MERCEDES W123 BUYING GUIDE
If ever you were compiling a list of Mercedes models that helped to promote its reputation of reliability and longevity, the saloons, estates and coupés that were internally codenamed W123 and produced between 1976 and 1985 have got to be at the top of it. The model line-up replaced the W114/115 series and was initially available only as a four-door saloon, but a two-door coupé was introduced in 1977, along with a long wheelbase seven-/eight-seater saloon and a standard-length estate. Mercedes also supplied the W123 as a part-assembled vehicle for coachbuilders to convert to ambulances and hearses – Crayford made 12 St Tropez convertibles based on the coupé, for example.
Practicality & performance
These are spacious and practical family vehicles, with seating for five people or more (rear seatbelts may not be fitted to early models). The traditional three-box design of the saloon makes it a relatively long vehicle at almost 4.8m. The estate is the same length, and the long wheelbase models are roughly 50cm more. The width is a moderately slim 1.7m. Surprisingly, a saloon or estate is almost the same length as the Jaguar XK8/XKR, but 30cm narrower. Most models weigh in at around one-and-a-half tons.
A range of four-, five-and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines were fitted throughout the lifetime of this model (see later for more details). Each model name denotes its engine size, so a 230 for instance was powered by a 2.3-litre engine. A total of four different-sized petrol and four diesel engines were fitted throughout production, with upgrades and increases in power output at various stages and some design differences, so there are a total of 16 different engines.
Diesel engines range from the asthmatic 55bhp two-litre up to the 125bhp three-litre turbocharged five-cylinder.
