The 124-series is widely regarded as a purple patch in Mercedes-Benz’s history – solid and dependable cars that were as comfortable and well-equipped as they were rugged and reliable. The W124 name is often used as a catch-all, but that actually just refers to the saloons; elsewhere in the range we find the S124 estates, A124 cabriolets, V124 limousines and, most relevant to our interests here, C124 coupes. With a multi-link rear axle and extremely low drag coefficient, these were cars crafted by world-class engineers, clothed in stylish bodies; technological marvels that also happened to be very easy on the eye. And the coupe was a masterpiece of packaging – appearing relatively compact and alluringly sporty from the outside, it still retained impressively saloon-like interior space along with, naturally, all the toys you’d expect. So it’s handsome, solid, practical and clever – it’s an intriguing proposition, isn’t it?

The example we have here, a 220 CE, is a rare find indeed: it’s had one owner from new, and has a full Mercedes-Benz service history. How many 124s can boast such a thing? Yes, it’s a little timeworn here and there, but with a quick spruce up this will make for a lovely modern-classic cruiser that will provide enjoyment and pleasure for many years to come. It’s only covered 105k miles (so that’s an average of just 3,600 miles a year throughout its life), and we can see from the MOT history that the mileage has been climbing by just a few hundred miles each year for some time now. Driving like a dream, this is a quality slice of 1990s luxury – and with no reserve, this could well be an absolute bargain too.

The cabin of a 124 Coupe is a supremely comfy and cosseting place to be, and this one wears the years extremely well. The seats are very comfortable, and in good condition with just a little gentle patination to the leather which could be easily tidied up with a good feed. The front seats tilt forward correctly to allow rear access, and the rear features its original armrest and removable central pad. 

The carpets could benefit from a shampoo but they’re all original and complete, and protected in the front by Mercedes-Benz branded overmats; the headlining is good, and the wood trim is in decent condition with the odd craze in the lacquer here and there but no notable damage. This car is equipped with the optional electric tilt-slide sunroof, which is in working order. Indeed, all of the electrics seem to be working, including the seatbelt ‘butlers’ that extend to hand your seatbelt to you when you sit down and shut the door. (The passenger-side butler can be a little reluctant to return sometimes, and the driver-side one’s cradle has cracked and been repaired with tape.) The only thing that doesn’t appear to function at present is the rear passenger-side window, but all the others lower and raise on the button.

A period Panasonic radio-cassette is fitted, the manual for which is in the glovebox. The dashtop is free from cracks or damage, and the dials work as they should with no warning lights illuminated on the dash. The original warning triangle is mounted inside the bootlid; the boot carpet could do with cleaning but it’s all dry and complete, with the correct spare wheel under the boot floor.

The bodywork of this Mercedes is essentially decent, and just a little timeworn in a few areas. There’s a little surface corrosion visible on the front passenger-side wing, and a little bubbling around the radio aerial base. The bumper plastics have faded somewhat over the years, but that should be easy to fix with a bit of Back to Black or similar. The light lenses are all good, as is the window glass – aside from the rear screen, which has a horizontal crack running along the top from the driver-side upper corner.

The bootlid appears slightly misaligned (which may be fixable with a little hinge adjustment, it’s most likely been slammed shut on something solid at some point) but otherwise the shutlines are all good. Aside from the occasional small scuff and scrape it’s basically pretty tidy, and it wouldn’t take a huge investment to get everything hunky-dory again. Having spent a life living outside, the paintwork is dull and scuffed in places, and there’s an area of lacquer peel along the driver-side edge of the roof – but you’d be surprised how transformative a professional paint correction session can be.

Original-spec steel wheels are fitted, complete with correct hubcaps (which have a few kerbing scuffs). A matching set of tyres was fitted in 2019 and the car hasn’t covered many miles since, so there’s plenty of tread.

On the whole, it’s a car that’s been enjoyed rather than obsessively pampered, but the fundamentals are all correct. It’s all complete and essentially straight though, and with a bit of love and detailing (which would no doubt be very satisfying to carry out), it could become something really special.

The 220 CE comes equipped with the four-cylinder M111.940 engine, a 2.0-litre 16-valve unit serving up a handy 134bhp and 140lb.ft. This is a clever motor with twin ignition coils that fires the cylinders in pairs, the Siemens PEC system integrating spark and fuel management very efficiently. It’s evident that this engine has always been properly looked after too, the service history shows that it’s always been serviced by Mercedes-Benz dealers, and our test drive showed us that it runs like a dream. It’s happy to fire on the first turn of the key, idles evenly, and pulls with appropriate eagerness through the rev range. The auto ’box is as slick as you’d expect, and everything works smoothly with no undue noises or vibrations. The brakes feel strong, the suspension is cosseting and comfy. On the whole, it drives just as you’d hope a 124 would.

A canny buyer is going to get something of a bargain here, for sure. It’s not often that you find a Mercedes of this age with a full main dealer history and just one owner from new, and this is a thoroughly pleasant car to drive. The amount of effort that went into the engineering of these machines was staggering, and it shows – this car was built solid, and it’s still solid today. Yes, it’s got the odd minor cosmetic blemish, but the engine, transmission and chassis are all doing just what they should, and the interior is a pleasant place to be. Be sure to get those bids in, as this model is a future classic in the making.

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