The W123 series, presented in 1976, is a myth in Mercedes production. Produced until 1985 in sedan, break and coupé versions, the W123 was an indestructible car with exceptional build quality. A car with an incomparable style, the W123 was available in a large variety of engines, petrol and diesel. Among the most popular versions, the 230E with a 2299cc engine and 136 horsepower. Compared to the W114 / 115 series it was replacing, the W123 represented a progress also from a technical point of view. The W123 also served as a base for conversions into an ambulance, hearse and so on.
The Schuco brand was founded in 1912 in Nuremberg by Heinrich Müller and Heinrich Schreyer. In 1936 Schuco began producing high-quality sheet metal toys with many innovative features. In the 1950s and 1960s, plastic model cars and several diecast ranges were introduced. A series of 1:66 scale models was released in 1969 and a series of 1:43 scale models in 1971. The company was taken over by Gama in 1981, who proposed re-issues of the old Schuco toys; since 1993 the Schuco brand has been used again for 1:43 diecasts. Since 1999, Schuco has been part of the Simba Dickie group and has recently included a whole series of 1:43 resincasts in the range, which have the same construction criteria as the Spark models, which has entered the Simba Dickie orbit.