Mercedes-Benz
300 S Cabriolet A (W 188)

Why it matters

The 300 S Cabriolet A is the open two-door, two-plus-two version of the 300 S ("Super"), the sporting derivative of the 300 shown at the Paris show in October 1951. It sits on a chassis shortened by 150 mm against the 300 and carries a 150 hp engine. The factory archive counts 203 built between 1952 and 1955. Auction catalogues rank it among the costliest post-war Mercedes-Benz cars to restore.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

• Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet A (W 188) (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet A)
  Photo: Charles from Port Chester, New York · CC BY 2.0
• Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet A (W 188) (Wikimedia Commons: Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet A)
  Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The 300 S was presented at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951 and serial production of the cabriolet, roadster and coupé began between June and September 1952. The archive gives 150 hp, a top speed of 175 km/h and 0 to 100 km/h in 15 seconds, and a price of DM 34,500 in June 1952. A vacuum brake booster was added in 1954. RM Sotheby's states that about 560 300 S were built in all, which agrees with the archive counts of 216 coupés, 203 cabriolet As and 141 roadsters.

Catalogue examples include a 1953 car with a numbers-matching engine confirmed by a Mercedes-Benz certificate and a restoration completed in 2010, a 1952 car whose data card records original colour and matching chassis, engine and body numbers, and a 1954 car with chassis number 188-010-4500019 sold by Bonhams.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The factory type is 188.010 (design name W 188 I) and the engine is the M 188 (188.920): 2996 cc inline six rated at 150 hp at 5000 rpm with three Solex 40 PBJC downdraught carburettors. The wheelbase is 2900 mm, the kerb weight 1740 kg and the fuel tank holds 85 litres. The car has a swing axle with coil springs, 5 K x 15 rims and 6.70-15 tyres. The Cabriolet A has a fully lined top with landau irons, whereas the roadster has a lighter, fully retractable hood without coach joints; the 300 Sc that followed has fuel injection, swivel windows and a single-joint rear axle. Catalogue chassis numbers follow the pattern 188-010-45000xx.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   300 S Cabriolet A / W 188 I, 1952 - 1955 Level A Mercedes-Benz Public Archive (Classic M@RS)

   • Units produced : 203
   • Engine type : M 188 / 188.920 (Specifications)
   • Number of cylinders / arrangement : 6 / in-line (Specifications)
   • Total displacement : 2996 cc (tax classification: 2975 cc) (Specifications)
   • Bore x Stroke : 85 x 88 mm (Specifications)
   • Compression ratio : 7.8 (Specifications)
   • Valve operation : 1 overhead camshaft (Specifications)
   • Fuel system : 3 downdraught carburettors Solex 40 PBJC (Specifications)
   • Rated output : 150 hp at 5000 rpm (Specifications)
   • Rated torque : 23.5 mkg at 3800 rpm (Specifications)
   • Gearing : 4-speed manual transmission (Specifications)
   • Gear ratios : I. 3.68; II. 2.25; III. 1.42; IV. 1.0; R. 3.08 (Specifications)
   • Final drive ratio : 4125 (Specifications)
   • Driven wheels : rear wheels (Specifications)
   • Frame design : cruciform oval-tube frame with centre reinforcement / steel unit body (Specifications)
   • Front-wheel suspension : double wishbone (Specifications)
   • Rear-wheel suspension : swing axle (Specifications)
   • Brake system (foot brake) : hydraulic, from 1954 with vacuum booster, acting on front- and (Specifications)
   • Steering : recirculating-ball steering (Specifications)
   • Wheelbase : 2900 mm (Specifications)
   • Length : 4730 mm (Specifications)
   • Width : 1910 mm (Specifications)
   • Height : 1510 mm (Specifications)
   • Front / rear track : 1480 / 1525 mm (Specifications)
   • Kerb weight : 1740 kg (Specifications)
   • Maximum speed : 175 km/h (Specifications)
   • Acceleration 0-100 km/h : 15 s (Specifications)
   • Fuel tank: position / capacity : in the rear / 85 l (Specifications)
   • Fuel consumption : 13.8 l (Specifications)

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster | RM Sotheby’s London 2020 Level B

   • 203 300 S Cabriolet As completed

   Accessed 2026-11-11