I have always wondered how Mercedes comes up with the body style/model designations. I don't mean 300E or 300D or whatever, rather the W123, W124, and W126. Why no W125? Why jump from W126 to W140?

I also have an SL 500 which is an R129. Then they jump to R170? I guess the R is for roadster, but then again maybe I am wrong.

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86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Just wanted you to know that there is a w125....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W125

I cannot answer your other questions....

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Here's another question,

Why do the engines go from OM617 to OM616, 606,603 ?

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

they dont

there was a 615(220D) 616(240D) 617(300D)........and so on

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

The OM615 started as a lowly-sized 200D in the 115 and then again in the 123.

I think he also meant the transition from the 617s to 603s, etc... of which the 600s enumeration actually started with the 601s like in the 190D 2.0 L diesels.

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

Is there a list out there somewhere? I'm sure I'd like to see it. As for the "naming logic", I'm sure there is a TOTALLY worthless, non-logical, purposeful naming convention, based on and created by, "The Sales Team", NOT the engineers. Look at the voodoo the "420" /400 series had, in Japan, and elsewhere,hehe.

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85 300TD FED-Daily
84 300SD-Wife's
86 XJS-Sunday
66 GMC-Work- Given to my stepson
83 BMW Airhead- Given to my stepson

Enjoy!

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

Why is the 617turbo from the W116 300SD from 1978-80 missing from that list?

The chassis model numbers seem to jump all over the place.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That list is based on Engine numbers enumeration (not by chassis, therefore it will "jump").
Unfortunately, the 116 300SD was missed.

But they covered it here:

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

The list also shows the OM603 as being in the W126 as early as October 1979 and omits the non-turbo 300CD with the OM617.912.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Nitske's book has a few typos, the n/a 300CD as another example... I believe his last publication of this book was in '95.
But FWIW regarding the w126... probably because it was introduced in '79 and of the 3 units made as a '79 MY:

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

The turbo diesel trunk badge on the SD doesn't look like anything I've ever seen on an MB.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I think in Europe the W126 300SD had a naturally aspirated OM603, instead of the OM617.90

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Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

Here's the corresponding page for the 126 diesels:



Oh since the topic is 126 diesels... check this out: 1984 300SD

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

w126 diesels were not available to purchase in europe.

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Allen Kroliczek
Oak Grove Autosport | Oak Grove Autosport
01 G500, 82 300TD, quite a few more.....