The SLSHOP recently acquired this rather unique 1958 Mercedes-Benz W180 220S ‘Ponton’ Race Car.
Built for a former collector and marque expert, this well known car has attended every Goodwood Revival since 2008.
From the factory, this 220S would have featured a 2.2 litre 6-cylinder engine with around 100bhp. The car you see here is powered by a 2.8 litre engine mated to a four speed manual gearbox, which is permitted by the Goodwood rules allowing for an increase in displacement of no more than 25%.
Buying a historic racing car is a bit like owning a listed building – you do not have cart blanche to make changes and modifications. Installing a 5.5 litre V8 engine from an early 2000’s E55 AMG is out of the question, the car would fall foul of historic racing regulations and it’d be against the spirit of historic competition!
Despite appearances, this fully prepared racing car is actually road legal.
We have big plans for this car, and intend to compete (and win) in various races in the not too distant future.
The first outing will be on June 29th at the Donington Park, as part of the Vintage Motorsport Festival. We’ll be competing in the Touring Greats series, sharing a grid with the sort of cars seen in the photo below.
Some of these small cars pack plenty of horsepower and very little weight, so we’ll have our work cut out hunting down a podium finish in the Ponton!
Why not join us on the day at Donington? Come to watch, say hello, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy some classic racing. There’s also a classic car show, so anyone arriving in an SL gets exclusive access and parking.
What else do you think we should do with this handsome racer?
Let us know in the comments below.
