Mercedes Benz W115 240D
Reviewed

The Mercedes-Benz Stroke /8, the car many of us think of when we picture a yellow, diesel-powered 240D, (of the W115 range). This one is a 1974 with the five-cylinder 3-liter engine. Photos courtesy of Daimler AG.

It’s been 50 years since the 1968 introduction of the Mercedes-Benz W114 and W115 series automobiles that ushered in the company’s first all-new, postwar, passenger-car chassis.

Mercedes cognoscenti refer to this series as “Stroke 8” or (“Strich Acht” in German) as a nod to the /8 that was part of the model designation on the data tag. The 114/115 numerical designations help identify the types of engines used in the cars: The 114s had six cylinders, while the 115s ran four and five cylinders.

This series is probably best known these days, however, for its ironclad durability. A W115 currently holds the high-mileage record for a Mercedes-Benz automobile: Greek taxi driver Gregorious Sachinidis piled 2.85-million miles on his 1976 240D before the car was retired to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

The world-record holder: Gregorios Sachinidis and his 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240 D covered more than 4.6-million kilometers (or 2.85-million miles).

In 2004 Gregorios Sachinidis donated his 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D to the Mercedes-Benz Museum Collection with 4.6 million kilometers (2.9 million miles) on the odometer, which is recognized as the Mercedes-Benz with the highest recorded mileage known to date.

1976 Mercedes W115 240D Road Test: Why Does it Handle Sooooo Well?

Straight out of the stables of Germany to the streets of Europe, the Mercedes 240D is a champion steed and was touted to be the most powerful diesel car to ever roll out, even outpacing its brethren the Mercedes Benz 220D. The start of the 70's saw the Benz lording it over the competition with a diesel powered variant of the W115 chassis. And even today, the Mercedes Benz 240D remains to be a dependable luxury transport amidst the onslaught of more powerful, hi-tech sedans. Those in-the-know and collectors alike would attest to the proven performance and durability of the Benz. Much credit is given to the topnotch Mercedes Benz 240D parts and accessories that have endured through time.

Among the many amenities of the luxury car are available heated seats, cruise control, leather seats and powered sunroof. Although it only produced a puny 65 horsepower with top speeds hardly exceeding 160 kilometers per hour, it was enough to be touted as the fastest diesel car at that time with a 4-cylinder, 2.4 liter engine. By 1976, it featured the demise of production of the W115 chassis with the migration to the W123 chassis.

Though quality and durability have been the bread and butter of the Mercedes Benz 240D, much should be attributed to the unwavering functionalities of the Mercedes Benz parts and accessories that gave the overall performance and personality of this long-living automobile. Made of the toughest materials the industry has ever seen, Mercedes Benz 240D parts have been scientifically tested to prove its worth of being a luxury vehicle bringing nothing but maximum customer satisfaction. They have got what it takes to retain the rugged performance of a luxury car that the Mercedes Benz 240D can only have. No wonder it has become one of the major icons when it comes to luxury and mass-transportation.

Mercedes Benz 114-115 - W114-W115  Models