Mercedes-Benz 200T Station Wagon S123 Taxi 1979 Red IXO Models 1:43

The Mercedes-Benz W123 T-Model is one of the most purposeful estates the Stuttgart manufacturer ever produced. Launched publicly at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show and delivered from 1978 onwards, the S123 body variant combined a 4,725 mm overall length with a load area that made it a natural commercial workhorse. IXO Models captures the 200T variant — powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder carburetted engine — in a red taxi livery that speaks directly to its professional working life across West Germany and Europe.

The S123 T-Model: Mercedes-Benz's Working Estate

The S123 designation covers the estate derivatives of the W123 series, produced from 1978 to 1986. Mercedes-Benz developed the T-Model as a genuine load carrier, and the 200T's 2.0-litre four-cylinder carburetted engine positioned it as an accessible entry into the range. The body's spacious rear section and robust underpinnings made it a practical choice for commercial operators who needed both passenger and luggage capacity in a single, dependable vehicle.

A Fixture of the European Taxi Trade

The W123 series, including the S123 estate, was one of the most widely deployed taxi platforms in West Germany throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. Mercedes-Benz recognised this demand formally by offering a dedicated Taxi package for the W123, which included reinforced suspension and a taximeter mounting point. While ivory and beige were the dominant livery colours in the German taxi trade, regional operators did run other colours, and this 1979-dated model carries red bodywork with taxi markings — an authentic if less typical variant of the genre. The combination of durability and load capacity made the S123 estate a particularly logical choice for operators who carried luggage as a matter of routine.

IXO Models CLC Series: A 1:43 Scale Model in Die-Cast

This release comes from IXO Models' long-running CLC (Classic Cars) series. Produced in die-cast metal at 1:43 scale, the model reproduces the S123 estate body with red taxi livery and is catalogued under the CLC line. The 1:43 format has been the reference scale for European classic road car collecting for decades, and IXO's CLC range is one of the most consistently stocked series in that segment. The red livery distinguishes this example from the more common ivory taxi variants and gives it a distinct place within any W123-focused collection.