• Very rare four-wheel-drive 4MATIC

• Owned by AA patrolman

• Originally doctor owned

• Stacks of bills and receipts

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class ‘W124’ is seen by many as one of the company’s finest hours. 

Launched in 1986 to replace the legendary but long-in-the-tooth W123 series, the 124 was exquisitely engineered, one of the last truly over-developed and beautifully built Benzes. 

It felt old-fashioned when it was launched – but in a good way. As if it were made to feel deliberately archaic because Mercedes knew that, 35 years after it launched, there would still be loads left in service throughout the world. 

And there are. From multi-million kilometre taxi cabs in far-flung corners of Africa, to boulevard-cruising coupes and cabriolets in California, the W124 is one of those global icons. A great car, a well-loved car and one of the best cars in the world. 

But just because it’s enduringly popular doesn’t mean the W124 doesn’t have a few rarities and anomalies. There are some really unusual cars among the throngs of survivors, and here’s one of them. It’s a 1991 300E 4-MATIC saloon, with M-B’s rare but impressive all-wheel-drive system and automatic transmission. 

And if that doesn’t make it rare enough, it also has an extremely scarce Mulberry Red leather interior. Cool, isn’t it?

Currently the property of an AA patrolman in North London, and scrupulously maintained by him for the past two years, the 300E was previously owned by a doctor in Ireland who kept it for many years, keeping religiously on top of its maintenance requirements. 

The car has covered 149,000 kilometres on its Irish-specification speedometer (approximately 90,000 miles) and is only for sale because the vendor is returning to his native Brazil and cannot take it with him. 

Supplied with the Mercedes-Benz are a UK logbook and an MOT certificate valid until September 2022, passed with two very minor advisories for a CV boot and a wiper blade. 

There are stacks of bills and receipts with the car documenting its earlier life, and supplied in a clear folder, while it also still has its original owners’ manual and service book. 

The car also comes with its original service book wallet and alarm/immobiliser handbook. 

Finished in a pale silver-gold, the W124 is a stately and handsome-looking beast and still looks fabulous over 30 years since it left the production line, the W124’s grand but discreet styling ageing as well as a vintage cheese or a fine wine. 

It’s not perfect – it’s an original 30-year old car and it has lived a little, so there are a few small marks and scuffs around the body, while the very lower corners of both front wings have small rust bubbles. Anyone who knows their W124s will tell you that this is entirely normal, and it really is a very minor imperfection on this particular model. 

Of much more importance is the fact that it is extremely solid, as testified by the fact it has never seen the sparkly end of a welding torch. All of the critical areas are in excellent order and the car is free of any visible rot. 

The cabin of this W124 is a major selling point. It’s full leather and is trimmed in a really striking yet also quite beautiful Mulberry Red. It’s in stark contrast to the pale metallic bodywork and looks absolutely terrific. 

The seats are incredible with barely any signs of wear, while the carpets, door cards and headlining are also in exceptional order. 

All of the controls work, including the air conditioning and the original electric aerial, which goes up and down with the ignition. 

Mercedes’s 2,962cc straight six is a wonderful engine that is renowned for its longevity and reliability. 

This one has covered under 100,000 miles (the odometer reads in km as it was originally registered in the Republic of Ireland) and is therefore barely run in. It starts and runs beautifully and has no evidence of any leaks and rattles, while the fact it has been maintained and serviced for the past two years by an AA roadside patrol should provide further reassurance to the next owner that it is in good fettle.

The brakes, steering and suspension are all reported to be in perfect working order, along with the four-wheel-drive system and automatic transmission. 

The owner reports that the battery has gone quite flat as it has been standing since he moved away, but that a new battery will be included in the sale for peace of mind. 

As modern everyday classics go, the Mercedes-Benz W124 takes some beating in any of its guises. But this one is a little bit special. It’s a low-mileage car in a very rare specification, and the interior alone should help it find a new home as the cabin really is something to behold. 

It’s a charming and wonderfully original Benz with a remarkable history and maintenance record, and thanks to its colour scheme and rarity it promises to be a sound investment for the future as well.