Owners describe a required warm-up ritual: the automatic choke works off hot air from the exhaust, and when it isn't functioning the engine is weak and rough until warm. A healthy example should idle smoothly from cold without needing to be revved; a thrashy startup video was flagged as a sign the valvetrain needs attention.
Cold-start warm-up and the automatic choke
Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer (W186/W189) · mechanical