Mercedes W123 Tuners of '70s & '80s

[cawimmer430]

The legendary Mercedes-Benz 123 range had many endearing qualities - but speed was not one of them. Although the higher end models had high top speeds (by the standard of the day), the quickest '123 was a 280E with a 5-speed manual which would hit 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds.

Just for shits and giggles, here are the power and acceleration times of the entire 123 range.

Gasoline Sedans W123
Model | Engine | Horsepower | Acceleration 0-100 km/h

200   | M115 V20 | 94-horsepower | 15.2 seconds
200   | M102 V20 | 109-horsepower | 14.4 seconds
230   | M115 V23 | 109-horsepower | 13.7 seconds
230E | M102 E23 | 136-horsepower | 11.5 seconds
250   | M123 V25 | 129-horsepower (140-horsepower since September 1979) | 11.3 seconds
280   | M110 V28 | 156-horsepower | 10.6 seconds
280E | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 9.9 seconds


Diesel Sedans W123
Model | Engine | Horsepower | Acceleration 0-100 km/h

200D | OM615 D20 | 55-horsepower (60-horsepower since February 1979) | 33.2 seconds
220D | OM615 D22 | 60-horsepower | 29.1 seconds
240D | OM616 D24 | 65-horsepower (72-horsepower since August 1978) | 27.4 seconds (22 seconds)
300D | OM617 | 80-horsepower (88-horsepower since September 1979) | 19.9 seconds (17.8 seconds)
300D Turbodiesel | OM617 A | 125-horsepower | 14 seconds


Gasoline & Diesel Coupes C123
Model | Engine | Horsepower | Acceleration 0-100 km/h

230C   | M115 V23 | 109-horsepower | 13.7 seconds
230CE | M115 E23 | 136-horsepower | 11.5 seconds
280C   | M110 V28 | 156-horsepower | 10.6 seconds
280CE | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 9.9 seconds
300CD | OM617 | 80-horsepower (88-horsepower since September 1979) | 19.2 seconds
300CD Turbodiesel | OM617 A | 125-horsepower | 14 seconds


Gasoline Wagons S123
Model | Engine | Horsepower | Acceleration 0-100 km/h

200T   | M102 V20 | 109-horsepower | 15.3 seconds
230T   | M115 V23 | 109-hosepower | 14.4 seconds
230TE | M115 E23 | 136-horsepower | 12.2 seconds
250T   | M123 V25 | 140-horsepower | 11.9 seconds
280TE | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 10.2 seconds


Diesel Wagons S123
Model | Engine | Horsepower | Acceleration 0-100 km/h

240TD | OM616 D24 | 72-horsepower | 23.2 seconds
300TD | OM617 D30 | 80-horsepower (88-horsepower since September 1979) | 18.9 seconds
300TD Turbodiesel | OM617 D30 A | 125-horsepower | 15 seconds


Nice, huh? Gimme a 55-horsepower 200D and let me enjoy those 33.2 seconds to 62 mph! 


Did you know that German tuners were actively [visually] ruining Mercedes '123 cars in the '70s and '80s? No? Well here's the proof. And it's bad. Really bad. I think the design of the W123 is completely unsuitable for sporty applications.

Before we start, these are the STANDARD '123 Models. Remember how they look so you can see how the tuners have ruined them.









And here are the MONSTROSITIES from the tuners (in alphabetical order). I have to say out of these I kind of like what Carlsson has done to the coupe. It doesn't look sporty - it looks BADASS. That works.

The worst offenders here is Zender Tuning. Check out what they did to an S123 and especially check out how the royally screwed the interior. 



AMG

Hmmm...ok the sedan looks "decent" enough, but that coupe got shafted! Naturally AMG took the top 280E and worked their "magic" on it. No data on the performance but it wouldn't surprise me if they managed to improve the 0-100 km/h acceleration to the mid or high 7 second range.









Bohr Tuning

My eyes! My eyes! Horrible. How many good W123 sedans were sacrificed so that these guys could have their fun!? A better name for this tuner would have been Frankenstein Tuning.













Brabus

Yep, the insane boys at Brabus started out visually ruining '123s. I couldn't find any infos if they tuned the engines, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did. That being said, give me a stock 55-horsepower 200D over any Brabus '123!













Carlsson

My personal favorite from this bunch of tuners - and only because this C123 Coupe looks like something that could have played a major role in the Mad Max movies!









Lorinser

Lorinser seemed only interested in ruining coupes and wagons. Boo! They ruined the currently most sought-after '123 models on the classic car market. I wonder how much it would cost to buy one of these and convert it back to stock. That's how disgusting I find these tuned things. Thankfully, on the wagons it looks like you just have to remove those nasty front and rear bumpers and that weird underside aerodynamic covering.













Schulz Tuning

These guys went a step beyond to ruin a W123 sedan. Aside from the shitty body kit, it appears like they got hold of a C126 SEC bonnet and grille and tacked that onto this poor W123. So not only did they ruin a perfectly good W123, somewhere out there an SEC is missing its bonnet! Bastards! 





Zender Tuning

Gentleman, I present to you the worst tuner in this bunch - and I call them the "worst" because they seriously screwed up that interior. I mean look at this thing! Whisky Tango Foxtrot!? 

[Payman]

The guy that said "I hate touch screens. Gimme old fashioned buttons and knobs any day" never clapped his eyes on this hellacious mess.

[FoMoJo]

Those times see a bit odd.  How could a...280CE | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 9.9 seconds?  How much did it weigh?

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'm sure it all makes sense once you read the manual and get your ham radio license.

[cawimmer430]

The guy that said "I hate touch screens. Gimme old fashioned buttons and knobs any day" never clapped his eyes on this hellacious mess.

When I first saw this photo I assumed this was some specially-made interior or a rally car or at least some sort of testbed for future technologies.

But no, Zender Tuning did that. 


It gets worse. Mercedes tuners of the '70s and '80s really knew how to RUIN a car. 

[cawimmer430]

Those times see a bit odd.  How could a...280CE | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 9.9 seconds?  How much did it weigh?

A 280 weighed 1,505 kg with the manual transmission. With the 4-speed automatic it weighed 1,545 kg. Top speed was 190 km/h.

A 280E weighed 1,510 kg with the manual transmission. With the 4-speed automatic it weighed 1,550 kg. Top speed was 200 km/h.


You'll have to convert the weight to pounds. 

[Soup DeVille]

Those times see a bit odd.  How could a...280CE | M110 E28 | 177-horsepower (185-horsepower since April 1978) | 9.9 seconds?  How much did it weigh?

A lot, but also these were geared for Autobahn speeds, at the expense of acceleration.
The 240D was glacially slow around town, but on the highway ran comfortably.

[Payman]

Thank goodness the 70's are long behind us.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Holy Red Batmobile, Batman.

[Payman]

Holy Red Batmobile, Batman.

It's for sale. Eleven million WTF dollars.

[cawimmer430]

A lot, but also these were geared for Autobahn speeds, at the expense of acceleration.
The 240D was glacially slow around town, but on the highway ran comfortably.

Indeed.

Though I did get to drive a '79 60-horsepower 200D once with the 4-speed manual transmission. I expected it to be slow but surprisingly it was pretty fluid from 0-80 km/h. 80-100 km/h, however, took forever. The car topped out at 133 km/h.

Here's a video of an automatic 240D (I assume this is the 72-horsepower version) and I have to say the acceleration appears pretty "quick" given the reputation this car has for slowness. The technician begins driving it at around 11:34 and later in the video when he's fixed the problem and hammers it the acceleration is pretty nice. The technician even comments on how this is a "pretty fast 240D".

Man, I want a W123. I don't care which model, I just want one. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=95xoMxU3N_Q&t=751s

[cawimmer430]

Thank goodness the 70's are long behind us.

I remember that one. Whoever came up with this idea was smoking some seriously good shit. I bet.

[Eye of the Tiger]

It's for sale. Eleven million WTF dollars.

Yeah, okay.

[FoMoJo]

A lot, but also these were geared for Autobahn speeds, at the expense of acceleration.
The 240D was glacially slow around town, but on the highway ran comfortably.

Still a bit perplexed, but I interpreted it to be a 0 to 100km/h in 9.9 seconds...which would hit 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds..  Extremely quick.

Lovely cars, though.

[cawimmer430]

It's for sale. Eleven million WTF dollars.

How much do they pay at sperm banks per cup?

[Payman]

How much do they pay at sperm banks per cup?

$12/mouthful.

[Payman]

Fond memories of my late uncle Don's '78 Toyota Cressida wagon, just like this one.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Indeed.

Though I did get to drive a '79 60-horsepower 200D once with the 4-speed manual transmission. I expected it to be slow but surprisingly it was pretty fluid from 0-80 km/h. 80-100 km/h, however, took forever. The car topped out at 133 km/h.

Here's a video of an automatic 240D (I assume this is the 72-horsepower version) and I have to say the acceleration appears pretty "quick" given the reputation this car has for slowness. The technician begins driving it at around 11:34 and later in the video when he's fixed the problem and hammers it the acceleration is pretty nice. The technician even comments on how this is a "pretty fast 240D".

Man, I want a W123. I don't care which model, I just want one. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=95xoMxU3N_Q&t=751s

Good video. However, I'll just save myself all the trouble and get a 4-speed manual.

[Soup DeVille]

Still a bit perplexed, but I interpreted it to be a 0 to 100km/h in 9.9 seconds...which would hit 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds..  Extremely quick.

Lovely cars, though.

Nothing in my experience leads me to believe it was anywhere near that fast. The video doesn't jibe with what I remember either.

[12,000 RPM]

I don't know that the performance modifications HAD to have the exterior modifications.

On my family's last trip to Ghana my dad had a W123 sedan loaner. I don't know if it had any performance mods, but it looked lowered and was on Pentas. Body was otherwise stock I think. If I got a W123, I'd stuff in a 5.5 M117, lower it, get the Euro bumpers and some Penta wheels





I like these too....



People like different things.... it's OK

[cawimmer430]

People like different things.... it's OK

And that's cool. We all have different tastes. If someone likes these pimped-out '123s then that's their thing. I'm not gonna complain or criticize their taste. 

I personally just feel the simple and elegant design of the '123s translates horribly into tacky sporty add-ons.