Mercedes-Benz W123: Back when form really did follow function

(EXPANDED FROM 5/26/2023)

A comment by Fratzog spurred me to expand on this story about the Mercedes-Benz W123, which to my mind is the brand’s most iconic model. I get that this may be a controversial view; why not the 300SL gullwing or the 600? Those were remarkable cars, but what I would like to highlight is Mercedes’ attempt to emphasize function over form at a time when that was highly unfashionable in Detroit.

The W123 epitomized that effort. Introduced in 1976, it was the automaker’s entry-level offering up through 1982, when the smaller W201 was introduced (Wikipedia, 2016). Because the W123 was designed to be the workhorse Mercedes, even though it was offered in a two-door hardtop, the four-door sedan and wagon body styles were more iconic. Peak W123 were arguably the diesel models.

Here we have the car of choice for the granola set

The W123 primarily pictured in this story is a 240D sedan, which rose to cult status in the Pacific Northwest among environmentally-conscious drivers who wanted a comfortable but practical car. Instead of using conventional diesel, some have run their cars on “biofuels” such as ethanol or vegetable oils.

The W123 ended production more than 30 years ago, so most environmentally-oriented drivers have moved on to hybrid and electric cars. Nevertheless, this generation of Mercedes is a powerful reminder of a time when its cars were distinctly different from anything else on the road — particularly compared to Detroit’s baroque fare in the 1970s.

W123 showed how form could artfully follow function

During the W123’s production run, which ended in 1986, Mercedes-Benz insisted in its advertising that “form follows function.” This was a remarkably subversive corporate philosophy given the American auto industry’s worship of form above all else — practicality, safety, reliability, environmental sustainability and even customer satisfaction.

In then-typical Mercedes fashion, the W123’s styling eschewed pretty much all of the trendy excesses of the brougham era. Well, except for the radiator grille with hood ornament, which virtually everyone else copied from Mercedes. Indeed, the Mercedes look had a remarkably outsized influence on Detroit design in the 1970s and 1980s in light of the German automaker’s relatively low sales in the United States.

Even the W123’s radiator grille did not follow Detroit conventions, in that it was tapered to be aerodynamic rather than boxy. The same was true of the front fender edges. Through much of the 1970s, American cars usually had forward-jutting fender blades that undercut aerodynamics. The above-shown 1976 Cadillac Eldorado illustrates this design fad.

Instead of trafficking in two-tone paint and pin stripes, the W123’s sides were graced with scuff-resistant mouldings. Meanwhile, the rather plain front bumper made utilitarian use of rubber. In contrast, most American cars that had not yet switched to body-colored bumpers were still dominated by acres of chrome in all manner of fancy shapes.

Or take a close look at the door handles on the Mercedes, which were designed so they would not accidentally open if the car rolled over. Most American cars instead used old-fashioned handles that were more vulnerable.

Mercedes was not afraid to reject the brougham look

In the 1970s American automakers were still competing with each other to make their cars look lower, longer and wider. The relatively tall greenhouses of American sedans in the 1960s gave way to a turret-topped look, replete with huge vinyl-covered C-pillars, frameless door glass and hidden windshield wipers. General Motors’ full-sized cars went a step further by offering windshields that almost seamlessly wrapped into the front-door windows.

Here again, Mercedes took the opposite approach. The W123’s greenhouse was exceptionally tall and offered terrific visibility in all directions. Unusually large rain gutters on the A-pillars channeled water away from the side windows. Windshield wipers didn’t get frozen in place because they were exposed, but they also didn’t glare in the sun because they were painted flat black.

The rear was as simple and functional as the rest of the car. There was no fake spare-tire hump and fancy taillights embedded in an elaborately shaped rear bumper. Instead, the taillights were large, included amber turn signals and wrapped around the side of the car for maximum visibility. The ribbed design reportedly channeled air flow to keep the taillight lenses cleaner.

In short, the overall styling of the Mercedes came across as a high-quality car without being pretentious, tacky or trendy.

Mercedes understood how to maintain brand DNA

The W123’s design language is unique to this generation yet carried over more elements from its predecessors than was typical for an automaker, either then or now. Here I am not just talking about the front end’s trademark radiator grille. From the rear a Mercedes was also easily recognizable even if you removed the three-pointed star.

Equally important, the W123 shared a strong family resemblance to its higher-priced stablemates without looking inordinately cheap. Striking that balance arguably displayed exceptional design skills.

Mercedes succumbed to function following form

In a 1973 interview, General Motors’ design head William Mitchell was dismissive of Mercedes’ styling, arguing that it took a back seat to engineering. “The design doesn’t even count,” he told Motor Trend magazine. “But if a designer could write his own ticket, my god, what a car you’d see” (1973, p. 113).

Mercedes would defy Detroit’s sensibility for a few more decades, but it would gradually become more and more like the competition. You could still see traditional styling cues such as the ribbed taillights, but the overall design had an increasingly generic quality.

When I was at the auto show this last fall I snapped a few photos of a Mercedes C300. It looked nice enough — certainly much cleaner than the sci-fi weirdnesses displayed by Lexus and Infiniti models. Even so, the C300 could have been confused for another brand if you didn’t look at the grille.

I grant you that the dictates of aerodynamics and various safety standards may reduce the freedom of Mercedes designers to come up with a truly distinctive car. However, I suspect that there is more going on than that.

Peter DeLorenzo (2021) has argued that automotive styling has become increasingly “blandtastic” — and this is partly due to teaching methods and influences at design schools becoming homogenized around the world. National identities have largely disappeared along with subversive tendencies among the legacy automakers.

Once upon a time Mercedes television commercials could legitimately brag that their cars were “defiantly” different. Alas, the automaker can no longer do so. That brings me to wonder: If Mercedes once again embraced function over form, what might its vehicles look like?

NOTES:

This story was originally posted on Dec. 5, 2016 and expanded on Oct. 9, 2020; May 26, 2023; and July 1, 2025.

Share your reactions to this post with a comment below or a note to the editor.

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RE:SOURCES

• DeLorenzo, Peter; 2021. “Blandtastic design? Look around you.” Auto Extremist. Reposted July 19; original post September 28.
• Motor Trend; 1973. “Pro & Con Forum: Is Romantic Styling Dead?” September issue: pp. 86-87, 113 (back issue archive no longer available).
• Wikipedia; 2016. “Mercedes-Benz W123.” Accessed Dec. 6.

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