Mercedes-Benz manufactured the rear-wheel drive W124 E-Class sedan from 1984 until 1995, with a facelift in 1993. The car in the photos is a pre-facelift example. The 230 E model is quite rare. It was only made from 1985 until 1992.
AMG was not part of Mercedes-Benz in 1984. However, AMG offered many performance parts for the W124, including these super pretty AMG wheels. AMG also created some super famous super sedans based on the W123, like the legendary AMG Hammer.
Interior
A true time capsule interior! The best W124 cabin I have ever seen in China. It looks as new. Check the beautiful black leather seats, the wood panels on the center stack and doors, and the original audio system. Someone probably replaced the gear knob at some point in time.
The rear bench seems unused. A protective cover is on the floor. Cars in the 1980s had such spacious cabins, with these large windows that let in lots of light. Today’s cars are much darker inside.
The engine
The engine is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder, with 130 hp and 198 Nm. The transmission was a 4-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual. The top speed was 204 km/h (127 mph), and 0-100 took 10.4 seconds.
Note the super long antenna on the left side. Mercedes-Benz did not officially sell the W124 E-Class in China. But some cars arrived via government-barter deals and diplomatic channels. The Chinese government owned a small fleet of luxury W124 sedans and limousines, some of which served well into the early 2000s.
This dark blue car is a great example of the W124. Staff at the shop told me it belonged to a collector, who owned more than 20 classic Mercedes-Benz sedans. The car was not road legal anymore, but the owner ships it around the country for Mercedes events. So perhaps we will see it again one day.