The Mercedes-Benz 240D was introduced in 1973 in Europe (1974 in North America) as a new diesel-powered variant of the W115 chassis, outranking the 220D as Mercedes' most powerful diesel car. Introduced in 1973 at a price of 19,913.40 Marks, the cost was four times the typical car of the time. It had many luxuries, such as available heated seats, cruise control, leather seats, and a powered sunroof. It was at the time the fastest diesel engine available, though its 4-cylinder, 2.4 liter engine only produced 65 hp (48 kW). Along with a 3300 lb (1,500 kg) weight, performance today is considered extremely poor. Acceleration was negligible, and top speeds hardly exceeded 160 km/h (~100 mph).

The W123 version of the 240D in particular is considered one of Mercedes-Benz's most reliable models due to its low-tech, easy-maintenance design, relatively thick metal sheets and sturdy, robust wear-and-tear parts. The engine's low power output compared to its volume is another contributing factor in the car's exceptional lifespan. The 240D is renowned for often traveling several hundred thousand kilometers or more in its life. The record holder, a W115 240D acknowledged by Daimler-Benz and on display in their Stuttgart museum, clocked 4.6 million kilometers between 1976 to 2004, mostly working as a taxi based in Thessaloniki.[1] During this time the owner was able to call upon the original engine and two spare units, deploying them on a rotational basis 11 times in total. [citation needed] Mercedes made badges available for their cars to mark each 250,000 kilometers the car had traveled. 240Ds are often seen in west Africa as taxis and bush taxis covering hundreds of kilometres daily. In some parts of northwestern Africa, notably Mauritania and Morocco, they make up over half the cars on the road.

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