Grandson Takes Grandpa's 60 Year-Old Mercedes Benz For A Spin [Video]
Instagram has become a place where people flaunt their success, wealth and lifestyle. Recently, we came across a video showing a pristine 1967 Mercedes-Benz 200D. The reel was shared by Ishan Ballal, a resident of Mangalore. It shows him uncovering and driving his Grandfather's 1967 Mercedes-Benz 200D. The car, as seen in the reel, is in pristine condition. Netizens seem to be impressed by how well-kept it is.
It is finished in a shade of Deep Blue. It has been restored tastefully and stays true to its original form. Even the interior has been well-kept and has a Beige cabin colourway. The column shifter has been retained.
In the video, we get to see Ishan uncover the 200D parked in the garage. A Mercedes Benz C Class can be seen parked nearby. Another car which can be seen in the video is a Red Honda Civic. We also get quick glimpses of the interior panels, seats, and steering wheel of this 58-year-old car. It is heartwarming to see how pristine these look. Even the Chrome ring on the steering wheel (horn pad) is intact and functional.
Dr K R Ballal of Ballal Motor Service bought this car back in the day. He is Ishan's granddad. The Ballal group owns the famous Vijaya Clinic too. He says that K R Ballal used to drive this car from Mangalore to Chennai.
Ishan says that even after getting his driver's license, he waited for a year to get his hands on this and utilized the time to familiarize himself with the smooth-shifting nature of the column shifter. Column shifters on Mercedes cars are exceptionally smooth ( and delicate) to operate. A lack of proper practice could even damage it.
The reel has impressed netizens. "Be grateful to your father who kept him so neat and clean"- commented a user. "I need this kinda generational wealth and i m happy for the rest of my life" reads another comment. 'No touch screens, No sunroof, No tube lights. Just pure CLASS' said another user.
The care and respect that this grandson gives to his granddad's car has impressed netizens. 'This car carries your grandfather's aura, you can feel his presence in every ride. You're lucky to still have this'. Another user said 'Appreciate you, taking care of masterpiece automobile'. Some users even asked in the comments if Ballals would ever sell this 200D.
The car here seems to be the second series W110 Mercedes-Benz 200D from 1967. Daimler-Benz started manufacturing the W110 generation in 1961. The second series of cars were made from 1965-68. The generation met the end of its road in 1968.
The manufacturer reportedly built 6,28,282 units, which were dispatched across markets around the world,. It is rare to find a well-maintained example in 2025. This mid-size sedan was based on the unified Mercedes Fintail (Heckflosse) platform.
The 200D replaced the 190Dc which had the 2.0 L OM621 engine. It housed an improved iteration of this diesel engine under its hood. The output remained the same as that of the 190 Dc- 54 hp. However, this engine had five main bearing crankshaft while the 190 Dc had three.
There were noticeable visual differences between the first series W110 and the second. Unlike the former, the Second series had its front indicators moved to below the headlamps, squared-off tail lamps, reworked Chrome elements etc. Air outlets were added on the C-pillar like what we see on the W111 sedans. Reclining backs for the individual front seats were made standard on series 2 cars.