Of the one's I've driven, my vote goes to the W123 ('82 240D) as being most "tank like".

I also drove an '84 300SD. That was more "battleship like".

- Patrick

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1982 240D. 198k, Marine Blue/Blue, 4 Speed, Crank Windows, No Sunroof, No Rust, No Oil Leaks
2001 TDI. 197k, Lagoon Blue/Black, 5 speed, Chip, G60/VR6

Is it just me or in that picture of the W140 with a destroyed front end, not have it's airbags go off? With a hit like that, they sure as hell should of.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

If you ever feel the need for a tinny sound, close the trunk on a 124. The doors aren't quite as bad, but the 126 is the best.

i wouldnt use tanklike to describe any benz that i have driven since it conjurs up a vision of excessive weight. benzes are relatively light for their size always and in my experience all of them feel solid on the road and when you close the doors, from the 190 to the s class. quality.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

W124's are not too bad. Saved my sister and her children TWICE in major accidents.

Consider the writeup.



Car:
1991 Mercedes Benz 300E
Location:
Toronto, Canada

Description:
Swerved to avoid tractor trailer that had jumped centre devider in heavy rain conditions, spun out and hit concrete barrier only to be hit by another trator trailer. Took 30 minutes to remove driver who was tossed into passenger seat because of not wearing seat belt.

Injury Report:
4 day hospital stay

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

yikes glad they were ina benz!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The person survived because they didn't have their seatbelt on. I'll try to post a picture of a T-boned 124 at the local junkyard. No way a passenger survived in the RF seat. As you will see in time, the passenger seat is folded in half! The b-pillar was broken flush at the roof and the rocker was torn up into the door.

I think the car was an early 90's 260E. Anyways, sure would scare the hell out of me to be in the thing though I would have to admit no Benz would have been much better off especially in a side collision.

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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One thing to keep in mind: If your car has a rusty chassis, it sure as heck isn't going to protect you too well in a nasty collision.

you guys are using accident survivablity to define tankness, and that is not a proper method... the w124 is about 2500 pds and the w126 is about 5000 pounds....

yes, the w124 has great crumple zones and all that but you could wrap yourself in bubble wrap as well....


Lots of people died in 55 chevys that only got little dents on the outside because they were such tanks... if your talking survivablity then talk about the survivablity of the car.... I am sure a w126 would look more like a car then a crushed can...

in the future there will be carbon fiber cars with suround air bags and the car will weigh under 1000 pounds and they will have great survivablity but they wont be tanks....

If a w126 charged a w124 at 100 mph then the w126 would still be a car after the colission.

Show me where you got those weight numbers...Because they aren't even close. A 500E weighs more than a 300SE. Should be able to avoid more accidents than a 300SE (or any 126 car) too.

MB hasn't made a true tank in about 60 years, and its probably a good thing.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Uh... if ANY car charged at ANY other car at 100MPH and they hit each other, NEITHER would still be a car after the collision.

A W126 weighs just under 4k pounds. My Camry was 3,300 pounds.

My friends S600 is like 5,500.

A Maybauch 62 is pretty big.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

If you want a tank, try a 107 SLC. The structure for the 107 SL was designed from the inception as a convertible. THEN on top of that panzer structure you add a solid roof that triangulates the structure, and you have one SOLID piece. I can attest to the solidity – my first SLC (a grey-market car with the small euro bumpers) was rear ended by an old Chevy Suburban. I was at a complete stop, and the impact speed was probably about 25 mph (doesn’t sound like much, but there is PLENTY of kinetic energy at even that velocity). He veered to avoid my car, so that his left front hit my right rear. Damage to my car: bent bumper, broken taillight, and a good ripple in the quarter panel. Damage to the Suburban: his (all steel) bumper was twisted back into his front fender, the fender was crumpled up & shoved backwards into the front of the door, and his door was bent in front. He couldn’t open the door and was forced to get out on the passenger side.

That being said, as a person that owns both a 123 and a 124, I would say that they are both very stout. They both incorporate crumple zones, although the 124 benefits from more modern structural analysis techniques than were available when the 123 was designed. In an equivalent crash, although I would feel plenty safe in a 123, I would presume that I would be less likely to be injured in the 124, even discounting the fact that it has airbags. The sacrificial structure will help moderate the impact forces to a lower peak g-load. Remember that when Princess Diana died, it was due to internal injuries (peak g-loads) suffered from when her (still moving) body impacted the seat in front of her. Had she been wearing a seat belt, things may have very well turned out differently. The only person that survived that crash WAS wearing a seat belt, and he was in the front. Think about that.

I’ve always had the greatest respect for German cars, and I had been driving a series of water-cooled VW’s (Sciroocco’s & Rabbits) since I was a kid, but that SLC vs. Suburban episode sealed the deal for me: my daily driver will always be a Mercedes.

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

As to vehicle weight. On the side of my car is a tag that specs out the GVWR loaded and unloaded. 4880 lbs max loaded. Subtract 930 lbs for unloaded. Granted this unloaded weight accounts for nearly a full tank of fuel. An '87 SDL weighs in reality 3950 lbs with no people, tools, or anything of any significant weight. I had mine weighed for kicks at a truck stop after it's weekly cleaning.

A W140 should not weigh anymore than 4950 lbs or so. That's the most a 600 V12 weighs. And that was in '93. It's still a boat! 5K lb car? Pthhhhhbbb!

I know the current S-Class is weighed at 90% full tank, plus drivers and luggage. So 4133 lbs is actually sub 4K with nearly a full tank. That according to MB. I don't know when this new regulation was put in effect, but apparently the older ones were simply tested dry.

The common # of 3835 lbs for an SDL would have been if the car had no fluids and was completely dry.

Hattie, assuming you're 150 lbs, have no luggage and nearly a full tank of fuel, your 148 hp SDL has to haul 4100 lbs to school and back(when in session). The car, with you driving would almost never dip below 4K lbs.

That's a lot of mass to power for something 71.7 inches wide, 208.1 inches long, and 56.7 inches high and a 3.0 liter motor.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

It is amazing how well that 150hp pulls along this car though! I don't carry anything in the car so I it stays pretty light. My trunk is empty except for the spare tire.

I can still out brake a sub 3k pound Civic though.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200