I believe that in Germany, and all of Europe for that matter, the 124's are just Fords or Chevy's - nothing luxury about them. When you start inching up in to the S class cars and the Limos, now you're talking luxury.
The bigger "luxury" cars were designed around the slushbox, while the "common" sedan is usually a stick. Now what would be nice would be to have a 4-speed manny tranny bolted to the hind end of my 4.5

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72
'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis
2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel
Non illegitemae carborundum.