page_title: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
section_title: "Ponton" (1954)
hierarchical_section_title: Mercedes-Benz S-Class / Predecessor models / "Ponton" (1954)
caption_attribution_description: Mercedes-Benz 220 Limousine
context_page_description: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as Sonderklasse, is a series of full-size luxury sedans, limousines and armored sedans produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a division of German company Daimler AG. The S-Class is the designation for top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz models and was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116, and has remained in use ever since. The S-Class is the flagship vehicle for Mercedes-Benz.
  The S-Class has debuted many of the company's latest innovations, including drivetrain technologies, interior features, and safety systems. The S-Class has ranked as the world's best-selling luxury sedan, and its next generation, the W223 S-Class, will premiere in 2020. As in previous iterations, the W223 S-Class will be avaliable in standard and long-wheelbase versions; I4, I6, V6, V8, V12, diesel and hybrid powertrains will be offered, along with an electric version, called the EQS. All models sold in North America are available in long wheelbase only.
  In automotive terms, Sonderklasse refers to "a specially outfitted car."
context_section_description: The W180 line debuted in 1954, and is the first lineup of "Ponton" models retroactively associated with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The W180 featured six-cylinder sedan, coupé, and convertible models, and was produced until 1957. The later W128 lineup, introduced in the mid-to-late 1950s, was the last to be associated with the "Ponton" name. It featured the 220a, 219 (W105), 220S, and 220SE models (sedan, coupé, and cabriolet) powered by a 2.2L straight-6, and came to ten. The "Ponton" designation referred to its unibody construction, with the era's rounded fenders a stylistic feature on the W180/W128 models.
  The "Ponton" lineup included four- and six-cylinder models, but only the six-cylinder W180 and W128 lines are considered part of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class chronology, as they were the most powerful "Ponton" versions available. Both "Ponton" models were Mercedes' first without a conventional frame, using a unitized body/frame construction.
caption: Mercedes-Benz 220 (W180)
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