The Mercedes-Benz W128 was a six-cylinder luxury model produced as the 220 SE from 1958 to 1960, offered in sedan, coupé, and cabriolet body styles. It was a more powerful evolution of the closely related W180 220 S, distinguished by its fuel-injected M127 version of Mercedes-Benz’s 2.2-liter (134.3 cu in) M180 engine. The addition of fuel injection earned the model the “E” designation, short for Einspritzung, the German word for petrol injection.

The 220 SE marked the final new model of Mercedes-Benz’s celebrated “Ponton” range, a design lineage that traced its roots back to the 1953 W120 sedan. This placed the W128 at the pinnacle of both technical development and styling refinement within the Ponton era.

At the time of sale, the cabriolet carried a price of DM 23,400 ($8,091), approximately ten percent higher than Cadillac’s exclusive Eldorado Biarritz convertible. Interior appointments were exceptionally luxurious, with nearly every surface in the coupé and cabriolet trimmed in wood or leather. Matching leather luggage was also available from the factory.