Several years ago, petrol heads started strapping cameras to their heads, filming themselves as they did regular or top speed runs in all sorts of vehicles. It’s called POV driving and most of the time, the videos reveal what the world looks like through the windscreens of modern cars.
But what if classics get your heart pumping? In this case, get ready for an adrenaline shot, as you are about to see an astoundingly elegant 1973 Mercedes-Benz 280E doing a top speed run on the German Autobahn, traveling at speeds in excess of 200 km/h (124 mph) for several minutes.
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The 47-year old car is in wonderful condition, so our guess is it was either restored recently, or (less likely) meticulously maintained over the past five decades. In the description of the video, the uploader mentions that it has 185 PS (182 HP / 136 kW), so in all likelihood, we are looking at the M110 naturally aspirated engine, with a 2.7-liter displacement and six cylinders inline. Output is reached at 6,000 rpm, while at 4,500 rpm, it has a peak torque of 239 Nm (176 lb-ft).
That might not seem like much, but the W114 was pretty fast for its time. Keep in mind that this car comes from an era when safety features were usually restricted to the seat belts, as the usual amenities that we take for granted today had yet to be invented. So, you will get more thrills from the grandfather of the E-Class than the modern executive model.