Paul:

These cars handled acceptably when new, but had lots of body roll. I test-drove a couple of 123s when new, thinking that I'd like to buy one, walked away disappointed. To compare to other cars of its day I would say that its handling was similar to a Volvo GL sedan, a Volvo GLT would run circles around it. The 123 did have fairly neutral handling, predictable, but the body roll was IMO excessive. Still, once it settled into a turn it stuck pretty well. It was not a car to flog through a tight road course. The Audi cars of the time also cornered flatter, I bought a quattro instead (just introduced, about the same price, wish I kept it). If you wanted a Mercedes that would handle at the time you bought an AMG (Hammer!), at that time a separate company.

My other reason for not liking the 123 at the time was the standard seats, I used to describe them as having one spring in the middle, and the entire seat cushion would tilt and rock beneath you as you drove. This also is normal.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff