Description Super-cool Bond villain Merc; top spec 220S restored at a cost of over £30k; 100bhp 2.2 straight-six with manual 'box; gleaming black paint with chrome highlights; factory RHD; top quality Cold War classic By the early 1950s Mercedes was best known for beautifully engineered but hugely expensive cars like the 300 Adenauer series and the 300 S Sports Tourers which were largely handbuilt using traditional body-on-chassis techniques.

Seeking to expand production and cut costs without sacrificing quality, the new W180 range of 1954 used modern unibody construction methods and was informally dubbed the ‘Ponton’ due to the way the wings were smoothly integrated into the structure giving a pleasing pontoon-shaped silhouette.

Another major benefit of the unibody was that it vastly improved crash safety, the innovative use of crumple zones allowing the rigid central cell monocoque to be surrounded by bodywork that was designed to deform and absorb energy in the event of an acciden...