W123: E or C?

[Nola]

The W123 holds a special place in my heart... I grew up with this car all around me, learned to drive on it and basically was my ideal of what a well built car should be. My mom still drives one. That said, I feel that the current and previous C-Class are more in touch with its spirit than the E-class is, so it got my attention that MBWorld lists it as an E-Class. I know that the first C-Class replaced the 190, but perhaps over time it has evolved into more of what the W123 was. My first comment when I drove my W203 for the first time was how much like the W123 it felt. Comments?

[Untertürkheim]

I personally always regarded the 123 as an E class, it preceeded the 124, which was the first E. The 123 is also more of a touring car in line with the E, the C is much more compact.

[240D 3.0T]

Neither. Its a W123.

[ZedStyle]

Originally Posted by Nola

My first comment when I drove my W203 for the first time was how much like the W123 it felt. Comments?

how did it compare to when you drove a w124?

[Nola]

Originally Posted by ZedStyle

how did it compare to when you drove a w124?

I didn't. I skipped that one. Is it very similar as well?

[lkchris]

For a short period the W201--universally considered the first C-class--was sold concurrently with the W123.

The W123 was replaced by the W124.

[ZedStyle]

Originally Posted by Nola

I didn't. I skipped that one. Is it very similar as well?

when you drive one, it will be easier to tell whether the w123 is more like a c or e class...

[Nola]

Originally Posted by ZedStyle

when you drive one, it will be easier to tell whether the w123 is more like a c or e class...

Actually, go drive a W211 and a W204, and you'll see that the W204 is more like the W123. It's all academic anyway.

[ZedStyle]

Originally Posted by Nola

Actually, go drive a W211 and a W204, and you'll see that the W204 is more like the W123. It's all academic anyway.

true, but cars have come a very long way in the last 20 years... to truly know the answer to your question, you would need to drive the cars immediately following the w123, which would be the w124 and i suppose the w202. i think you would find that the w124 would probably be the closest, but i haven't driven all of them either, so i don't know for sure. the w124 is definitely up there on the list of most satisfying cars to drive, but then again i'm biased...!

[johnshasteen]

Originally Posted by ZedStyle

true, but cars have come a very long way in the last 20 years... but then again i'm biased...!

I bought a new 1979 300CD off the showroom floor in Dallas TX in Oct 1979 - best car MB built up to that time. We bought my wife's '82 300SD off the same showroom floor and awoke to the turbo era. I replaced the '79 CD with a new '84 300CD again, off the same showroom floor (the guy that ended up with the '79 still drives it daily and has over 650K miles on it). We still have and daily-drive the SD and CD. Why, when we can afford to write a check for any MB we want? Because in both our estimations, MB hasn't built a better car since. Sure they've come a very long way. Different, sure, they have cup holders now. But in many cases they've come a long way in the wrong direction - and sadly, the newest of the MB's will be used-car-nightmares as they age.

[tanktube67]

my W203 for the first time was how much like the W123 it felt. Comments?

4 wheels, steering wheel, engine, transmission, yes! they are like.