My SBP2022R
I think that perhaps the best modern Mercedes saloon ever made is the W126 series which began life in 1983, and was replaced by the very large, and excellent W140 in 1991. shown here in S500 coupe guise:
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| The W140 S280 is probably the car I would change to, when the time comes for me to hand over the reins of SBP2022R to another... |
Those were the days when Mercedes did not spare anything to make the "best engineered car in the world". And the superior engineering shows via the excellent longevity of the W126.
The W126 was available in 2 saloon body types, viz:
Even the short wheelbase car is not small, having an overall length of 5020mm (the LWB spans some 5160mm), and a width of 1820mm.
My car was registered in Singapore, fresh from its journey from Germany, in December 26, 1990. And represents one of the last W126s made. The 140 series came on in 1991.
It had Sapphire Black paint, with grey MB-Tex electrically controlled seats. The stock wheels have been replaced with alloys. And she runs on H rated Michelin MXV 205/60. I used to run on Lorinser monoblocks with W rated Pirelli P6000 215/55. The Michelin on smaller wheels are a great improvement in ride comfort and handling. I think the Lorinsers had wrong wheel offsets. And the wide wheels tend to follow road unevenness a little too well.
The car is powered by the workhorse W110 6 cylinder engine displacing 3000 cc, and
putting out about 188 bhp (138 kW) achieved at 5700rpm, and a top torque of 260 N-m at
4400rpm. Although it can be
easily beaten by its larger brethen (the 300SE has the second smallest engine,
the honors for smallest engine being the 260SE. The others in the range being
the 300SEL, 420SE, 420SEL, 560SE, 560SEL), I have more
than sufficient power to take off, accelerate, and make overtaking safe.
Thanks to the very responsive 4 speed automatic transmission. Of course, all these is said taking into consideration a right foot which is aclimatized to the heavy Mercedes trotle.
