About Mercedes-Benz Typ 260 Cabriolet D
When Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz&Cie merged, the new company faced a serious dilemma: either build expensive, luxury cars or mass-market, affordable ones.
The decision was difficult, but in the end, the newly formed Mercedes-Benz focused on the luxury market, and that was a wise decision. Soon after, the automaker introduced the Typ 260, also known as Stuttgart, in a few bodywork versions, including a closed bodywork, a roadster, and a four-door cabriolet known as Cabriolet D.
Changing the bodywork for a car in those times was easy since most vehicles were built on top of a chassis. Thus, Mercedes-Benz didn't have any problems creating a Cabriolet on the same base as the Sedan version. All it had to do was to remove the upper side of the bodywork and install a retractable canvas at the back of the cabin. The vehicle's front looked identical to the Sedan, but there were no B- or C-pillars. Fortunately, the automaker kept the side windows, albeit these were removable for a complete, open-top experience.
To access the cabin, the automaker installed four doors, those at the front being rear-hinged type. There were two seats at the front and a bench in the rear. Mercedes-Benz also focused on using high-quality materials inside to create a luxurious cockpit.
Under the long hood, Mercedes-Benz installed the same 2.6-liter inline-six with side valves that produced a healthy 50 horsepower. The powerplant was paired with a three-speed manual gearbox and sent its twisting force to the rear wheels.