This Mercedes is one of those. A wagon with five doors, huge cargo space, room for child seats… and a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter V12 under the hood. Not a concept, not a render— a real car built by engineers who knew no limits.
When the W124 Was the Pinnacle of Engineering
In the early '90s, the Mercedes W124 was already seen as near-perfect—reliable, comfortable, and meticulously engineered. The Porsche-assisted 500 E became an instant legend. Back then, 326 horsepower felt extreme, and the later E 60 AMG with 381 hp entered supercar territory: 0-60 mph in about 5.3 seconds was seriously quick for the era.
But for some, even that wasn't enough.
The Man Who Refused to Follow the Crowd
AMG was founded by Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. Eventually their paths diverged, and Melcher left to start his own company—MKB Manufaktur. Focusing mainly on engines and racing tech, he eventually decided to build something that would eclipse even AMG.
That's how the MKB 70TE project came to be—a wagon based on the S124 platform that started life as a standard Mercedes 300 TE but ended as pure engineering madness.
A V12 That "Shouldn't Have Fit"
The build started with the M120 naturally aspirated V12 from the Mercedes SL (R129). Already impressive in stock form, MKB took it further:
- new crankshaft and pistons;
- reworked cylinder heads;
- higher compression ratio;
- fully retuned electronics.
The result: 528 horsepower and 539 lb-ft of torque. All that power went to the rear wheels through a reinforced 4-speed automatic. No all-wheel drive, no electronic nannies.
More Modifications Than Meets the Eye
To even make the engine fit, the team had to get creative:
- widen the fenders;
- push the firewall back into the cabin;
- use suspension components from the SL;
- relocate the battery to the trunk for better weight distribution.
Externally, it looked almost understated: 18-inch wheels, a subtle spoiler, no loud badges. But the speedometer went up to 186 mph—and it wasn't just for show. This wagon could actually get there.
Price and Rarity
In the mid-'90s, a build like this cost around 240,000 German marks—roughly equivalent to a premium of today's standards and significantly more than an E 60 AMG. It was the most expensive Mercedes of its time.
Only a handful were ever made. One example returned to MKB years ago for a full restoration, and there's no doubt its current value far exceeds most modern AMG models.
Oriented market price in the United States for similar ultra-rare tuned classics: $300,000–$500,000+ depending on condition.
Why It Still Impresses Today
This car is a reminder of an era when engineers could build "impossible" machines. A wagon with a V12, rear-wheel drive, and no speed limiter—something unthinkable now. And honestly, that's exactly why it feels even cooler nearly 30 years later.
