Introduced in 1986, the wide version of the Mercedes-Benz W124 (200E-300E)  by ABC-Exclusive in Bonn, was probably one of the most outrageous looking conversions money could buy back in those tuner-crazed mid-1980s.

ABC-Exclusive dubbed the conversion the "Thunderball II" (only found this name once in a press-release). The modification added 54cm extra-width to the mid-sized W124 limousine and allowed 15" 285/40 wheels on the front and a staggering 345/35 in the back, mostly fitted on the for ABC-Exclusive mandatory 5-spoke 3-piece Gotti wheels. Obviously, not only the widening, but also the styling of this conversion was outrageous: a modest looking front bumper with foglights, much fatter wheel arches on the front and a Testarossa-styling treatment for the rear, the Testarossa streaks starting at the rear door. The conversion was so wide, the doorhandles of the rear doors dissapear in a fist-deep hole and even the C-pillar gets an extra plastic part that makes the fat wheel arch flow smoothly towards the roof.

Most ABC-Exclusive modified W124s were fitted with an SEC-style bonnet, some of them an actual full SEC bonnet, others just fitted with the grille, mated to the standard bonnet of the W124 Benz.

Probably the first conversion made, this (1986) ABC-Exclusive Mercedes-Benz 300E widebody in candy-apple-red with 24k gold details. Special things to note are the interior which shows four Recaro seats (possibly 4x Recaro Ideal-C?) and the completely redone upholstery in grey leather with red piping.

A 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300E, probably converted into ABC-Exclusive widebody trim at a later date, shown for sale in early 1990s Japan.

Another 300E (1986) modified with an ABC-Exclusive wide body kit, for sale in Japan in the mid-1990s.

Early 1990s Japan: an ABC-Exclusive 300E Widebody parked in front of tuner-dealer Bentley from Yokohama. It has a similar look to the original red/creme car that was in all the ABC-Exclusive brochures, but it has some striking differences: no quad-Recaro seat setup in the interior and a different bonnet (not a complete SEC one but an original W124 bonnet with pasted on SEC grille).

The same ABC-Exclusive 300E at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

Text: copyright Bram Corts

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