Mercedes-Benz W201

Merc? So that Merc was written off in 1998, I think it was, because a Range Rover ploughed into the back of it on our way to Brighton one day.

So then she got a Mercedes 190E, which, I mean, it's funny because now people really love a 190E.

I can see why, because the shape of it and everything was great.

But nobody was particularly happy that we had it, because it was a 1.8, so it was really sluggish.

Ford, on the other hand, goes to focus groups and they get the exact same data, that they want another Grand Marquis.

But luckily for all of us, the senior executives at Ford has done time at Ford of Europe, and some of them had come from, you know, had, had had exposure to things like a Mercedes 190 or a BMW 3 Series or a, uh, you know, uh, you know, cars from France and understood that, you know, aerodynamics, efficiency, quietness, these things add value and they added to the perception of the future.

And so Ford produces the Taurus, the first Taurus, and the initial feedback in those control groups was negative, so much so that it leaked back to Chrysler and, and those guys laughed.

They admitted to it in, in, in, in biographies.

Yeah.

And you could have a nice Benz 190.

Yeah.

You know what I'm saying?

So there's an exhibit to Bruno Sacco, you know, one of my favourites.

Evolutionary design to Mercedes-Benz, head of styling from... 77 to 99 you know he designed that beautiful 126s class the amazing c126 coupe possibly the best thing he designed that's certainly what he thought uh the w201 190 and the w124 and all those coupe saloon cabriolet state forms and of course the r129 sl lovely lovely car all recognizable mercs but very different and had exceptional build quality designer number one

Yeah, no, he was good, but I think the guy before him was better.

Paul Braque, his designs were better than Sacco's.

You've got the VN 1500 wagon with an FJ20 in it is pretty cool.

The XL, you've got a Benz 190E.

You've got a Z31, 300ZX factory turbo car.

They're pretty rare.