Mercedes-Benz W143

The car was initially built with the same 2,700 mm (110 in) wheelbase as the Typ 200 (W 21). It also inherited the sophisticated all-round independent suspension system originally introduced with the manufacturer's smaller Mercedes-Benz W15 model. There was no full width axle at the front, the wheels being suspended from two transverse leaf springs. At the back there were two half swing-axles.

The body was further lengthened, however, with standard-bodied cars now coming in at 4,400 mm (170 in), while the width had increased to 1,370 mm (54 in). The 6-cylinder 2,229 cc unit was the one that had first been seen a year earlier as part of the 1936 upgrade on the W 21 model, but now it was matched up to a more conventional four-speed manual transmission. The top ratio on the 2,229 cc version of the earlier model had been in effect an overdrive. Claimed top speed was 116 km/h (72 mph).

At launch the base chassis version of the car came with a recommended retail price of 4,200 Marks. Customers wishing to buy a W 143 with one of the Mercedes standard bodies could choose between a two- or four-door “Limousine” (saloon/sedan) retailing respectively at 4,990 Marks or 5,270 Marks, or one of several cabriolet or roadster models, mostly with only two seats and costing more.[2] The grill was raked backwards and, on the standard car, had no bar for the mounting of lights, all of which helped to enhance the sleek appearance of the front.

The result of putting a 4,400 mm (170 in) car body on the old 2,700 mm (110 in) was one or two very long overhangs: in the case of the 1937 W143 the overhang was concentrated at the back.[3] Whether because the excessive rear overhang looked rather odd, or for other reasons, the original W 143 failed to gain market acceptance, and although the short-wheelbase cars continued to be offered for sale until the end of 1937, well before that the model had effectively been relaunched with the longer 3,050 mm (120 in) wheelbase that had already been offered on special long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes Typ 200 (W 21) for several years.

In addition to having a wheelbase lengthened by 350 mm (14 in), the relaunched W143 came with a further 180 mm (7.1 in) increase in body length. Most standard-bodied cars were now 4,580 mm (180 in) long, although the six-light Pullman-Limousine-bodied cars were longer even than that at 4,790 mm (189 in). There was no longer a two-door “Limousine” (sedan/saloon) body offered, but the overall range of available bodies was actually greater than with the earlier version of the car, now including six-seater “Landaulet” and “Tourenwagen (Touring Car)” bodies as well as a four-door four-seater cabriolet (known as the “Cabriolet D”) and a “Kraftdroschke” targeted at taxi operators.

1938 Mercedes-Benz 230 sedan (W143)

The engine on the second 1937 version of the car was unchanged, as were the gear ratios. However, the gearbox now incorporated synchromesh on all four forward ratios, whereas the earlier W143 had included synchromesh only for the two top ratios.[2]

This entry incorporates information from the equivalent article in the German Wikipedia.