Offered exclusively with automatic transmission and 3.2 liter M104 twin cam inline-6 in the United States, the W124 generation E320 station wagon has rightly become an icon. Epitomizing the world-class engineering of Mercedes-Benz and the brand-defining identity of the company’s head designer Bruno Sacco, the cars combine utility and style in a way that has made them sought after today.
This particular example is likely among the coolest 124 wagons in existence thanks to its extremely unusual specification. Finished in bornite (a stunning shade of grayish purple) with black interior, the car was originally equipped with 5-speed dogleg manual transmission and Sportline (firmer suspension, faster steering box, larger wheels, and sport seats), leather upholstery, infrared locking, burl wood (US wagons all had Zebrano wood), badge delete, trailer hitch, standheizung (gasoline fired heater to preheat the car on cold mornings), and automatic HVAC. Several options are notable in their absence: the car has manually adjusted seats and no sunroof. The car is also equipped with a 3.6 liter AMG engine (an enlarged version of the M104 3.2 liter engine the car originally came with) from a C36, which replaced the 3.2 liter engine in 2023. It was fully rebuilt prior to installation. A small number of 124s were built with this 3.6 liter engine, but all had automatic transmissions, making this car truly exceptional.
In 2019, an owner in Germany purchased the car and set about restoring it, including a full respray, refinished wood, and rebuilds of nearly every mechanical system. It was imported to the United States in 2023 at which time the 3.6 liter AMG engine was installed. A new clutch and clutch hydraulics were also fitted, as were rebuilt driveshaft, new front shock absorbers, new rear hydraulic accumulators for the self-leveling rear suspension. The car comes with extensive documentation from the restoration and subsequent engine swap, as well as original books set.
