For my cars:
The 220D sits in second and kicks down to first when you press the
accelerator down (i.e. a "second gear sitter").
The 88 TE starts in second gear unless you pretty much floor it
The 280 SE 4.5 starts in first (three speed tranny)
The 87 300D starts in first.
My brother's 75 300D starts in second unless you floor it and engage
kickdown switch.
My friends W123 Turbos (all three) sit in second and downshift into
first when you press the accelerator down (second gear "sitters").
Start-off gear (and whether or not it's engaged while the vehicle is
stopped) is model dependent. Benz has used 2nd gear starts on many
chassis configurations, especially the older fluid coupling type
automatic trannies.
Not something to get all torqued up about, this isn't secret
information or anything.
Peter
