This 1981 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT Wagon is a U.S.market example that was ordered and delivered new in Connecticut. Registration history shows Connecticut and Virginia registrations until the car was exported to France for a new owner in 2011 where it’s remained since. Finished in Walnut Brown (479) over Palomino MB-Tex (134), power is provided by a 3.0-liter five-cylinder turbocharged diesel paired with a four-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Factory equipment includes a sliding steel sunroof, central locking, automatic climate control, a passenger-side mirror and a newer Becker head unit. The car features European market headlamps along with a painted pinstripe along the beltline of the body. The factory service booklet shows stamps and a number of records are included from the car’s Virginia ownership showing dealer servicing prior to export. Showing 70k miles on the odometer, this turbo diesel-powered wagon is now offered by the seller in Paris, France with factory literature, the original cargo cover, tool kit, import documentation, and a clean French title.
The exterior is finished in Walnut Brown (479) and features original U.S.-spec bumpers along with Euro-spec lights and a chrome roof rack. Additional exterior equipment includes front fog lamps, a manual passenger-side door mirror, heated rear window, rear window wiper and a mechanical sliding steel sunroof. The car was previously repainted under prior ownership and is believed to be its first repaint. Detailed photos are included in the gallery.
Factory 14” Bundt wheels wear Hankook all season tires measuring 195/70 at all four corners. The tires show 2025 date codes and little wear. A full-size bundt spare is mounted in the rear along with the factory jack.
The cabin is upholstered in Palomino MB-Tex (134) which features a matching black dash and Palomino door panels. Zebrano wood trim lines the center console and dashboard. Interior appointments include automatic climate control, a Becker head unit, electric windows, central locking and a split-folding second row. Black and tan thatchwork floor mats are shown and included in the sale.
The factory four-spoke steering wheel fronts analog instrumentation including a 115mph speedometer, an analog clock and gauges for fuel level, coolant temperature and oil pressure. This six-digit odometer currently shows approximately 70k miles.
This S123 is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-five turbodiesel engine which produced 123 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque when new. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The factory service booklet shows stamps and a number of records are included from the car’s Virginia ownership showing dealer servicing prior to export. The seller notes current needs to be a fuel tank in need of cleaning or replacement and the A/C is noted to be inoperable.
The car was exported from the U.S. in 2011 and has remained in France since. Showing 70k miles on the odometer, this turbo diesel-powered wagon is now offered by the seller in Paris, France with factory literature, the original cargo cover, tool kit, import documentation, and a clean French title.
The S123 wagon is no longer the sleepy, practical corner of the W123 market — it has become one of the cars leading the charge. This 1981 300TDT makes a strong case for why. Finished in Walnut Brown over Palomino MB-Tex, with a well-placed pinstripe and Euro headlamps, it has the warm, old-world Mercedes look that these wagons wear better than almost anything else from the era. Its history also makes it more interesting than the average diesel wagon. Built for the U.S. market, it spent time in Connecticut before settling in Charlottesville, Virginia by at least 2005, and was later exported to France in 2011. That kind of transatlantic path feels entirely appropriate for a W123. These cars were built to live real lives, cover serious mileage, and keep going. The needs are worth noting: the air conditioning is currently inoperative, and the fuel tank will require cleaning or replacement. But neither issue changes the underlying appeal. A Walnut Brown 300TDT with Palomino, Euro lighting, and honest driver-quality character is exactly the sort of wagon enthusiasts increasingly understand. It is not perfect, and that may be the point, this is a charming, usable S123 with the right colors, the right look, and plenty of life left to give.
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