by A rare 1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet in Designo Grün 252 color has arrived at a private collection in Kyiv. The car is considered the world’s only W124 cabriolet in this specification, as well as a factory press car for Mercedes-Benz. Auto blogger Roma Urraco writes about this.
Previously, the car was in Germany, where it was displayed during a review of collector models. The cabriolet’s distinctive feature is its execution within the Designo personalization program, which Daimler-Benz introduced in 1995 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The program allowed customers to choose exclusive body colors and individual interior upholstery. For models of that period, such configurations were rare, especially for the W124 generation.
Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet received exclusive Designo Grün color
According to model researchers, only 11 W124 cabriolets received Designo paintwork. This particular specimen stands out with its unique green body color Designo Grün 252, which was not repeated on other production cars.
The interior is finished in a combination of green and black leather with dark wood decorative trim. This styling was created specifically to demonstrate the capabilities of the Designo program to journalists and potential clients.
The car’s data card also indicates that the customer was a Daimler-Benz employee, and the cabriolet was used from the very beginning as an official press car for the brand.
Mercedes-Benz W124 Cabriolet has become a collector’s rarity
The Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet belongs to the last open-top models of the W124 family, which is considered one of the most reliable in the brand’s history.
The model was equipped with a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing about 220 hp and an automatic transmission. The cabriolet received a reinforced body structure and a power-operated soft top.
Due to their limited production run and connection to the early Designo program, such cars are considered collector’s items today and rarely appear on the open market.
