Mercedes-Benz W123

| designer = Friedrich Geiger, Bruno Sacco (Saloon & coupe: 1973, T-Model: 1975)

| model_years = 1976–1986

The Mercedes-Benz W123 is a range of executive cars produced by German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz from November 1975 to January 1986. The W123 models surpassed their predecessor, the Mercedes-Benz W114, as the most successful Mercedes-Benz, selling 2.7 million units before production ended in the autumn of 1985 for the saloon/sedan versions and January 1986 for coupés and estates/station wagons.

Following a slow production build-up during the first year, customers who placed their orders faced a lengthy waiting period of nine to twelve months. A black market emerged for the customers who were willing to pay more for immediate delivery. The slightly used W123 commanded about 5,000 Deutsche Mark premium over its original sale price.

Like its predecessors, the W123 gained the reputation of being well built and reliable. Many taxi companies in Germany chose the W123 due to its reputation of durability and reliability. Reaching 500,000 or more kilometres with only minor mechanical issues was common with W123 used as taxicabs. Once the W123 reached the end of its service life, they were often shipped to Africa and third world countries where they were highly esteemed for their ability to travel on rough roads and to require infrequent maintenance.

W123 production ended in January 1986 with 63 final estates/station wagons rolling out. The most popular single models were the 240 D (455,000 built), the 230 E (442,000 built), and the 200 D (378,000 built).

Design

The W123 shares technical similarities with its predecessors, including the engines, steering system, and suspension system. The design is updated with styling cues from its larger sibling, Mercedes-Benz W116, namely wider ribbed taillights, horizontal headlamps, front turn signal indicators on the outer edge, and pull-to-open door handles.

left|thumb|The W123 had a "slight wedge shape" from the side aspect, according to chief engineer Hans Scherenberg.

Friedrich Geiger was head of the styling department at the time the W123 design was finalized in 1973. Design goals according to chief engineer Hans Scherenberg included creating a "balanced, dynamic, non-aggressive form – one that lends these vehicles a special character – by emphasizing horizontal lines both at the front and rear, suggesting a slight wedge shape from the side aspect, reducing the use of chrome trim and, in the truest sense of the term, introducing rounded lines,” Scherenberg said. "We are as unimpressed by revolutionary leaps of style as by fashionable gimmicks."

Coupé (C123)

In the spring of 1977, a coupé version was introduced on a shortened wheelbase ( versus for the saloon). The C123 was available as 230 C (later 230 CE), as 280 C and 280 CE in most markets, and as the 300 CD/300 CD Turbodiesel for the US market. Unlike the W123 saloon, the rectangular headlamps were fitted to the C123 regardless of engine type.

Limousine (V123)

From August 1976, a long-wheelbase version, extended to , with seating for seven to eight was produced. The limousine was built on a stretched W123 saloon/sedan chassis with additional lower side panels behind the rear passenger doors. The elongated roof has the same C-pillar form as on the saloon/sedan. The rear passenger doors were custom-designed in rectangular shape and of the same length as the ones on the saloon/sedan. The engine options were 250, 240 D, and 300 D. A few 280 E limousines were built as special orders.

Chassis (F123)

The stretched limousine version was offered with complete front body clip (B-pillar forward) and strengthened chassis as the base for ambulances or hearses to be built by the conversion specialists such as Binz and Miesen. F stands for Fahrgestelle (chassis).

Estate (S123)

At the 1977 IAA in Frankfurt, the brand's first-ever factory-built estate, S123, was introduced. The letter T in the model designation stood for Tourismus und Transport (Touring and Transport). Previous estates had been custom-built by the coachbuilders, namely Binz. S123 production began in April 1978 at Mercedes-Benz Bremen factory. All engines except the 2-litre version of the M115 (petrol) and OM615 (diesel) were available in the range. When the M115 was replaced with the new M102 engine, a petrol-engined 200 T also joined the range.

Convertible

While Mercedes-Benz never built its own convertible, some, based on the C123 coupé, were built by external companies including Crayford in the UK which (using the folding soft-top assemblies from 1973 Ford Mustangs salvaged from wrecking yards, the dimensions of the mechanism being ideal) built the "St. Tropez" and Niko-Michaels in New York, USA. In the city of Hagen, Germany, until 2016, the small, family owned Bähr built C123 cabriolets, and also sold kits for the conversion.

File:Mercedes-Benz 240 D (W 123, Facelift) – Frontansicht, 30. August 2012, Velbert.jpg|Mercedes-Benz 240D (W123) saloon (Euro-spec)

File:1981 Mercedes-Benz 200 (W123) 1X7A0274.jpg|Mercedes-Benz 200 (W123) saloon rear

File:Mercedes-Benz W123 T-Modell rear 20090430.jpg|Mercedes-Benz 280 TE (estate)

1977 Mercedes-Benz 230C (123.043) in the US.jpg|1977 Mercedes-Benz 230 C (front)

File:1983 Mercedes-Benz 280 CE Coupe 2.8 Rear.jpg|1983 Mercedes-Benz 280 CE (rear)

Mercedes-Benz V123 in Black, front left.jpg|Mercedes-Benz V123 "Lang" (long wheelbase)

</gallery>

Engines

All of the W115's engines were carried over, including the 2.0- and 2.3-litre M115 four-cylinder petrol units, the 2.0- and 2.2-litre OM615 and 2.4-litre OM616 four-cylinders and the 3.0-litre, five-cylinder OM617 diesel engines.

The W114 motors, however, received a makeover: the M180-powered 230.6 and M130-powered 250 were replaced by the new, single overhead-cam, 2.5-litre M123, with the car badged as 250.

This meant that for the domestic market the M115 four-cylinder model dropped the .4 suffix for redundancy, and the OM617 powered model would receive nomenclature matching the engine displacement: 300 D instead of 240 D 3.0. Such badging had already been used for the previous generation on North American export models.

The flagship DOHC M110-powered, 2.7-litre motor was also carried over, available both as the carbureted 280 and with K-Jetronic as the 280 E.

In the autumn of 1978, the power output of the 240 D was increased from while the 280 E's power went from . In early 1979, the power output rose from to for the 200 D and from to for the 300 D. The 220 D was discontinued after 1979.

In June 1980, the new M102 four-cylinder petrol engine replaced the M115. The 2-litre version was only available with a carburettor while the 2.3-litre version was available with fuel injection only. The carbureted version of 2.8-litre M110 engine in the 280 and 280 C was discontinued in 1981, leaving the 250 as the sole carbureted six-cylinder engine.

The world's first turbocharged diesel engine for a passenger vehicle, the OM617 A, was finally introduced in W123 in September 1979 with 300 TD Turbodiesel that was initially exclusive for the European market. The same engine was offered in North America and Japan in 1981 as the 300 D Turbodiesel 300 CD Turbodiesel, and 300 TD Turbodiesel.

Some engines in the W123 were mounted with small shock absorbers in addition to industry standard motor mounts to reduce felt vibration and a provide a smoother ride. These designs were carried over from previous chassis models like the W114/W115.

Motorsport

thumb|right|1977 280 E that won [[1977 London–Sydney Marathon in MB Museum]]

One notable achievement was in the 1977 London–Sydney Marathon rally, where the 280 E won first and second, ahead of the third and fourth place Citroën CX.

North American sales

North American sales began with the W123 sedan for the 1977 model year. The initial range consisted of the 230, 240 D, 300 D, and 280 E models. Compliance with stringent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) automotive emission control regulations on performance and US Department of Transportation on passenger safety required extensive changes to the vehicles, that made them significantly different from those sold in Europe. When the S123 estate/station wagon was introduced in the US in 1979, the engine choice was limited to 3-litre OM 617 diesel engine. No 240 TD or 280 TE were offered.

Externally the changes were most noticeable with massive 5-mph front and rear bumpers and sealed-beam headlights. This particularly affected the 280/280 E models, whose European counterparts received elegant wrap-around chrome bumper tips and square halogen headlights, which were unavailable to US customers. Journalists reported that "the visual changes were on the mild side" compared to US version of the Mercedes-Benz R107 and Mercedes-Benz W116, which have been described as if a "beautiful car was beaten with the malaise ugly stick."

The W123 production coincided with the introduction of federal regulations on corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and the amendments with the Clean Air Act, which mandated catalytic converters, lower compression ratios and exhaust gas recirculation. All of these measures affected the equivalent weight and performance of the imported cars. For example, the European 280 E had a 1460 kg curb weight and its engine had a DIN rating of at 5800 rpm and at 4500 rpm. The corresponding North American car ranged between depending on the model year and state (California received different specifications for 1977 and 1978) while weighing at least more than its European counterpart.

As the regulations were less stringent on diesel engines, Mercedes-Benz saw this as a way to circumvent the restrictions. In 1981, the turbocharged diesel engine became the sole engine choice for 300 D, 300 CD, and 300 TD. The 300 CD and later 300 CD Turbodiesel were exclusive to the US market and not offered elsewhere, including Europe where the taxation is favourable for the diesel fuel.

The performance improvement of turbocharged diesel engine led to the elimination of 280 E and 280 CE for 1982. The American customers appreciated the better performance of the 300 TD Turbodiesel as they found the naturally aspirated version too slow and underpowered for extra weight. The 240 D was discontinued for the 1984 model year as the new W201 190 E and 190 D took the position of the lowest-priced Mercedes-Benz. Until the 1986 introduction of W124, the W123 model range had a single engine option: 3-litre OM 617 turbocharged diesel engine.

Most of the American models came with the W4B 025 four-speed automatic and only the 240 D was also offered with the 4-speed manual transmission. The new 5-speed manual gearboxes were never offered for the North American market.

Notable exterior differences included

Larger and stronger bumpers that resist collision damage up to 5 mph
Round sealed beam headlamp capsules and fog lamps; the large glass covers partially the housing. The fog lamps had clear lens until 1980 model year when they were tinted yellow due to the confusion between fog lamps and high beam headlamps.
Amber-coloured retroreflective markers on the front turn signal indicators which double as night illumination
Red-coloured retroreflective markers at side edge of taillamps
Location of ID-tag on A-pillar
Emission control device for petrol engines only
Radio with different frequency steps when tuning to different radio stations
85 mph maximum speedometer with 55 mph prominently marked
Tinted glass band across the top of front windscreen
If passenger side external rear view mirror is included, the mirror must carry the warning: "Vehicles are closer than they appear"

File:Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo Diesel (W123) in La Jolla, California (May 21, 2026).png|Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo Diesel Sedan

File:Mercedes 300CD-T.JPG|Mercedes-Benz 300CD Turbodiesel coupé (US-version)

File:Berkeley, California - USA (8754050542).jpg|1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbodiesel estate

</gallery>

Equipment and features

The standard and optional features are numerous along with a large number of engine and gearbox options. Customers could choose cloth, MB-Tex vinyl, velour or leather for the upholstery as well as interior wood trim for dashboard and centre console. The paint and interior colour palettes are extensive as well.

The driving dynamic enhancement options for extra cost became more extensive over the time: ABS (from August 1980 onward), self-locking differential gear, five-speed manual gearbox (introduced in 1982 for European markets only), Tempomat cruise control system, power steering system (standard from 1982 onward), passenger-side external rear view mirror (standard on S123 model), "Alpine" horn with selectable loudness (popular in Switzerland due to strict noise regulations), retractable steering column (from 1982 onward) and so forth.

The extra-cost options for creature comforts include power windows (with a cut-off switch for the rear passenger door windows), vacuum-powered central locking system, sunroof (manual and electric), air conditioning system (manual or automatic control), seats with orthopaedic support, electrically heated seats (all seats were individually ordered), pre-heating system (for heating the passenger compartment at a pre-selected time when the engine is not running), an assortment of different radios with and without cassette players, rear seat head rests, etc. The W123s destined for the North American market tended to have more features as standard, reflecting the American customer's preference for luxury accessories. For the first time in an executive saloon from Mercedes-Benz, the W123 had the option of fully automatic climate control at extra cost. This option was popular in the North American and Japanese markets. A rare option was a column gear selector that could be ordered with an automatic gearbox if the customer wished. The most expensive option was the Becker radio telephone, selling for 13,512 Deutsche Mark.

In the estate/station wagon model, a third row rear-facing foldable seat was offered as an extra cost option.

Critical appraisal

Contemporary reception to the W123 by the motoring press was generally positive. The car was praised for its technical sophistication, safety innovation, and performance as well as its thorough engineering and high build quality. Downsides were typically limited to complaints about the car's high price or the relative austerity of its equipment (manually adjustable seats, for example) compared with contemporary American vehicles at the time.

The W123 won Motor Trend<nowiki/>'s Import Car of the Year in 1977, with the authors noting that the car was selected based on its overall balance of attributes, rather than dominance in any one specific area. Reviewers noted the accurate steering and "a beautiful balance between comfort and control" in the test vehicle, a US-specification 280 E. Also noted was the seamless integration of safety features such as a diagonally-bending steering column and 25% larger mirrors compared with the previous model. Although the price of $16,000 was "a fair amount in most people's minds," the car was said to represent good value for money in its segment.

A March 1977 Car and Driver review described the 142 hp engine powering its test car as delivering "solid by not stupefying performance." Poise at higher speeds was noted, with performance described as "quiet, stable, comfortable, and efficient in a fashion that most car owners simply cannot comprehend," though substantial body roll was noted. Writing in the same article, automotive journalist David E. Davis Jr. noted that "The Mercedes almost seems to dramatize the fact that it is a machine--a pleasant, comfort machine, but a machine nonetheless--not a boudoir, not some mobile extension of your living room, but a mechanical device." A counterpoint segment complained of the car's relatively high cabin noise, but admired "Mercedes-Benz for having the courage of its convictions," in designing a car that is "purposeful, solidly built, and direct in its responses."

Updates

Mercedes-Benz updated the W123 in incremental steps, calling them series:

Series 0.5, November 1975 – July 1976
First Series, August 1976 – July 1979
Second Series, August 1979 – August 1982
Third Series, September 1982 – January 1986

thumb|1977 Mercedes-Benz 230 interior

Changes to the second series (from August 1979):

smaller steering wheel (10 mm) in a more elegant design
modernized toggle switches with smoother edges (hazard lights, windows, etc.)
pneumatic headlamp leveling system
modified belt buckles and smaller headrests
new fabric patterns for the seats

thumb|right|Mercedes-Benz W123 with passenger [[airbag]]

Changes to the third series (from September 1982):

Rectangular headlights and power steering as standard for entire model range
Molded front seat backrests for more knee freedom in the rear
Cloth insert in the door panels
Zebrano wood paneling in the dashboard
Reduced wind noise due to improved roof trim strips
Ventilation outlets are no longer chrome-plated
Driver's airbag available as optional equipment

For the 1981 model year, the automatic climate control panel from the W126 S-Class with a simplified icon design was adopted. A new five-speed manual gearbox was introduced in February 1982 and was available in all models except those with the 3-litre turbocharged diesel engine but not in North America. This gearbox was only offered to North America via the grey market.

In September 1982, the driver's airbag with seat belt pre-tensioners for the passenger were offered as a 1,762.80 Deutsche Mark option for all models from the 1983 model year onward. Very few W123s had both driver and passenger air bags. The passenger air bag used a pyrotechnic gas discharge design, a world's first.

Copies

The W123 was officially produced by FAW in China from 1987 until 1988, as a 200 or as a long-wheelbase 230 E. Only 828 cars were built in their Changchun plant. The Chinese copies used the 2.4-litre BJ492 pushrod inline-four engine from the BJ212.

Technical data

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 0.85em;"

|+ Petrol Engines

! scope="col" | Model

! scope="col" | Chassis

! scope="col" | Years

! scope="col" | Configuration

! scope="col" |

! scope="col" | Fuel Delivery

! scope="col" | Power

! scope="col" | Torque

! scope="col" | Empty Weight

! scope="col" |

! scope="col" | Top Speed

! scope="col" | Fuel Consumption

! scope="col" | Units

| rowspan="2" | 200

| 123.020

| 2/76–8/80

| M115 V 20 (115.938) I4

| 1988 cc

| Stromberg 175 CDTU

Carburettor

| at 4,800 rpm

| at 3,000 rpm

| 15.2 s

| 158,772

| 123.220

| 9/80–11/85

| rowspan="2" | M102 V 20 (102.920) I4

| rowspan="2" | 1997 cc

| rowspan="2" |Stromberg 175 CDT

Carburettor

| rowspan="2" | at 5,200 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 3,000 rpm

| 14.4 s

| rowspan="2" |

| 217,315

| 200 T

| 123.280

| 11/80–1/86

| 15.3 s

| 18,860

| 230

| 123.023

| 2/76–8/80

| rowspan="3" | M115 V 23 (115.954) I4

| rowspan="3" | 2307 cc

| rowspan="3" |Stromberg 175 CDTU

Carburettor

| rowspan="3" | at 4,800 rpm

| rowspan="3" | at 2,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" | 13.7 s

| rowspan="3" |

| 196,185

| 230 C

| 123.083

| 6/77–8/80

| 18,675

| 230 T

| 123.043

| 5/78–4/80

| 6,884

| 230 E

| 123.223

| 7/80–11/85

| rowspan="3" | M102 E 23 (102.980) I4

| rowspan="3" | 2299 cc

| rowspan="3" | Bosch K-Jetronic

Fuel Injection

| rowspan="3" | at 5,100 rpm

| rowspan="3" | at 3,500 rpm

| rowspan="2" | 11.5 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

| 245,876

| 230 CE

| 123.243

| 4/80–11/85

| 29,858

| 230 TE

| 123.283

| 4/80–1/86

| 12.2 s

| 42,248

| rowspan="3" | 250

| rowspan="3" | 123.026

| 4/76–8/79

| M123 V 25 (123.920) I6

| rowspan="6" | 2525 cc

| rowspan="8" | Solex 4A

Carburettor

| at 5,500 rpm

| at 3,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" | 11.3 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" | 117,684

| 9/79–9/81

| rowspan="2" | M123 V 25 (123.921) I6

| rowspan="2" | at 5,500 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 3,500 rpm

| 10/81–12/85

| 11.7 s

| rowspan="3" | 250 T

| rowspan="3" | 123.086

| 5/78–8/79

| M123 V 25 (123.920) I6

| at 5,500 rpm

| at 3,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" | 11.9 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" | 7,704

| 9/79–9/81

| rowspan="2" | M123 V 25 (123.921) I6

| rowspan="2" | at 5,500 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 3,500 rpm

| 10/81–10/82

| 11.7 s

| 280

| 123.030

| 12/75–7/81

| rowspan="2" | M110 V 28 (110.923) I6

| rowspan="11" | 2746 cc

| rowspan="2" | at 5,500 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 4,000 rpm

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 10.6 s

| rowspan="2" |

| 33,206

| 280 C

| 123.050

| 4/77–3/80

| 3,704

| rowspan="3" | 280 E

| rowspan="3" | 123.033

| 12/75–3/78

| M110 E 28 (110.984) I6

| rowspan="9" | Bosch K-Jetronic

Fuel Injection

| at 6,000 rpm

| at 4,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" | 9.9 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 126,004

| 4/78–9/81

| rowspan="2" | M110 E 28 (110.988) I6

| rowspan="2" | at 5,800 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 4,500 rpm

| 10/81–12/85

| rowspan="3" | 280 CE

| rowspan="3" | 123.053

| 4/77–3/78

| M110 E 28 (110.984) I6

| at 6,000 rpm

| at 4,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" | 9.9 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 32,176

| 4/78–9/81

| rowspan="2" | M110 E 28 (110.988) I6

| rowspan="2" | at 5,800 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 4,500 rpm

| 10/81–8/85

| rowspan="3" | 280 TE

| rowspan="3" | 123.093

| 5/78-8/78

| M110 E 28 (110.984) I6

| at 6,000 rpm

| at 4,500 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="3" | 9.9 s

| rowspan="3" |

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 19,789

| 9/78–9/81

| rowspan="2" | M110 E 28 (110.988) I6

| rowspan="2" | at 5,800 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 4,500 rpm

| 10/81–1/86

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; font-size: 0.85em;"

|+ Diesel Engines

! scope="col" | Model

! scope="col" | Chassis

! scope="col" | Years

! scope="col" | Configuration

! scope="col" |

! scope="col" | Fuel Delivery

! scope="col" | Power

! scope="col" | Torque

! scope="col" | Empty Weight

! scope="col" |

! scope="col" | Top Speed

! scope="col" | Fuel Consumption

! scope="col" | Units

| rowspan="2" | 200 D

| rowspan="2" | 123.120

| 2/76–1/79

| rowspan="2" | OM 615 D 20 (615.940) I4

| rowspan="2" | 1988 cc

| rowspan="16" | Bosch indirect injection

with precombustion chamber

| at 4,200 rpm

| at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" |

| 31 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 378,138

| 2/79–4/85

| at 4,400 rpm

| at 2,500 rpm

| 27.4 s

| 220 D

| 123.126

| 2/76–3/79

| OM 615 D 22 (615.941) I4

| 2197 cc

| at 4,200 rpm

| at 2,400 rpm

| 28.1 s

| 56.736

| rowspan="3" | 240 D

| rowspan="3" | 123.123

| 2/76–7/78

| OM 616 D 24 (616.916) I4

| 2404 cc

| at 4,200 rpm

| rowspan="3" | at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| 24.6 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 449,780

| 8/78–9/81

| rowspan="2" | OM 616 D 24 (616.912) I4

| rowspan="2" | 2399 cc

| rowspan="2" | at 4,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" | 22 s

| rowspan="2" |

| 10/81–11/85

| |

| rowspan="2" | 240 TD

| rowspan="2" | 123.183

| 5/78–8/79

| rowspan="2" | OM 616 D 24 (616.912) I4

| 2404 cc

| at 4,200 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" |

| 25.8 s

| rowspan="2" | 38,903

| 9/79–1/86

| 2399 cc

| at 4,400 rpm

| 23.2 s

| rowspan="3" | 300 D

| rowspan="3" | 123.130

| 2/76–8/79

| rowspan="8"|OM 617 D 30 (617.912) I5

| 3005 cc

| at 4,000 rpm

| rowspan="3" | at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| 19.9 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 324,718

| 9/79–9/81

| rowspan="2" | 2998 cc

| rowspan="2" | at 4,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" | 17.8 s

| rowspan="2" |

| 10/81–11/85

| rowspan="2" | 300 CD

| rowspan="2" | 123.150

| 9/77–8/79

| 3005 cc

| at 4,000 rpm

| rowspan="2" | at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" |

| 20.8 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 7,502

| 9/79–8/81

| 2998 cc

| at 4,400 rpm

| 19.2 s

| rowspan="3" | 300 TD

| rowspan="3" | 123.190

| 5/78–8/79

| 3005 cc

| at 4,000 rpm

| rowspan="3" | at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="3" |

| 20.9 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="3" | 36,874

| 9/79–9/81

| rowspan="2" | 2998 cc

| rowspan="2" | at 4,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" | 18.9 s

| rowspan="2" |

| 9/81–1/86

| rowspan="2" | 300 D Turbodiesel (USA only)

| rowspan="2" | 123.133

| 8/81–9/82

| rowspan="6" | OM 617 D 30 A (617.952) I5 turbo

| rowspan="6" | 2998 cc

| rowspan="6" | Bosch Fuel Injection with precombustion chamber and Garrett T3 turbocharger

| at 4,350 rpm

| at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 14.0 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 75,261

| 10/82–8/85

| rowspan="5"| at 4,350 rpm

| rowspan="5"| at 2,400 rpm

| rowspan="2" | 300 CD Turbodiesel (USA only)

| rowspan="2" | 123.153

| 7/81–9/82

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 14.0 s

| rowspan="2"

| rowspan="2" | 8,007

| 10/82-8/85

| rowspan="2" | 300 TD Turbodiesel

| rowspan="2" | 123.193

| 10/80–8/81

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 15.0 s

| rowspan="2" |

| rowspan="2" | 28,219

| 9/81–1/86

North America and Japan

In these markets, only the following models were offered:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:0.85em;"

!Model

!Model Years

!Engine

!Power

!Torque

! colspan="5" style="text-align:center"|Petrol Engines

|230 || 1977–1978 || 2.3 L M115 I4 || at 4,800 || at 2,500

| rowspan="3" | 280 E || 1977–1979 || rowspan="3"| 2.8 L M110 fuel injected I6 || at 5,750 || at 4,600

| 1977–1978 || at 5,750 || at 4,600

| 1980–1981 || at 5,500 || at 4,600

| rowspan="3" | 280 CE || 1979 || rowspan="3" | 2.8 L M110 fuel injected I6 || at 5,750 || at 4,600

| 1979 || at 5,750 || at 4,600

| 1980–1981 || at 5,500 || at 4,600

| colspan="5" |

! colspan="5" style="text-align:center"|Diesel Engines

| rowspan="2" | 240 D || 1977–1980 || rowspan="2" | 2.4 L OM616 I4|| at 4,000|| at 2,400

| 1981–1983 || at 4,000|| at 2,400

|300 D || 1977–1981|| rowspan="3" | 3.0 L OM617.912 I5 || rowspan="3" | at 4,000 || rowspan="3" | at 2,400

|300 CD || 1978–1981

|300 TD || 1979–1980

|300 D Turbodiesel || rowspan="3" | 1981–1985 || rowspan="3" | 3.0 L OM617 A I5 turbo|| rowspan="3" | at 4,350 || rowspan="3" | at 2,400

|300 CD Turbodiesel

|300 TD Turbodiesel

References

Notes

Bibliography

General

Workshop manuals

External links

W123 buyer's guide – Classics World (UK)
W123 production figures
W123 production information, technical data, and media of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Digital Archive
W123 specifications and prices