel, introduced in October 1927. It was replaced in 1928 by the Opel 8/40 PS which was virtually identical except that the cylinder capacity had been increased. Significant changes to the chassis took place in February 1929, after which production of the model continued till September 1930. The 8/40 PS was replaced by the Opel 1.8 Liter in 1931, also a compact six-cylinder car.
The Mercedes-Benz W 142 was a six-cylinder passenger car launched in February 1937, as a successor to the Mercedes-Benz Typ 290. The car was known by its name Typ 320 at the time of its production and service, but is in retrospect commonly referred to using its Mercedes-Benz works number, "W142", which gives a more unambiguously unique nomenclature.
The Mercedes-Benz W08 was a large luxury car produced by Daimler-Benz. It was introduced in Autumn 1928, as Mercedes-Benz's first eight-cylinder passenger car. Also known by various “type numbers”, it remained in production with various modifications and upgrades until the later summer of 1939, the longest lived Mercedes-Benz model of the 1920s and 1930s.
The Mercedes-Benz W18 was a six-cylinder automobile introduced as the Mercedes-Benz Typ 290 in 1933. It was a smaller-engined successor to the manufacturer’s Typ 350 / 370 Mannheim model. In terms of the German auto-business of the 1930s it occupied a market position roughly equivalent to that filled by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the closing decades of the twentieth century. The W18 was replaced in 1937 by the manufacturer’s W142.
The Mercedes 15/70/100 PS was a large automobile introduced by Daimler in 1924. Production continued till 1929 by which time Daimler had merged with Benz & Cie as a result of which the car's name had changed to Mercedes-Benz Typ 400.
The Mercedes 24/100/140 PS was a large luxury car introduced by Daimler of Untertürkheim in 1924. Production continued until 1929 by which time Daimler had merged with Benz & Cie and the car's name changed to Mercedes-Benz Typ 630. The car was conceptually and structurally similar to the contemporary Mercedes 15/70/100 PS, but the 24/100/140 PS was longer, heavier, more powerful, faster and more expensive.
The Mercedes-Benz W02 was a midsize six-cylinder two-litre-engined automobile introduced by Daimler-Benz at the Berlin Motor Show in October 1926. It was developed in some haste under the manufacturer's Technical Director, Ferdinand Porsche in parallel with the smaller Mercedes-Benz W 01 and the larger three-litre-engined Mercedes-Benz W03 following the creation of Daimler-Benz, formally in July 1926, from the fusion of the Daimler and Benz & Cie auto-businesses.
The Mercedes-Benz W11 was a midsize six-cylinder automobile introduced by Daimler-Benz it 1929. It was developed from the Mercedes-Benz W02 first seen in 1926, and the W11 shared its chassis and bodywork with the W02, but the W11 came with a larger more powerful engine, a new name and a wider list of “standard bodies” from which customers could choose.
The Mercedes-Benz W03 was a large six-cylinder-engined automobile introduced as the Mercedes-Benz 12/55 PS and, initially, as the Mercedes-Benz Typ 300, by Daimler-Benz at the Berlin Motor Show in October 1926. It was developed in some haste under the manufacturer's Technical Director, Ferdinand Porsche in parallel with the smaller Mercedes-Benz W 01 and the two-litre-engined Mercedes-Benz W02 following the creation of Daimler-Benz, formally in July 1926, from the fusion of the Daimler and Benz & Cie auto-businesses.
