Villager and car repairman Theo Terwel recently came to show his new acquisition: A Mercedes-Benz T Class
Until 1978, Mercedes-Benz actually did nothing with station wagons. In Belgium and - of course - England (Crayford) there were small companies that converted Mercedes-Benz sedans from sedans to station cars. But that was and remained small-scale. And expensive.
And then there was the Mercedes-Benz T where the T stood for both 'transport' and 'tourism'
And in the early days of that concept it was questionable whether the station-car looking fellow man was actually looking for a Mercedes station-car. Because the Mercedes-Benz T models were simply available from stock while the buyer for a 'normal' Mercedes often had a serious delivery time. But the combis nevertheless found their customers and the British Crayton made a good move after Mercdes-Benz had "stolen their idea": The company continued to build station cars on a Mercedes-Benz basis, but did the piece of artisan work from that moment on with the S Class as a basis. That was more exclusive and yielded a considerably better margin for the British.
It was expensive things
But such a Real Mercedes-Benz with a six-cylinder under the hood was also quite a expensive and prestigious thing. The 2,5 liter engine that was mounted in an 250T was a well-known block that had already proven itself. The six-cylinder engine delivered almost 130 DIN hp, of which the optional automatic transmission consumed quite a few. The T was more stately and stylish than dynamic with it. With a manual gearbox, this Benz had considerably more spirit. Consumption figures show how far motor technology has evolved over the years. In our archive we read that a Mercedes-Benz 250 with automatic gearbox runs on solid trot (140 km / h) on the 1 Autobahn on 4,6. What the consumption was at a top speed of just over the 170 km / h, that is something you don't want to know now.
Autobahnbrenners
On the Autobahn and at top speed, such a Mercedes was and still is top notch, but also on secondary roads it was worth the effort that the Mercedes people had made in terms of technology. The power steering did (together with the quite large steering wheel) its job well, the brakes functioned the same. The dashboard of such a chic work trolley was so well-arranged that it seemed almost incomplete, except that - in contrast to many 'lesser' brands - there was still just mirrored glass in front. the seats were German solid and certainly not too soft. What was pretty smart with the Mercedes Combi's was the level control, which kept the rear at the same level regardless of the load. The suspension and damping were experienced as exemplary.
Not good
A random pile of tests about these Mercedes models read like a hymn. A quote? : "No one will be able to deny that the total finish is at a level that is unique to the automotive industry." Another quote? "They are beautifully made, perfect driving machines".
The Mercedes-Benz T line (W123) was there with a range of engines from 2 liters in diesel and gasoline.
We can do it with that
But to find such a topper with few kilometers and in superb condition? That's hard though! Everything is finite. This also applies to a Mercedes-Benz T Class car. If it is not the kilometers, then the rust or general wear and tear can also become such a beautiful car too much. But Theo Terwel has proven that perfect survivors can still be found. And that Theo hugged his copy back to Perfection? Ah, that's just in his genes. Because "Perfection is a good starting point". And that's what they thought at Mercedes-Benz.
