Mercedes-Benz E-Class | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer |
|
Production | 1953–present (E-Class nomenclature adopted since 1993) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Executive car (E) |
Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz W124 (pre-facelift models, 1984–1993) |
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by German automaker Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations. Produced since September 1953, the E-Class falls as a midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been marketed worldwide across five generations.
Before 1993, the E in Mercedes-Benz nomenclature was a suffix following a vehicle's model number which stood for Einspritzmotor (German for fuel injection engine). It began to appear in the early 1960s, when that feature began to be utilized broadly in the maker's product line, and not just in its upper-tier luxury and sporting models. By the launch of the facelifted W124 in 1993 fuel injection was ubiquitous in Mercedes engines, and the E was adopted as a prefix (i.e., E 220). The model line is referred to officially as the E-Class (or E-Klasse). All generations of the E-Class have offered either rear-wheel drive or Mercedes' 4Matic four-wheel drive system.
The E-Class is Mercedes-Benz' best-selling model, with more than 13 million sold by 2015. [1] The first E-Class series was originally available as four-door sedan, five-door station wagon, two-door coupe and two-door convertible. From 1997 to 2009, the equivalent coupe and convertible were sold under the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class nameplate; which was based on the mechanical underpinnings of the smaller C-Class while borrowing the styling and some powertrains from the E-Class, a trend continued with the C207 E-Class coupe/convertible which was sold parallel to the W212 E-Class sedan/wagon. With the latest incarnation of the E-Class released for the 2017 model year, all body styles share the same W213 platform. [2]
Due to the E-Class's size and durability, it has filled many market segments, from personal cars to frequently serving as taxis in European countries, as well special-purpose vehicles (e.g., police or ambulance modifications) from the factory. [3] In November 2020, the W213 E-Class was awarded the 2021 Motor Trend Car of the Year award, a first for Mercedes-Benz. [4]
The first modern midsize Mercedes was the W120 'Ponton' 180 of 1953 and was produced until 1962. Sharing its engineering with the R121 190 SL of 1955, the Ponton was a stylish sedan with a four-cylinder engine. A larger-engined W121 190 appeared in 1958.
Mercedes added tailfins to both the big S-Class and the new W110 'Fintail' 190 of 1962. In the 1965 230 model a Straight-6 engine appeared for the first time, and the four-cylinder engine grew in displacement.
The midsize Mercedes was redesigned in 1968 as the W114/W115 'Stroke-8'. This time, the 6-cylinder models (The W114s) were most prevalent, with the W115 line making up the bottom of the company's offerings with four- and five-cylinder power. Diesel engines joined the line-up, as did a coupé body.
The popular W123 quickly became a best-seller on its launch in 1976. Especially in diesel powered 200D and 240D (also the five-cylinder 300D) guises, the cars enhanced the company's reputation for product quality. Over 2.6 million were produced until the end of production in 1986. Saloon/Sedan, Coupé, and Estate body configurations were offered.
The W124 was presented in November 1984 and introduced several new standards for a mid-size Mercedes. It was the third car to inherit the company's new design theme since the late 1970s, following the flagship W126 and compact W201.
Similar to its predecessors, the W124 also offered a coupé and estate body styles. A new convertible (internally A124) was also available, making it the first mid-size Mercedes convertible.
The "E-Class" name first appeared with the facelifted W124 in 1993 for the model year 1994 (the W124 was introduced in 1984 but continued with the older naming convention until 1993 when all Mercedes-Benz models switched to a new system, e.g. E 320 instead of 300 E). The diesel versions continued to be the fuel economy option over the four and six-cylinder gasoline engines, and the gasoline V8 engines (available after 1992) increased gasoline power outputs further. Four-cylinder gasoline models were not marketed in the United States. The V8-powered sedans/saloons were named 400 E/500 E from 1990 to 1993, and E 420/E 500 after 1993. Likewise, the 3.0-liter cars (e.g. 300 E) were also re-badged to E 320 with the new 3.2-liter M104 engines and naming rationalization of 1994. For the diesel models, the name change was less elegant, with the 250 D becoming the E 250 Diesel for example.
Sedan (W124), Coupé (C124), Convertible (A124), and Estate (S124) body configurations were offered.
The W210 E-Class, launched in January 1995, brought the line firmly into the upper end of the mid-size luxury market.
The E-class made major changes compared to the earlier version of the E-class, including four large oval headlights, which gave Mercedes an updated image intended to attract more younger buyers and women. The new E-class was 1.6 in (4.1 cm) longer and 2.3 in (5.8 cm) wider and offered significantly more interior room but was still considered mid-size. [5] [6]
In September 1999, the W210 E-class was facelifted. This included visual, mechanical, and quality improvements over the earlier versions.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class was Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1996.
While the W210 sedan was replaced by the W211 in 2002, the wagon version continued to be sold until March 2003 when the S211 wagon returned the S210 wagon.
Launched in 2002, the W211 E-Class was another evolution of the previous model.
The W211-based C219 CLS-Class 4-door coupe was introduced as a niche model in 2005, primarily to attract a younger demographic.
The W211 E-Class was facelifted in June 2006 for the 2007 model year to address quality and technical issues raised by earlier models, Sensotronic was dropped, while Pre-Safe (w/o brake support) was made standard. The largest factory-built engine in the E-class range is the E500, which had its engine size increased from 5 liters to 5.5 liters in 2006 along with the facelift. There are also AMG models badged E55 and E63, AMG as well as other tuning house installations.
The W212 replaced the W211 in 2009 (as a 2010 model). Official photos of the W212 were leaked on the internet on 9 December 2008 ahead of its 2009 Geneva Motor Show unveiling. [7] Scans of a leaked brochure were posted onto the internet in January 2009, detailing the whole E-Class range including the new E 200 CGI and E 230 CGI with direct injected forced induction engines. New features included a blind spot monitor, Lane Keeping Assist, Pre-safe with Attention Assist, and Night View Assist Plus. In the United States the E-Class was priced nearly US$4,600 less than the previous model. [8] The W212 estate was also announced and available from November 2009. [9]
In 2013, the E-Class was comprehensively facelifted, featuring significant styling changes, fuel economy improvements, and updated safety features. Daimler invested close to €1 billion into the development of the extensive refresh, making it likely the most expensive mid-life facelift in the history of the automobile. [10] [11] The biggest change was the singular front lights replacing the twin headlamp design (marking the end of Mercedes's dual headlamps use) with integrated LED DRLs. [12] Although not an all-new model, the W212 facelift was the only mid-cycle refresh featured on a family portrait of several generations of the E-Class side by side by Mercedes-Benz for the unveiling of the W213 E-Class. [13] [14] While the factory has rated the E63S model at 577 hp/590 lb-ft, there is significant real-world dynamometer testing that indicates the AMG-tuned S model exceeds 600 hp at the flywheel.
The coupé (C207) was first shown at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, while the convertible (A207) was unveiled at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. [15] [16] Both models replaced the previous C209/A209 CLK-Class models. The C207/A207 E-Class is based on the W204 C-Class platform, and is produced alongside each other in the Bremen plant. [17]
The fifth generation E-Class was unveiled at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. [18] This generation E-Class has design cues from the larger W222 S-Class and the smaller W205 C-Class. [19] While the W212 E-Class has tighter surface and harder edges, the new model is curvier and more flowing. [20]
Engine options for the W213 E-Class saw a major update, thanks to the switch to inline six-cylinder engines from the previous V6 engines, [21] along with a new generation of four-cylinder diesel engines, codenamed OM654, and existing four-cylinder petrol engines. [22]
The W213 E-Class is the second-most technologically advanced Mercedes after the new S-Class. The E-Class received the latest in autonomous driving technology for use at highway speeds, capable of piloting itself up to speeds of 130 mph (210 km/h) for up to 2 minutes. The system uses a complex array of motion sensors, radars, and cameras to scan the road ahead, and requires the driver's hands to be placed on the wheel at all times. [23] [24] This feature was also available on the fourth-generation Mercedes-AMG E 63 model.
In 2020, Mercedes-Benz introduced a facelift to the W213.
The sixth generation E-Class debuted on April 25, 2023. Starting from this generation, coupés and convertibles will no longer bear the E-Class name. E-Class and C-Class coupés and convertibles will be spun off into their own CLE vehicle. [25]
Year | Production (sedan/estate/coupe/convertible) | Sales | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. | Europe | China [note 1] | ||
2001 | 44,445 [26] | 128,208 | ||
2002 | 42,598 | 156,317 | ||
2003 | 55,683 [27] | 191,809 | ||
2004 | 58,954 | 171,071 | ||
2005 | 50,383 [28] | 125,348 | ||
2006 | 50,195 | 110,494 | ||
2007 | 48,950 [29] | 109,872 | ||
2008 | 38,576 | 77,661 | ||
2009 | 43,072 [30] | 100,947 | 8,200 [31] | |
2010 | 323,200 (208,400 / 44,400 / 49,600 / 20,800) [32] | 60,922 | 139,192 | 40,760 [33] |
2011 | 338,386 | 62,736 [34] | 129,963 | 44,738 |
2012 | 310,408 | 65,171 | 98,142 | 36,385 |
2013 | 69,803 | 106,559 | 36,836 | |
2014 | - (257,571 / - / - ) | 66,400 [35] | 99,565 | 43,708 |
2015 | 232,453 [36] | 55,888 | 84,771 | 57,853 |
2016 | 304,200 [37] | 50,896 | 99,494 | |
2017 | 51,312 | 127,638 | ||
2018 | 46,422 | 117,906 | ||
2019 | 107,453 | |||
2020 | 70,171 | |||
2021 | 53,654 | |||
2022 | 39,782 |
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a series of compact executive cars produced by Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the 190 (W201) range, the C-Class was the smallest model in the marque's line-up until the W168 A-Class arrived in 1997. The C-Class has been available with a "4MATIC" four-wheel drive option since 2002. The third generation (W204) was launched in 2007 while the current W206 generation was launched in 2021.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as Sonderklasse, is a series of full-sized luxury sedans, limousines and armored sedans produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The S-Class is the designation for top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz models and was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116, and has remained in use ever since. The S-Class is the flagship vehicle for Mercedes-Benz, being positioned above the other Mercedes-Benz models.
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a grand touring sports car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 1954. The designation "SL" derives from the German term "Sport-Leicht", which translates to "Sport Light" in English.
The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class is a line of grand tourers which was produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz, produced from 1992 to 2014. The name CL stands for the German Coupé Luxusklasse (Coupé-Luxury). It is considered by Mercedes as their premier model.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class is a former series of mid-size or entry-level luxury coupés and convertibles produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1996 and 2010. Although its design and styling was derived from the E-Class, the mechanical underpinnings were based on the smaller C-Class, and was positioned between the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class and CL-Class. The name CLK is either derived from the German words "Coupé", "Luxus" (luxury) and "Kurz" (short) or "Coupé", "Leicht" (light) and "Kurz" (short), as the clear definition was never published. It primarily competes with the two-door BMW 3 and 6 Series, as well as the Audi A4 Cabriolet and Audi A5 Coupe/Cabriolet, as well as the Maserati Coupe and its convertible variant.
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a subcompact car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz and marketed across fourth generations as a front-engine, front-wheel drive, five-passenger, five-door hatchback, with a three-door hatchback offered for the second generation.
The Mercedes-Benz W114 and W115 are the internal designations Mercedes-Benz used for a generation of front-engine, rear-drive, five-passenger sedans and coupés introduced in 1968, with three-box styling by Paul Bracq — succeeding the W110 models introduced in 1961; and manufactured until model year 1976, when the W123 was released.
The Mercedes-Benz W123 is a range of executive cars produced by German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz from November 1975 to January 1986. The W123 models surpassed their predecessor, the Mercedes-Benz W114, as the most successful Mercedes, selling 2.7 million units before production ended in the autumn of 1985 for the saloon/sedan versions and January 1986 for coupés and estates/station wagons.
The Mercedes-Benz W124 is a range of executive cars made by Daimler-Benz from 1984 to 1997. The range included numerous body configurations, and though collectively referred to as the W-124, official internal chassis designations varied by body style: saloon (W 124); estate (S 124); coupé (C 124); cabriolet (A 124); limousine (V 124); rolling chassis (F 124); and long-wheelbase rolling chassis (VF 124).
The Mercedes-Benz W126 is a series of passenger cars made by Daimler-Benz AG. It was marketed as the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and manufactured in sedan/saloon (1979–1991) as well as coupé (1981–1990) models, succeeding the company's W116 range. Mercedes-Benz introduced the 2-door C126 coupé model, marketed as the SEC, in September 1981. This generation was the first S-Class to have separate chassis codes for standard and long wheelbases and for coupé (C126).
The Mercedes-Benz W108 and W109 are luxury cars produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1965 through to 1972. The line was an upgrade of the Mercedes-Benz W114/W115, to succeed the W111 and W112 fintail sedans. The cars were successful in West Germany and in export markets including North America and Southeast Asia. During the seven-year run, a total of 383,361 units were manufactured.
The Mercedes-Benz W116 is a series of flagship luxury sedans produced from September 1972 until 1980. The W116 automobiles were the first Mercedes-Benz models to be officially called S-Class, although some earlier sedan models had already been designated unofficially with the letter 'S' for Sonderklasse. The W116 was selected as European Car of the Year in 1974.
The Mercedes-Benz W140 is a series of flagship vehicles manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 1991 to 1998 in sedan/saloon and coupe body styles and two wheelbase lengths. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the W140 S-Class at Geneva International Motor Show in March 1991, with the sales starting in April 1991 and North American launch was on 6 August 1991.
The Mercedes-Benz W111 was a chassis code given to a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles produced between 1959 and 1971, including four-door saloons (1959–1968) and two-door coupés and cabriolets (1961–1971). Their bodywork featured distinctive tailfins that gave the models their Heckflosse nickname — German for "fintail".
The Mercedes-Benz W189 model 300 was a four-door luxury tourer produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1957 and 1962. It was the company's flagship model at the time, equivalent to the modern S-Class and Maybach.
The Mercedes-Benz W112 is a luxury automobile produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1961 to 1967. Marketed as the 300SE, it was available as a coupé, convertible, sedan, and stretched sedan (Lang), all generally similar in appearance to the corresponding Mercedes-Benz W111.
The Mercedes-Benz W186 Model 300 was a four-door luxury sedan produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1951 and 1957. It was the company's flagship model at the time, succeeding the World War II era W150. Three versions were produced in succession, known informally as the 300a, 300b, and 300c. An enlarged "300d" variant built on the W189 chassis succeeded it in late 1957.
The C208/A208 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class was introduced in 1997, and was based on the W202 Mercedes-Benz C-Class launched three years earlier. The C208 coupé was the first generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class and was subsequently replaced by the C209 CLK-Class in 2002, although the convertible remained in production till March 2003 when replaced by the A209 CLK. In total 233,367 units of the first generation CLK were manufactured in its coupé form, when production ceased in May 2002 and additional 115,161 cabriolets assembled at Karmann plant in Osnabrück.
The W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the fifth generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, sold from 2016 as a 2017 model. It succeeded the W212/S212 E-Class models. The coupe/convertible models share the same platform as the sedan/wagon, in contrast to the previous generation. The high-performance Mercedes-AMG E 63 and E 63 S versions of the W213 have been available as well from 2016, and these are the only versions with V8 engines.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)