The Mercedes-Benz "Ponton" series is a range of sedans / saloon car models from Daimler-Benz, introduced starting in 1953, and subsequently nicknamed 'Ponton' (the German word for "pontoon"), referring to its ponton styling, a prominent styling trend that unified the previously articulated hood, body, fenders and runnings boards into a singular, often slab-sided envelope.

A six-cylinder coupe and convertible were further derived, and a shortened floorpan of the four-cylinder sedan was also modified to serve as the structure for the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL roadster.

In 1954 the Mercedes-Benz W180 six-cylinder executive / luxury model 220a was added, developed mostly by stretching the W120's body by 170 mm (6.7 in), complemented by a new rear suspension.

A third saloon series, the Mercedes-Benz W105 was created by grafting the six-cylinder nose onto the shorter center and rear body of the four-cylinder.

Austrian-Hungarian engineer Béla Barényi originally invented and patented the crumple zone concept in 1937 before he worked for Mercedes-Benz, and in a more developed form in 1952.

He divided the car body into three sections: the central, rigid, non-deforming passenger compartment, and the crumple zones in the front and the rear.

This made for a milestone in car design with front and rear crumple zones for absorbing kinetic energy on impact.

The safety cell and crumple zones were achieved primarily by the design of the longitudinal members: these were straight in the centre of the vehicle and formed a rigid safety cage with the body panels, whereas the front and rear supports were curved, so they deformed in the event of an accident, absorbing part of the collision energy and preventing the full force of the impact from reaching the occupants.