Ponton (automobile)

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Ponton is the German word for pontoon. When it is used in an automotive context, the word refers to the shape of the body. The term Pontonkarosserie (pontoon body) is used by automobile marques of the post WWII period such as Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Auto Union (inc DKW), Borgward (inc Hansa) and more. The term was used in Germany for all vehicles of standard size, with front engines and rear trunks through the 1960s. It is not clear why this former general expression is now used exclusively by Mercedes-Benz Ponton enthusiasts. The term Pontonkarosserie made reference to the fact that in 1953, the appearance of these cars did not seem to follow the pre-WWII design evolution. For example, the headlamps, which had been mounted atop large free-standing fenders on earlier models like the Mercedes-Benz Type 170, were now being integrated into the fenders, which themselves had become part of the whole body.