A Classic Old School Mercedes-Benz W124 260 E Spotted in the Philippines

    Ever since the 1950's, Mercedes-Benz has imported, sold, and even built a few Mercedes-Benz models in the Philippines. And ever since then, Mercedes-Benz has been a popular brand for the population, from the upper-middle class to the 1% of the country. However, one model that has been a familiar sight on the streets since its introduction in the mid-1980's, whether you lived in the big city streets or the rural countryside, was the Mercedes-Benz W124.


    The W124 first started its development process in the fall of '76, and took a mighty long eight years in pre-production before its release in the March of 1984. It had replaced the previous W123, another hugely popular Mercedes-Benz model that had even been assembled here for quite some time. The W124 had a lot to live up for, but fortunately, it was a massive success and a complete technical marvel at the time.


    Despite its vintage style and feeling, the W124 was a technological overhaul in terms of mechanics. Its introduction of the multi-link rear suspension, which increased comfort and safety, became a standard on many modern cars today. It had an advanced body structure that crumpled in certain places to maximize safety for its passengers. However, one familiar standard feature it had that was sparsely found within its rivals at the time were its inception of anti-lock brakes, a required standard today that was not even thought as essential by consumers then.


    However, most of the engine options and its running gear had the same type of engineering as the previous W123, with nothing really new added. The 260 E, like the one featured here, 2.6L inline-6 gas engine. It generated about 160 brake horsepower and 225 Nm of torque. This gave it a quick, 0 to 100 acceleration of 8.7 seconds, and a top speed of 218 km/h. Unfortunately, with it being an old-school car and such, it had a fuel economy of 26 MPG, which today, is comparable to a large SUV or a minivan.


    Although it had an engine that was known for going on forever, the W124 also had a known rust problem, that could discourage many long-time keepers and collectors. But with its popularity, innovation, technology, and not to mention, beautiful aerodynamic body, it became one of the most iconic Mercedes-Benz models of all time. Nowadays, finding a W124 isn't that much of a feat, and can be occasionally seen within the streets of the Manila metro area.

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