CLASSIC THROWBACK | Relive the opulent '80s through a Mercedes W124 sales brochure

Buying a new car in 2024, chances are you are not going to go into a dealership to get a brochure.

You would have checked what you needed to on the manufacturer's website. And also (hopefully) done research courtesy of the unbiased and in-depth reviews brought to you by our stable of fine motoring titles, including this one.

But there are many things to be savoured about a weighty, glossy printed catalogue.

Over the weekend I rediscovered one from my personal collection, so I had to stop, put off more important errands and take in the musky smell of aged ink and cardboard. If you were considering buying a new Mercedes-Benz W124 in the mid-1980s, chances are your nostrils were accustomed to wafting in the smells of success.

The South African brochure for the model range had an unimaginative cover (just the Mercedes-Benz logo and the monikers of the various engine derivatives); which belied a feast of crisp images, tantalising fold-outs and dense copy. No doubt, you would have read every word in anticipation of your new W124.

“From all points of view, the new Mercedes-Benz displays design features which demonstrate the often-difficult, but always successful combination of practicality and aesthetics, elegance and enhanced functionality,” reads one paragraph.

“Cultured motoring refinement,” declares a headline, against a backdrop of a W124 cabin specified in sumptuous-looking beige upholstery.

My mind races with thoughts of what it would have been like to touch, feel and drive a factory-fresh example. Also cool is that you can spot local landmarks in the brochure. One image has the unmistakable Johannesburg skyline in the background.

At launch, the W124 range consisted of the four-cylinder 200 and 230 E, as well as the six-cylinder 260 E and 300 E at the top of the range.

The 200 displaced 1,997cc and delivered 80kW/170Nm. The 230 E packed 2,299cc and offered 100kW/205Nm. Both were sold with four-speed transmissions, manual or automatic.

Five-speed gearboxes were reserved for the six-cylinder models. The 260 E wielded 2,599cc and 122kW/235Nm. The 300 E displaced 2,962cc, producing 138kW/260Nm.

Another trump card of these two six-cylinder models was the fitment of self-levelling hydropneumatic rear suspension, plus anti-lock brakes.

Other highlights trumpeted about the W124 were the multi-link independent rear suspension, electronically-controlled seat-belt tensioners, fluid level and lamp-bulb monitoring systems which gave instrument cluster warnings if matters were amiss, as well as a 520l boot.

The standard features list is a reminder of how far the modern automobile has come and how much buyers' expectations of luxury models have evolved.

Back then, laminated safety glass, Tempomat cruise control, self-cancelling indicators and a wood veneer centre console were considered hallmarks of premium motoring. But as anyone who has driven a W124 will attest, the real draw of the vehicle was in its engineering substance and integrity, rather than superficial frills.

Interestingly, the 300 D is not listed on the front of the brochure, but there is a brief section dedicated to the model inside. “The cleanest, most economical and yet most powerful diesel ever,” is how they billed it. The derivative claimed to offer 80kW/185Nm, a fuel consumption figure of 7l/100km and a 0-100km/h time of 13.7 seconds.

February 1985's edition of Car magazine features a first drive of the W124 at its overseas launch. The “new middle-range Mercedes” was praised for its aerodynamic shape, welcoming interior and ability to cruise at 200km/h “with no drama at all”.

A June 1987 price list indicated a base of R45,315 for the Mercedes-Benz 200. Meanwhile, the 300 E automatic would have set you back R85,000. Just over R561,000 and R1,052,000 in 2024 terms respectively, adjusted for inflation.