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Stolen
from: http://www.mbspy.com/w123ccc.htm
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| Photo: Hofner |
Photo: MBSPY webmaster |
Photo: Hofner |
| Translation of an article from
German car magazine "Auto Bild" March
1999 They
will not get cheaper anymore
No question: Mercedes` last chrome-model (sedan),
the W(agen) 123 is a classic car of tomorrow
Still they drive in thousands on our roads, but, dear
brokers ("AutoBild" has a new section called "Youngtimer-Market"),
watch out: What is the last time you have seen a well-looked-after
W123? One without dents, without rust on the wheel arch,
without torn off star? Probably it's a long time
ago; because no other volume-model from that
time is being run down so merciless at the very moment
like this solid middle-class Mercedes, which really
was upper-class. The majority of the cars which
are still more or less in running order has already
(not in any case voluntarily) emigrated to Eastern Europe,
to demonstrate there diesel-typical long-running qualities.
Big-volume gasoline sedans like the 2.5- or 2.8-litre
versions can still be found with some luck from first
hand in dry suburb-garages. Good T-models (T stands
for Transport und Touristik (transport and touristics)
are not to be had anymore nearly at all, the beautifully
designed coupes unfortunately were lowered first and
then gotten rid off in the ditches by the countryside-youngsters.
Or are being offered for phantasy-prices of up to DM
20,000 ($9500) in classic car magazines. Sure is: In
a few years we will cry over the loss of the last chrome-model
(sedan) from Mercedes. Like already today the predecessor
"Strichachter" (1968-1976 (/8; W114/115) or even the
precious "Heckflosse" (1959-1968 (fintail; W110,111,112).
In some years we will not be able to keep a tight rein
on the prices of the today felt sorry for workhorse.
Then will be said: The
last real Benz!
End of article - translation by MBSPY
webmaster.
"AutoBild" is 100 per cent right with the above article:
With the W123-series the era of chromed steel bumpers
with sedans came to an end at Mercedes-Benz. Being
used to the sight of W123`s on virtually every corner
in Western Europe until now only very few Mercedes-Benz
enthusiasts have realized that the number of W123`s
still on the roads in Western Europe has significantly
dropped in the last years. The rest of the MB enthusiasts
will detect in some time only that even today it's very
hard to find sedans in good condition - and to find
such a station wagon aka T-model is nearly not possible
anymore at all. The W123 very much contributed
to the myth of the undestroyable Mercedes, still today
(!) serving as taxis all over the world - keep in mind
the newest sedans now are 16 years old! |
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This article was stolen off of www.mbspy.com
and put on here because they keep changing their links and I
hate it when webpages do that!!!
--
But it's true! I am a firm believer in the KISS principal.
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID! After WWII, there was this crazy man
in American called Edwards William Demming, who had these crazy
ideas, that you shouldn't change something unless it made it
better in some way. He was laughed out of America.. Right into
Japan. There he found audiences. then slowly and eventually,
Japan's economy improved, and their tools improved, and eventually,
their cars improved. While American car companies were putting
fins on the back of cars, Japan was improving their technology.
When American car companies were putting fins on the front of
cars, Japan was ready for a strike. But in the early 80's German
made something beautiful, something that they will probably
never put about again, is these old reliable diesels. It's so
stupid really, when all they have to do, is fix some of the
problems of the W123/W124, tighten up the efficiency, and just
make things more simple, use Japanese electronics, keep the
bells and whistles down to a minimum, and they would have themselves
another best s4elling car. I bet they could easily get 50MPG
from a 2.4liter diesel now a days. But alas, they will not.
--
Update, check out the Accord Diesel!
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