260

Mercedes-Benz’s late-1920s 260 was the Typ Stuttgart 260, internal designation W11, an important upper-middle-class six-cylinder model that followed the smaller Stuttgart 200. It arrived as part of the brand’s early post-merger passenger-car range and carried forward the Stuttgart name used for Mercedes-Benz’s mainstream saloon line. The 260 was offered in a variety of body styles, including saloons and coachbuilt open versions, reflecting the customer choice typical of the era. Technically, it represented a step up from the earlier four-cylinder Stuttgart 200 with a larger, more powerful engine and a broader position in the Mercedes-Benz line-up. In Mercedes-Benz heritage, the Stuttgart 260 is often remembered as one of the early forebears of the later E-Class tradition: a practical, well-appointed mid-range car positioned below the company’s luxury flagships but above the smallest models. Production ran through the early 1930s, before the W11 line was phased out as Mercedes-Benz moved toward newer six-cylinder designs. Enthusiasts value the 260 both for its place in the brand’s formative years after the 1926 merger and for its role in establishing the Stuttgart-badged Mercedes-Benz passenger-car identity.