With the 5-tuerigen sedan of the series 123 Mercedes Benz played at that time at least which the spirit of the time concerns a role of the pioneer. The "t-models" were the first vehicles of the today widespread kind of the Lifestyle combinations for spare time and family. While the "combinations" offered at that time by the competition were poorly equipped almost exclusively as commercial motor vehicles for manufacturing ones designed and also according to, one wanted to dissociate oneself in the house Daimler Benz consciously from this craftsman image. In appropriate publications convulsively/desperately the word "combination" were avoided and instead the terms "t-model" and/or. "t-sedan" uses. The "T" should stand here for "tourism and transport". For the elevated position of the t-sedan it was characteristic that the 280TE and/or the 300TD turbo-Diesel represented the most expensive model of the whole series later.
With Mercedes one knew also the t-model with suendhaft expensive veloursteppich in the loading space orders, while one with the "competition" from OPELS and Ford mostly naked sheet metal or at the most one floor mat from rubber find already with the previous series W115 had one a combination up to production stage developed, however then finally against a production entschlossen.In the equipment finally nevertheless differs the t-models from the sedans and Coupés mainly by the standard installation of a level control, which prevents a sagging of the tail with loaded vehicle.
During the execution 280TE and 300TD turbo-Diesel was adapted the interior equipment the 2,8-Liter-Limousinen, not however the outside appearance - with exception of the chromium-plated ventilation screens under the windshield wipers as well as the rectangle headlights.