Everyone who knows me or frequents the ThrottleHolic Auto DIY website and social media accounts knows one thing: I’m not a fan of German cars. For transmissions, I don’t particularly care if a vehicle has a manual transmission or is fitted with an auto unit. I’ve also argued that the choice of a tranny should be based on the practical reality of the vehicle and its intended purpose and not on the sentiments of the driver.
However, all that flew out of the window recently when I drove a 1992 W124 Mercedes 300E, powered (and blessed) with a manual transmission.
Unhurried and driving in a state-like fashion, I remembered, with deep nostalgia, my own 1987 unit and wondered why Germany decided to have the accountants take over vehicle production from the engineers.
A Visit From Japan to Germany
Coming from Lexus, I found the classic rather ‘heavy’ and slow-accelerating. Despite sporting six cylinders (in a straight fashion), the vehicle picked up slowly from a standstill, something my daily driver Lexus doesn’t do.
However, once the vehicle gathered (sufficient) momentum, it revved smoothly, with a distinctive ‘Germanic grace’, something the Lexus lacks with its comparative unstately manners.
Positioning the hood ornament to perfectly align from the driver’s view, playing with the single-blade windshield wiper, and importantly, getting the reverse gear wrong (after years of playing with Japanese toys) was fun – in the best of ways.
The solid closing of the doors reigned supreme however, challenged only by the smooth-revving of the engine as I pushed it hard on the freeway.
It was clear why Mercedes believed at the time the W124 debuted (and rightly too) that there were only two cars in the world: Mercedes and others.
Times Have Changed, Sadly
It’s a shame that I didn’t have my smartphone or camera and couldn’t get a photo.
However, the memory of the experience will certainly linger in my brain and I’ll forever wonder why such awesome build quality doesn’t come from Germany anymore and why folks expressly prefer auto trannies to manual setups today.
Today, more than ever, I’m (re)convinced that the W124 remains one of the best sedans to ever roll out of an assembly line, especially when mated to an engine more powerful than an i4 and paired with a manual tranny.
That this may be debate material remains one of the things I’ve given up on understanding.
The above confessed to, what does a man need more than a classic German sedan, a stick, and the open road?