1980s Collector Car
The Mercedes-Benz W123 was the most sought after and popular classic cars, due to its exemplary ride matching to its reliable Over Engineering technology of the 1980s. Many car enthusiasts prefers this old W123 over any other type, the enthusiasm is as such that even the later model was not as much worthy to be driven! W123 has distinctive rear lighting; it is said that the jagged edge along the lamp deploys Eddy current turbulence to keep it clean during the wet season.
We all know that down force turbulence is utilized by employing rear wing to maintain rear road holding, it is the same principle used for cleaning up any debris along the rear lighting surface. Similar principle of mechanical fluid dynamics used for dimple on a golf ball with the exception that the benefit is for top speed purpose.
W123 employs the last greatest free revving DOHC on its M110 280 engine producing a healthy 185 Hp@ 5800 rpm. A bit more power than those being employed on GE-280, the G class brother uses detuned version of 156 Hp@ 5250 rpm. For further review on my own driving experience of G class Mercedes-Benz GE-280; read G-Wagen.
Up to the period of W123 production era, Daimler was not known for high performance car producer. And it started to feel the pinch by the dominating Ultimate Machine of BMW. In particular BMW 3 series segment had infiltrated into the premium car market and in the process hurting MB’s luxury car leadership.
Mid 1980s Collector car
A huge amount of £600 million was spent researching and developing W201 to counter the Bavarian attack. Today we also know this W201 as another one of MB’s classic yet rare collectible car. The car marked the first attempt of design enhancement into vehicle dynamics with heavy tendency toward sport performance but blended also with luxury ambience, there is a noticeable feeling of cabin detachment to the rest of car. In fact this encapsulation technology has made enthusiast to prefer the older classic W123.
One of sought after and rarest of all is the first multivalve engine Merc introduced into the market in 1984: Less than 2,000 units of W201 190E 2.3-16 were imported into US soils. The high performance model shared all of its Mercedes Benz auto parts to other ordinary 190E but multivalve engine and beefed up suspension as well as bigger braking system.
The classic car boasted the new patented 5 links rear suspension system, a system which was later used for the successor of W123; the W124 model. However on some top model a rear self levelling suspension was incorporated as standard Mercedes Benz OEM parts. Daimler had been adopting Citroen’s Hydropneumatic Suspension Technology style for a while ever since the 1967 V8 engined W109 300SEL 6.3 was introduced (Once was the fastest sedan in the world; 6.3 seconds to 60 MPH).
MB W201 190E 2.3-16 to be continued………
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