This car couldn’t be more different from yesterday’s slightly dodgy “AMG” 190E. While that W201 was in rough shape and of dubious authenticity, this low-mileage, AMG-tuned, widebody W124 coupe appears to be both the real deal and in glorious, mint condition.  There’s no denying that this black on black 80s bad boy has incredible presence, with deep dish wheels and bulging fender flairs. Unfortunately, it also comes with hefty price tag to match.
Tag: 300CE
The Mercedes-Benz E-class coupe isn’t what you’d consider sporty, but it didn’t try a few tuners from having a crack at it when this car when it debuted in the late 1980s. While there were numerous Lorinser and AMG variants on the scene, the tuner Lotec is a much less known commodity, a firm based out of Kolbermoor, Germany that got its start with Formula V. Fast forward to the 1990s and they were busy cranking up the volume on production Mercedes-Benzes, along with the production of a supercar, the C1000 and numerous turbo kits for Ferraris. The company took time out, however, to tune this impressive 1992 300CE-24 that is for sale in Nuremberg.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300CE-24 Lotec on Mobile.de
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Potential is something that often goes unrealized. In the car world, that means that even though you select the right ingredients, the potential of a great recipe is sometimes led off track by poor execution. The delicate balance between tasteful and tacky was tread upon far too often in the 1980s, but even today that line continues to be stepped over. It would seem that tuners, as Charlie Murphy once memorably said, are “habitual line steppers”. On paper, a turbocharged W124 with AMG body styling and some wicked AMG OZ wheels would be perfect, even if presented in too-typically 80s “Charlie Sheen White”. But then take a look at this W124, and there are a few details that will probably leave you shaking your head…
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300CE Twin Turbo on eBay
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The W124 Mercedes-Benz E-class convertible isn’t exactly what you would consider a sporting drive. It’s a thoroughly competent cruiser and can handle itself in the twisties, but this is a car meant to cosset you as you motor, top-down and enjoy the passing scenery at a more relaxed pace. It is, simply, a car to be seen in. Our reader Walker spotted this imported 1993 300CE-24 Cabriolet equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox, one of a handful that were equipped as such. Imported in 2001 and brought up to US specs, it’s available in Richmond, Virginia with just over 100,000 miles on the clock.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 300CE-24 Cabriolet on Craigslist Richmond
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One thing I really love about writing up these 10K posts is a odd combinations pricing allows me to come up with. For today’s post, I decided to do something a little different. Instead of maximizing the budget, I decided to look at it from the perspective of what was a classic 1980s car that you could buy and maintain well under $10,000. Obviously, if you’re willing to shill out much more, there are countless classics you can jump in to turn-key; but under $10,000 means with almost certainty that the car you’ll be getting in to today will be at least in part a bit of a project. Is there anything wrong with that? No, I think there’s an inherent appeal to trying to save and resuscitate a car that was in part neglected or just needs attention. Certainly I’ve tried to do that several times with 1980s cars – with mixed results. Today, I grabbed one classic from the 1980s (give or take, we’ll see…) from each of the major manufacturers – which is the one you’d like to save?