Team-BHP
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
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Post-War
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/)
Like the
W124 after it, the Mercedes Benz
W123 captured the heart and imagination of India by conquering its terrain with class, reliability and luxury never before seen in the country.
The frequent star of many a Bollywood film, the W123 almost always carried a statesman, a leader, a politician or a celebrity in real and reel life. As an owner of a 1984 300D Automatic, I can state that only the W123 can make the W124 seem under engineered and expensive to own in comparison. Despite being a 40 year old classic, the W123 is still used as a daily driver by several hundred thousand owners across the world, myself included. It is considered by many a collector, specialist and journalist as the best car ever made. Indeed, I spent 6 years searching for a good example and was thrilled to learn that most replacement parts are still available from the factory in Stuttgart.
To build awareness among the TBHP community and promote responsible ownership of these legendary cars, I've started this thread to aggregate archival video, reviews and images of the car.
1) W123 Mercedes Archival Footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARoDjKw5pyo
2) More W123 Development and Testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxv2ZJoAby0
3) Review of the W123 after 40 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l4a...u0dGHM_RU1VHCw
CAR:
RHD UK Registered 1984 300D Automatic Sedan with MB Tex Tan Interior, Golden Beige Exterior, Self Leveling suspension, Electric Fan, Oil Sump guard, Sunroof and Air Conditioning. Remarkably, the car has no rust anywhere despite having spent all its life in the UK
HISTORY
When I asked the previous owner about the history of the car, I was told that it was originally special ordered in 1984 for the President of India, Mira Gandhi before she died.
I didn't understand who he was referring to as India never had a President named Mira Gandhi . . .and then it clicked. The car was ordered for the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi who was assassinated in 1984, just after the car was built. The administration cancelled the order and it never left Europe for India, going instead to the 1st owner, who cared for it for next 20 years.
When you look at the date of registration and the ultra rare factory options that would better equip the car for India, the story matches up. I even wrote a letter to the car's 2nd owner, the 1st owners mechanic, who corroborated the exact same story.
Then, I acquired the car's data sheet:
Sales designation: 300D
Order number: 0 4 825 00269
the 4 means it was Ordered in 1984
825 means the car was ordered in India
It was the 269th car ordered in India in 1984
Paint code 473 - Champagne Metallic
Interior code 154 - Dattel (Date in German) MB Tex and listed as Light Brown in English in the global non US/Canadian market brochures. Sometimes called Palomino in the US market.
Engine number - 617912 22 158652
Transmission number - 722405 02 080433
365 - Removal costs for code 668 which is 10 liters of fuel and mode of packing VE II (relates to shipping car for export over ocean)
366 - Unknown code
410 - Electric Sliding roof (sunroof)
420 - Automatic transmission floor shift
467 - Central locking system and instruments with English lettering (MPH speedo)
486 - Self-Leveling suspension and undershields (skid plates)
505 - Outside rear view mirror, Left, Electrically adjustable (R.H.D.)
512 - Radio Becker Europa Cassette Vollstereo LMKU Typ 664
531 - Automatic Antenna
542 - Lockable glove compartment
570 - Folding armrest front
586 - Behr air conditioner, and electric window lifters (front and rear doors)
592 - Green heat insulating glass all round, Rear window laminated safety glass and heated. Windshield tinted strip
613 - Asymmetrical head lamps for Left Hand Traffic
674 - High capacity battery, tropical version
812 - Rear speakers
835 - Coir mats (Coco floor mats)
Lamps: Bosch
This is all the info that was available in the EPC. There are a few more details a Mercedes classic center can provide in the complete data card for your car like the exact delivery date, what brand tires it came with, and what that unknown code is. What is really interesting that it was ordered in India but also then to remove the costs to prep the car for ocean shipment. After it was ordered they didn't want Mercedes to ship the car to India"
The order was cancelled because Prime Minister Gandhi was assassinated before she could take delivery. Unbelievably, the story fits.
I'm working with Mercedes to establish that yet another prominent global leader patronized their vehicles.
Wonderful thread.
I was surprised at the extent of testing that the car underwent four decades ago. Even the ashtray was operated few hundred times to ensure it would last the life of the car.
The W123 and W124 were so beautiful, likable, reliable and durable because of the engineering time that went into the development. 8 years is a very long time for testing a car-and they drove it in every continent.
Quality is never easy. Class is never a product of chance. Excellence is a product of diligence. These are the three statements that come to mind when you read the posts on this thread.
Hopefully, some day, I'll have the resources to buy and maintain both these models. Hopefully, that day will come soon. :)
Beautiful car, and perhaps of all the W123s featured here on the forum has the most history associated with it. I am also pretty much sure that W123s are amongst the most loved classics on this board and across the world.
I am intrigued by that unknown code and also by that towing hitch. Surely added on later but is also strangely representative on Mrs. Gandhi's personality in some ways :)
Slightly off topic, but W123 is a central character in an upcoming Malayalam movie called
Tham Thakam Pathakam. It's apparently inspired from Steven Spielberg's Dennis Weaver starring 1971 cult movie
Duel. Interestingly, both cars are red and the Kenworth used in the Malayalam movie has fleeting resemblance to the truck
in Duel.
Very informative video about the W123. Marc Cosovich, considered the "Guru" of the W123, is also responsible for keeping my W123 in factory fresh condition here in the UK. There is nothing that he doesn't know (or do) for the W123 and is considered the authority on the car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZu9rAdMkoM
Complete with 80's German music and wonderful footage, here is another German language Test Drive of the legendary W123 sedan.
Part 1 Part 2
Notice how all 4 doors open after a crash that would deform any other car into a tin can. Eight years of state of the art safety and design engineering led to one of the safest cars of all time - The W123
Crash Test of a W123
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in Duel.