Launched just six years after the end of World War II, the Mercedes-Benz W186 returned the marque to the forefront of global engineering and design acclaim. Early 300s were powered by the M186 3.0 litre inline-six engine, with dual Solex downdraft carburettors helping to return circa 115 horsepower via a four-speed manual gearbox that was operated by a column-mounted shifter.

The 300 compared extremely favourably to the competition, including the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Bentley S1. Period reviews admired its ability to combine comfort, performance, and prestige in a single package. That prowess was underpinned by a dashboard-operated torsion bar suspension system, which acted as a levelling device for the rear wheels.

Across an 11-year production run, the 300 would earn the ‘Adenauer’ nickname for its association with German Chancellor Konrad Adenaur. An avid fan, he held a fleet of six custom-made 300s during his time as the West Germany leader and in retirement.

The 300 Cabriolet D ‘Adenauer’ presented here wears handsome black paintwork, which is complemented by a black fabric folding roof, colour-matched wheel centres, and a cognac leather interior featuring wood trim. Notably, it is desirably equipped with an incredibly rare Becker Nürburg six-band radio.

Although the car’s complete history is not presently known, it has most recently resided alongside other prominent post-war Mercedes-Benzes as part of The Willy Michels Collection in Belgium. Chassis number 186.014.02130/52 is offered for sale accompanied by a cabriolet roof tonneau cover, spare wheel, jack, and tool roll.