He drove a Mercedes-Benz 280 E along the autobahn at speeds exceeding 200 km/h. The classic W114 proved to be the elegant cruiser that the premium car company designed almost half a century ago.
The man behind the steering wheel is not the owner of the Benz, but a car enthusiast that takes cars for a spin on the autobahn, in a no-speed-limit sector and films the experience. “Be careful not to get it dismantle”, a couple of viewers suggested. But the oldtimer has no dismantling risks whatsoever. On the contrary. It cruised elegantly and smoothly. At times, the speedometer crossed over the 200 km/h mark.
The Mercedes-Benz 280 E used to be available with an automatic transmission, power steering, electrically activated sunroof, an armrest between the front seats, seats covered in leather, central locking, a Becker radio, a side mirror on the passenger’s side and others. As many as 43 optional equipment features were on the list at that time. The number made it by far the longest options list available at the moment.
The 2.7-liter inline-6 naturally aspirated M110 engine operated under the long hood of the Mercedes-Benz 280 E. It developed 185 horsepower and a peak torque of 239 Nm, reaching an official top speed of 200 km/h. But as the video shows, it may go in excess of the official figures.
It may not sound like much compared to what the cars of today are getting. But there is one thing you must keep in mind: it saw the light of day in an era when crumple zones and safety belts were the only possible safety equipment onboard. As you may have found out, the airbags only made it to the series production W126 in 1981.
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