1993 Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet

Loaded from new with a five-speed automatic gearbox, air-conditioning, electrically adjustable and heated memory seats, an AMG steering wheel, a factory wind deflector, an electric sunroof, automatic seatbelt butlers, and electrically retractable rear head restraints, this Sportline model also gained lower and stiffer suspension, 7Jx15 alloy wheels, and changes to the trim.

That trim is also a timeless Mushroom leather interior with a Nautic Blue exterior, surely the best colour scheme of them all?

‘UUE 320’ is a also pre-facelift car, so benefits from the original and purest form of the classic 124 design – and yet, because it was built on the cusp of the change, it also benefits from many of the under-the-skin improvements of later cars, including the new M104 engine.

The seller bought it in 2022 to tour France in, something he’d dreamed of for a long time. The reality was everything he could have hoped for, and his says the Mercedes did it all “in style and without fault”. 

In fact, he enjoyed it so much he did it all again – and then took it to the Alps. 

Mission accomplished (“it’s never let me down”) he feels now is the time to let it go to its next custodian, to begin the next chapter in its long and beautifully curated life.

The Nautic Blue coachwork has been lightly refreshed over the years and this, alongside what seems to have been unusually diligent curation, means it presents very well.

It sits straight for a start and shows good panel alignment with Teutonically-tight shutlines throughout; we understand that, despite the work, the front wings are still the originals, which will have contributed to the car’s immaculate alignment.

And Nautic Blue is one of the best – some in our office say ‘the’ best – colour of them all. This one has a deep lustre too, and no significant damage or patination, just a good shine and an impressive presence.

The folding blue roof is also in good order, and its design includes contrasting stitches. Very well constructed and engineered, it continues to rise and fall smoothly. The glass rear screen features a heated element, and taken in conjunction with its snug-fit and hefty insulation, you could run this all-year around.

The 15-inch alloy wheels are free of scuffs and other kerbing damage. Their lacquer finish is good too, and the wheelnuts are bright and free of surface corrosion.

The tyres are 205/60R15 Michelin Energy Savers on all four corners. Made in 2014/15, while they still have a good depth of tread left they are perished, something the last MoT identified via four advisories. 

The lamp units are bright and free of sun damage and cracking, and the window glazing is free of chips and marks.

As for flaws, there is a small dink and some patination to the radiator surround, a few light scuff marks on the lower nearside door and nearside rear wing, a scratch near the nearside rear taillight, and a chip below the offside rear lamp unit with another to the offside front wing.

There are also quite a few stonechips and marks to the front bumper, peeling paint on the offside door, a few microblisters to the bonnet, and rubbing to the nearside rear of the fabric roof and above the passenger door.

With burr walnut veneer and Mushroom hide throughout, the cabin is as elegant as it is ergonomic. Durable too, as you can see; few cars shrug off the years as effortlessly as a W124.

Take the heated and electrically adjustable front seats, for example. Still plump and comfortable, their underlying structure continues to provide that firm resilience that is the hallmark of Mercedes cars of the era. 

Their leather covering is only gently very cracked and creased, and there remains an element of theatre as the seatbelt butler hands you your seatbelt. 

The doors also close with the sort of reassuring ‘thunk’ that Mercedes made their own, the rear head restraints rise and fall electrically, and the optional detachable wind deflector offers ruffle-free motoring even at Autobahn speeds. 

AMG supplied the wood ‘n’ leather steering wheel – and this dates back to a time when AMG was still a separate company rather than a Halfords-esque outpost of Mercedes itself. The steering column is also electrically adjustable.

The gearknob confirms the Sportline trim, and other interior niceties include factory air-conditioning, cruise control, traction control, headlamp wash/wipe, twin airbags, a heated rear window, and a central armrest with a walnut veneer tambour door covering a useful cubbyhole beneath.

The headlining is clean and free of damage, and the ruched-leather door cards and rear quarter panels are free of serious marks and wear. 

The headunit is a Blaupunkt Nashville, with the aerial being built into the windscreen, and everything we tested worked as it should, including both door lights, something that’s always encouraging to see.

As for flaws, the front armrest shows some wear to its finish, although it still folds away neatly when it isn’t needed. 

The driver’s footwell shows some marks, which may be bleach but the rest of the carpets – brown with dark blue overmats – are in a very good condition, including the driver’s heel protector.

The trim on the nearside door handle has come slightly adrift too, and there are four screwholes on the nearside of the transmission tunnel from a long-removed mobile phone holder, but that’s the extent of the issues that would bother us.

The boot is a very good size and is as beautifully trimmed as the cabin. It still hosts the Mercedes-Benz first aid kit too, plus a full-size spare alloy wheel, the tool kit, and a warning triangle. Lifting everything out reveals a well-painted and solid floor too, with only a couple of small patches of rust to attend to.

Taking 120 pages of photographs to document, the Mercedes’ history is as solid as its reputation. 

The most recent service was carried out by BM Wizard on the 10th of February 2026 at 80,918 miles.

Prior to that it received attention only from either a Mercedes agent or an independent specialist through to 2017 and 69,166 miles.

These services are recorded as:

• 02.09.1993 and 1,057 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd, later Mercedes-Benz of Watford
• 19.08.1994 and 4,727 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 31.05.1995 and 9,457 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 03.07.1996 and 12,212 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 14.03.1997 and 15,857 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 31.07.1998 and 20,543 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 27.07.1999 and 23,606 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 29.07.2000 and 27,507 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 31.07.2001 and 19,900 miles – service by J.R. Tagger Ltd
• 30.07.2002 and 33,624 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Watford
• 22.07.2003 and 35,892 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Watford
• 28.07.2004 and 39,655 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Watford
• 25.07.2005 and 43,589 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Watford
• 27.07.2006 and 48,943 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 24.04.2007 and 52,678 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz
• 16.09.2008 and 55,654 miles – service by MotorAid Limited, independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 22.11.2010 and 62,438 miles – service by MotorAid Limited, independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 04.02.2013 and 64,249 miles – service by MotorAid Limited, independent Mercedes-Benz specialist
• 29.04.2015 and 67,217 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Swindon
• 29.06.2017 and 69,166 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz of Swindon
• 16.06.2022 and 72,948 miles – service by Stevens Cars

Previous significant work includes having Mercedes-Benz of Swindon fit a new head gasket in June 2017 at 69,166 miles, a job that set the owner back £5,378 – and you don’t need to be Carol Vorderman to work out that that was fewer than 12,000 miles ago.

The ignition system was also overhauled in March 2013, a two-grand job that included a new engine wiring harness. 

As the video demonstrates, the 3.2-litre engine fires up with enthusiasm and idles as quietly and smoothly as only an inline-six can. It also revs with gusto, and it does it all without triggering any warning lights on the dashboard. It’s got good oil pressure shown too, and a very appealing, if muted, exhaust note.

The underside is neatly undersealed and appears to have done its job as no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural corrosion.

Nonetheless, it has worn away in a few places, allowing a little surface rust to develop. Stifling this would be straightforward for now and should probably be made a priority.

There are many, many other invoices on file. So many, in fact, that it probably won’t surprise you to learn that its MoT certificate, which expires in July 2026, was issued with four advisories - but only for the perished tyres we’ve already told you about. 

You have to go back to 2018 to find the next, which was for a damaged windscreen, so hardly something that can be attributed to poor maintenance. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes the Mercedes-Benz wallet and book pack, and a selection of expired MoT certificates and tax discs.

Oh, and the highly appropriate registration number will be staying with the car.

The W124/A124-series has a well-deserved reputation for longevity, with many saying they’re as close to being indestructible as anything with four wheels.

Which this one demonstrates in the most elegant way possible.

Nonetheless, values have yet to reach the point we suspect they will, so there are still bargains to be had. 

Like this, because we suspect the dust will settle somewhere between £13,000 and £15,000 – and considering the vendor paid £14,000 for it back in 2022, that means he’ll have enjoyed it for little more than the cost of petrol, VED, and insurance.

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