The Mercedes-Benz W124 Cabriolet is a sought-after modern classic that perfectly combines the passion for elegant, open-top cruising with the Stuttgart-based brand’s high technical standard in the luxury mid-range series. And believe it or not it is 30 years old this year.

The vehicles premiered at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in September 1991 (seven years after the W124 model saloons) and reignited the Merc trend of luxury 4-seater droptops – the likes of the CLK Cabriolets (1998 to 2010), the E-Class rag tops (2010 to 2017) and S-Class (2015 – current) spring to mind.

W124 Cabriolet development was done in conjunction with Karmann in Osnabrück in 1988 but from January ‘89 Porsche took over the development order. Of course, the two Stuttgart-based automotive giants had already teamed up on the making of the brutal Mercedes-Benz 500 E high-performance sedan so it all made some sense.

30 years on the W124 still looks the classy part.