Some cars just refuse to die. Whether it’s a pickup truck still hauling farm equipment decades after being purchased, or a family sedan racking up seven-figure miles with no signs of slowing down, there are cars out there that will happily perform their duty for far longer than you would normally expect, thanks to a combination of extremely sturdy components, good design, and careful maintenance.
One such model is the Mercedes-Benz W123, one of the predecessors to the E-Class range. With an iconic silhouette that earned it a place in classic car history, and a diesel engine that survives daily use and abuse without protest, the W123 is proving to be very hard to kill, despite being firmly into old-lady territory in automotive terms. The W123 is also one of the most popular models for export to Africa (where many older cars from the western world get shipped towards the end of their life cycle). Let’s explore the history that brought the W123 on the market, its variety of body styles, and the newfound purpose of the model’s many surviving examples.
Leading Up To The W123: Daimler-Benz In The 1970s
After the end of World War II, the only way was up for Daimler-Benz. Rebuilding its image after its unfortunate association with Nazi Germany, and its factories after extensive wartime damage, the company set out on an upwards path that led to it becoming one of the most successful and well-known German automakers of the 20th century.
Before getting there, however, Daimler-Benz had a few challenges in front of it, which the W123 helped overcome. With its new look (a friendlier-looking face, compared to the austere-looking models the brand had previously produced) and stellar engineering, the W123 not only launched Daimler-Benz’s modern image, but also succeeded in breaking into foreign markets where German cars were still regarded with suspicion, such as the UK.
Part of the company’s strategy was to lean heavily on build quality and reliability, creating a car that would cement their image of sturdy utilitarianism with a sprinkle of understated luxury. (This also made the W123 a favorite among celebrities: over the course of decades, musical icons such as Bonnie Tyler, Barry Gibb and Lady Gaga have all owned a W123 as part of their car collection.)
The car’s immediate popularity, combined with slow production timeframes at the start of the model’s life cycle, resulted in the emergence of a black market, where slightly used cars would fetch highly inflated sums from impatient customers.
A New Look: The Creation Of The W123
One of the designers instrumental in the creation of the W123 was the late Bruno Sacco, who worked as head of styling at Daimler-Benz for over two decades and remains one of the most influential figures in car design history. With its subtle, classy lines that gave it a simple but elegant look, the W123 remains high on the list of Sacco’s best work.
However, the car’s timeless design was only a part of the equation; the W123 also became a legend thanks to what was under the hood. West Germany imposed hefty taxes on engines over 2.8 liters, prompting Mercedes’ engineers to try and extract as much grunt as possible out of smaller units; emissions regulations in the North American market were also taken into account.
A wide range of powertrain options were available, most of them carried over from the W123’s predecessor, the W114/115. The only new engine introduced to the lineup was the M123 2.5-liter inline-six, which was, however, not sold in the North American market.
In the States, the W123 was available with two different gas engines (a 2.3-liter and a 2.8-liter unit: the former produced 93 hp, while the latter produced 142/140 hp depending on model year). The gas engines were later taken off the market in 1982 to comply with EPA standards, making gas-powered US-spec W123s a rarity.
The real stars of the show, though, were the two diesel engines on offer, the OM616 2.4-liter four-cylinder and the OM617 3.0-liter five-cylinder. Designed by Dr Ferdinand Piëch, whose work also includes the Audi five-cylinder engine and the Quattro drivetrain, these engines are frequently mentioned among the most reliable in automotive history. A few years after the model’s introduction, the 3.0-liter unit was also equipped with a turbocharger, becoming the first ever turbo-diesel engine sold on the American market.
These engines contributed the most to the W123’s reputation for rock-solid reliability and comfort, which led to several taxi companies incorporating it into their fleets. One taxi driver in Greece, Grigorios Sahidinis, set a record in 2004 after racking up an astonishing 2.9 million miles on his W123 240D (equipped with the OM616 engine). He donated his car to the Mercedes Museum, receiving a brand new C200 CDI in return.
A Wide Range Of Choices: The W123’s Body Styles
One of the characteristics that contributed to the popularity of the W123 was the wide range of body styles it was available in, which made it well-suited to a variety of different driving purposes, from family hauler to fleet vehicle. The first to go on sale at the start of 1976 was the sedan; a few months later, a long-wheelbase version arrived, followed by a coupe version the following year.
In 1977, the estate version of the W123 hit the market as well. The coupe and the estate were the most popular variants, and most surviving examples of the model will sport one of these two body styles. While no convertible version was ever produced by Mercedes itself, some coachbuilt convertible examples do exist; in the US, most of them come from Niko-Michael Coachworks in New York.
Quiet Luxury: The W123’s Interior
The purpose of the W123 was to get the job done quietly and without a fuss, providing comfortable, reliable transport with a hint of understated luxury. The car’s interior reflects this principle: the cabin is plush but not flashy, with more creature comforts and safety gadgets than the average car of the time could usually boast. These included driver and passenger airbags, anti-lock brakes, and automatic climate control rather than a simple air-conditioning system. In a remarkably forward move, Mercedes also included a system to switch on the heating without the engine running, something we normally associate with today’s high-tech vehicles.
Hard To Kill: The W123’s Second Life In Africa
The W123 was such a well-loved model that, even in the mid-80s when it was about to be discontinued, there was still a waiting list full of people eager to get their hands on a new one. After its lifecycle in the European and US markets, the W123 found a new lease on life in other parts of the world, especially in Africa. Having built up a reputation for being reliable, easy to maintain, and capable of racking up very high mileage without complaining, the W123 once again found employment as a taxi, especially in countries like Morocco, where they became colloquially known as “Grand Taxis”.
Despite the spotty maintenance, punishing temperatures and long working hours, thousands of W123s continued to happily ferry customers for decades. While many examples are still in circulation today, many more have been replaced as part of government programs to swap them out with more modern vehicles. In 2014, Morocco’s government started an initiative that gave monetary incentives to drivers of the “Grand Taxis” who scrapped their car in favor of a new one; as of 2021, 56% of W123 serving as taxis on Moroccan roads had been scrapped.
The W123 has had a long and interesting life in all corners of the world, and while many working examples on the roads are now being retired, plenty of them are being maintained and cherished by the classic car community, preserved by enthusiasts as an automotive icon of the ’70s and ’80s.
Mercedes E-Class W123 The Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Ever Made
14/10/2024
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Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG
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