2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

introduction

Expect to see the 2010 Mercedes-Benz arrive with a dramatically new design and a plenty of upgrades underneath the skin. Up front, the oval headlights of the current model will be replaced with rectangular-shape lenses that will give the E-Class a more aggressive look in front. The rear will only see minor changes and the overall greenhouse will remain much the same. Under the hood, the new E-Class will get a familiar range of engine sizes. Despite the recent breakup of Chrysler and Daimler-Benz, we’re still expecting base E-Class models to get a version of Chrysler’s upcoming 4.0-liter Phoenix V6. Given that the current Mercedes V6 has 268 horsepower, the new 4.0-liter should top 300 hp, if not more. An upgraded version of the Mercedes 5.5-liter V8 will power the high-line E-Class models. There will be an AMG version, too, although how far the performance guys will crank up the normally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 above its current 507 hp is unclear. All-wheel drive will continue in the E400 and E550 models, but the AMG version will remain rear-wheel drive.

2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Introduction

For more than 20 years, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been one of the most successful midsize luxury sedans. For many, it represents the ideal middle ground between what could be seen as the plebian C-Class and the overly visible and expensive S-Class. The current-generation E-Class, introduced for the 2003 model year, has also been a successful one, and we’ve been impressed with its dignified presence, top-notch refinement and all-around capabilities.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is available in both sedan and wagon body styles. Trim levels include the E320 Bluetec (sedan only), E350 (sedan and wagon), E550 (sedan only) and the high-performance E63 AMG (sedan and wagon). The E350 and E550 are available with 4Matic all-wheel drive.

The E320 Bluetec comes standard with 16-inch wheels, a sunroof, 10-way power front seats with memory settings, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt/telescoping steering column, the COMAND interface and a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with an in-dash six-CD/DVD changer and an auxiliary audio jack. The E350 sedan and wagon are equipped similarly. The E350 sedan can also be equipped with a no-cost Sport Package that includes 18-inch wheels, sport front and rear bumpers, a dual chrome exhaust and a sport steering wheel with paddle shifters. E350 wagons have a power liftgate and a rear-facing two-passenger third-row seat that folds flat. The E550 sedan includes the Sport Package and a semi-active air suspension, leather upholstery and four-zone automatic climate control.

Powertrains and Performance

The E350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque. The sedan is available with either rear-wheel drive or 4Matic AWD. The wagon is AWD only. The E350 is relatively quick considering its hefty weight; the sedan achieves a 0-60 sprint in the mid-6-second range. The E550 is also available in either rear-wheel drive or AWD and uses a 5.5-liter V8 that makes 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. In performance testing, the E550 went from zero to 60 mph in a quick 5.2 seconds. The E320 Bluetec features a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 that makes 210 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. This engine gets the E320 from zero to 60 in 6.8 seconds. All rear-wheel-drive E-Class models come with a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the 4Matic models use a five-speed automatic.

The E63 AMG is a high-performance model powered by a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 507 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a seven-speed Speedshift transmission, which can change gears 50 percent faster than transmissions in other E-Class models. In performance testing, the E63 went from zero to 60 in an impressive 4.3 seconds.

Safety

All 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class models come with stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and the TeleAid emergency system. Also standard is PreSafe, which anticipates an imminent crash and automatically takes measures to better secure occupants.

In government crash tests, the E-Class sedan earned four stars (out of five) for frontal-impact protection and a perfect five stars for side-impact protection. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing, the E-Class earned the top rating of “Good.”

Interior Design and Special Features

The two-tone cabin of the E-Class sedan gives off an elegant, airy feel. Supple seats and coordinating soft-touch surfaces are complemented by tasteful wood inlays, chrome accents and gathered sections of leather on the door panels. The attractive instrumentation is generally easy to read, but Mercedes’ COMAND interface can take a while to figure out.

The rear seat, while not overwhelmingly spacious, provides adequate room for two adults. In addition, the wagon has a rear-facing, two-passenger third-row seat. When this seat and the 60/40-split second-row seats are down, it provides a total of 69 cubic feet of cargo room, only a few cubes shy of the M-Class SUV’s capacity.

Driving Impressions

Although power and handling are both adequate, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class doesn’t seem to have the balance and tossability of the BMW 5 Series or Jaguar XF. Its straight-line performance is respectable, but when pushed hard in the corners, the E-Class displays noticeable body roll and the brake pedal’s soft feel doesn’t inspire confidence. As such, the E-Class is best suited for cruising city streets or taking long road trips. Aside from the powerful E63 AMG, the E320 Bluetec might just be the best bet of the bunch, as it offers acceleration times similar to its gasoline E350 counterpart, but with much better fuel economy and lots of torque, both thanks to the diesel engine.

2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Introduction

For more than 20 years, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been one of the most successful and popular midsize luxury sedans. For many, it represents the ideal middle ground between what could be seen as the plebian C-Class and the overly visible and expensive S-Class. Indeed, the current E-Class, which was last redesigned in 2003, has found about a million buyers worldwide. Such popularity in an increasingly arduous market also makes it one of those rare cars that seems to be valued as much by consumers as by the company profiting from its sale.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is available as a midsize sedan or wagon. Trim levels include the E320 Bluetec (sedan only), E350 (sedan and wagon), E550 (sedan only) and the high-performance E63 AMG (sedan and wagon). The E350 and E550 are available with 4Matic all-wheel drive.

The E320 Bluetec and E350 are equipped almost identically. Standard features include a sunroof, 10-way power front seats with memory, dual-zone automatic climate control, power tilt-telescoping steering column and a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system with a CD changer and auxiliary audio jack. The E350 sedan can be equipped with a no-cost Sport Package that includes 18-inch wheels, a lowered sport suspension, blue tinted glass, different wood trim and dual chrome tailpipes. The E550 includes the Sport Package and adds semi-active air suspension, leather upholstery and four-zone automatic climate control.

Powertrains and Performance

The E350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque. A 0-60-mph sprint is accomplished in the mid-6-second range, while fuel economy for the rear-wheel-drive sedan is 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. The E550 features a 5.5-liter V8 that makes 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. In performance testing, the E550 went from zero to 60 mph in a quick 5.2 seconds. The E550 rear-drive model has a 15/22 mpg fuel economy estimate.

The E320 Bluetec features a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 that makes 210 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. This engine gets the E320 from zero to 60 in 6.8 seconds, while fuel economy is exceptional at 23 mpg city/32 mpg highway. Already on sale throughout most of the country, the E320 Bluetec will be available on a two-year lease basis in the states with California’s stricter emissions standards.

Safety

All 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class models come with stability control, antilock brakes, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and the TeleAid emergency system. Also standard is PreSafe, which anticipates an imminent crash and automatically takes measures to better secure occupants. In government crash tests, the E-Class sedan earned four stars (out of five) for frontal impacts and a perfect five stars for side impacts. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety frontal-offset crash testing, the E-Class earned the top rating of “Good.”

Interior Design and Special Features

The five-passenger E-Class sedan provides an airy two-tone cabin, where supple seats and coordinating soft-touch surfaces are complemented by elegant wood inlays, chrome accents and gathered sections of leather on the door panels. The attractive analog instrumentation is generally easy to read, but functions associated with the antiquated COMAND electronics interface remain unintuitive even after you’ve taken the time to figure it out.

Driving Impressions

While certainly adequate in terms of handling ability, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class isn’t a willing partner like a 5 Series can be. Pushed hard, the E-Class displays noticeable body roll and the brake pedal’s soft feel doesn’t inspire confidence. That the car is better used for cruising city streets and highways probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise. In terms of straight-line performance, the various powertrains provide the E-Class with impressive amounts of power and refinement. The E550 and E63 can dust off most sports cars, while the E350 delivers spirited acceleration and decent fuel economy. The E320 Bluetec offers acceleration times similar to its gasoline E350 counterpart, but offers much better fuel economy and its rich torque curve provides plenty of in-your-seat thrust. The noise, stink and smoke once associated with diesels is a distant memory.

2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

For more than 20 years, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been one of the

most successful and popular midsize luxury sedans. For many North

American consumers, it represents the ideal middle ground between what

could be seen as the plebian C-Class and the overly visible and

expensive S-Class. Indeed, the current E-Class, which was last

redesigned in 2003, has found about a million buyers worldwide. Such

popularity in an increasingly arduous world market also makes it one of

those rare cars that seems to be valued as much by those who purchase

it as by the company profiting from its sale.

For the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, a number of changes have been made

to keep it fully competitive. Last year’s E500 has been replaced by the

new E550. Featuring the new 32-valve, 5.5-liter V8 from the redesigned

S-Class, the E550 makes 382 hp, which is a considerable 80 hp more than

the E500’s output. It’s connected to a new seven-speed automatic

transmission. The E55 AMG performance model, meanwhile, has stepped

aside for the E63 AMG. The E63 features an all-new 6.3-liter 507-hp V8

developed specifically by AMG engineers. Impressively, this power comes

about without the help of supercharging or turbocharging.

For those interested more in fuel economy, Mercedes-Benz will be

offering an improved version of the diesel-fueled E320 later in the

year. Now called the E320 Bluetec (instead of CDI), this model has an

all-new V6 in lieu of the previous inline six-cylinder. Though power

output and fuel economy are similar, the Bluetec engine takes advantage

of the U.S. government’s new low-sulfur diesel fuel requirement. New

technologies allow the 2007 E320 to produce fewer tailpipe emissions.

In spite of those efforts, however, the E320 Bluetec is still a

“45-state” car, meaning it didn’t pass the very stringent emissions

tests required in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New York and

California.

The E-Class is not without fault. For one, it’s expensive — not

S-Class expensive, but still dear, especially when compared to

competitors from Japan. Nor can it match the handling athleticism of

its chief rival, the BMW 5 Series. All told, the 2007 Mercedes-Benz

E-Class is a dramatically appealing luxury car and maintains its

position as one of the most capable, most luxurious and safest vehicles

on the road.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is available as a midsize luxury sedan

or wagon. Available trim levels include the E350 (sedan and wagon),

E550 (sedan only) and E63 AMG (sedan and wagon). On the entry-level

E350 you’ll find standard luxury features such as a sunroof, a power

liftgate (wagons only), dual-zone automatic climate control, leather

seating, 10-way power front seats, memory settings for three different

drivers, interior wood trim and the COMAND (Cockpit Management and

Data) interface. Also standard is a Harman Kardon surround-sound audio

system with an in-dash six-disc CD changer and an auxiliary jack input.

Safety

All E-Class models come with stability control, antilock brakes with

brake assist, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain

airbags and the TeleAid emergency system. A new feature for ‘07 is

PreSafe; if the system anticipates an imminent crash, it automatically

takes measures to better secure occupants. Whiplash-reducing front head

restraints are also new this year. In government crash tests, the 2007

Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan earned four stars (out of five) for frontal

impacts and a perfect five stars for side impacts. In IIHS frontal

offset crash testing, the midsize Benz earned the top rating of “Good.”

Powertrains and Performance

The Mercedes E350 has a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 hp and 258 lb-ft

of torque. The E550 features a 5.5-liter V8 capable of 382 hp and 391

lb-ft of torque. Both models send their power to the rear wheels

through a seven-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive versions,

called 4Matic, are also available for those models — they have

five-speed automatics. The top-line E63 AMG has a 6.3-liter V8

developing 507 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque and an AMG-tuned seven-speed

automatic that routes all that torque to the rear wheels. Acceleration

from either V8 model is exemplary; in testing, we found that the E550

hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Expect about a second less for the E63 AMG.

Interior Design and Special Features

The five-passenger E-Class sedan provides an airy two-tone cabin, where

supple leather seats and coordinating soft-touch surfaces are

complemented by wood inlays, chrome accents and gathered sections of

leather on the door panels. The attractive analog instrumentation is

generally easy to read, but functions associated with the COMAND system

take awhile to figure out. Rear-seat room is adequate for two adults.

The wagon, a frequent top pick in our Editors Most Wanted awards, has a

rear-facing, two-passenger third-row seat. Fold it and the 60/40-split

second-row seat down and you’ll have 69 cubic feet of cargo room

available.

Driving Impressions

While certainly adequate in terms of handling performance, the 2007

Mercedes-Benz E-Class isn’t a willing partner like a 5 Series can be.

Pushed hard, the E-Class displays noticeable body roll, and the brake

pedal’s soft feel doesn’t inspire confidence. That the car is better

used for cruising city streets and highways probably doesn’t come as

much of a surprise. For going in a straight line, the new powertrains

(new V6 last year, new V8s this year, new seven-speed transmissions)

provide the E-Class with impressive amounts of power and refinement.

The E550 and E63 can dust off most sports cars, while the E350 delivers

acceptable acceleration and decent fuel economy.

2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The E-Class has long been a staple of Mercedes-Benz lineup. Although the current car traces its lineage back to 1953 when the Pontoon model was introduced, the term “E-Class” essentially debuted along with the new-for-1986 300E (prior to that, the “E” in various Benz models stood for “Einspritzung,” German for “fuel injection”).

That somber sedan, propelled by either a gasoline or turbodiesel inline six, quickly developed a reputation for athletic performance and impeccable solidity. Initially, buyers could choose between a sedan and wagon, later on a coupe and convertible were added to the mix. Eventually, a V8 version of the sedan came on line in an attempt to fend off the onslaught of premium-quality and aggressively priced Lexus and Infiniti models. Catering to all needs and wants, an all-wheel-drive version, called the “4Matic,” became available, as did the “wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing” 500E sedan.

In 1994, Mercedes moved the letters to the front of the numbers to indicate the model series; hence the 300E became the E320. The next generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class debuted for 1996 with its eyes wide open. The big, oval headlights took some getting used to, but evidently, luxury car buyers quickly warmed up to the new E, as it was the top-selling car for the company. Once again, six, eight and turbodiesel versions were offered, though the oil burner was discontinued for 2000. Fortunately, the fully redesigned 2003 E-Class sedan didn’t stray too far from the previous iteration. Exterior styling isn’t dramatically different; the headlamps, though, are sleeker and blend into the body more elegantly than in the past. Overall, the car gives off a sportier image than the sedate outgoing model without losing its elegant demeanor.

For 2004, the E-Class wagons got a fresh start as well, picking up the sleeker bodywork and all of the engineering refinements. Noting increased consumer interest in luxury wagons, Mercedes is offering both V6 and V8 versions this time around. The 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is available as well, and those living in cold climates, should take note that they can now get it on the sedan as well. For 2005 the diesel Benz returned in the E320 CDI model. CDI stands for Common-rail Direct Injection, and this turbodiesel six is notable for its strong performance, excellent fuel mileage and exceptionally quiet and refined operation.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class:(W211): 2003

Building on themes established by its immediate predecessor, the current E-Class arrived in the U.S. for 2003 more voluptuous than the W210, proudly displaying Mercedes’ new styling direction. The E320 received the now familiar 3.2-liter, SOHC V6 making 221 horsepower, while the new E500’s 5.0-liter, SOHC, 24-valve V8 knocks out 302 horsepower. It is also the first E-Class since 1985 to have two windshield wipers. Among the interesting new features on the W210 generation are electronically controlled brakes, an adaptive suspension (standard on the E500, optional on the E320) that continually adjusts spring and damper rates for the benefit of ride quality and handling, four-zone climate control and optional Drive Dynamic seats that alter cushioning in response to cornering forces.

For 2004, a new station wagon comes, 4Matic is back and the E55 sedan returns with a supercharger atop its 5.4-liter V8 to produce a walloping 469 horsepower. That’s nine times as much as that first Ponton 180 in 1953.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class:(W210): 1996-2002

With four elliptical headlamps, the 1996 E-Class (W210) set the styling trend for Mercedes models into the 21st century. Underneath the dramatic new aerodynamic skin, the wheelbase grew 1.3 inches over the W124’s and overall length was up 2.2 inches. The engineering itself was rather familiar. There were still double wishbones doing the suspension work up front, and a multilink system holding up the rear.

For ‘96, the new W210 E-Class models offered in the U.S. were the E320 with the 3.2-liter, DOHC six from the outgoing W124 making 217 horsepower, and the E300D with the carryover 3.0-liter diesel six. The W124 E320 coupe and convertible carried over for the time being.

The 1997 model year saw the introduction of a new driver-adaptive five-speed automatic for the E320 and E300D. Additionally, Mercedes added a sport package to the options list for the E420 — included within it were 17-inch wheels and Z-rated tires, foglights and various cosmetic touches. All models got a smart sensor that could detect the presence of a front passenger and decide whether or not to deploy the airbag in a crash.
Major changes to the W210 for ‘98 began with a new 3.2-liter, SOHC, three-valve V6 replacing the former straight six in the E320, the station wagon body returning as an E320 and the E300D gaining a turbocharger and intercooler. The boosted diesel was impressive with a 30-percent increase in horsepower and a massive 57-percent increase in torque. Beyond all that, the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system was back as an option.

A new side curtain airbag system came with the 1999 E-Class, but the more enticing development was the new AMG-engineered E55 sport sedan. Using a hand-assembled 5.4-liter version of the SOHC, three-valve V8, the E55 was engorged with 349 horsepower. It was fast and gorgeous hunkered over its 18-inch AMG wheels, and it was the most expensive E-Class ever. Also this year, the E420 became the E430, as its V8 was a new 4.3-liter mill, though output was unchanged.

The diesel disappeared again as the 2000 model year started and the “Touch Shift” system (that added a manual-shifting scheme to the five-speed automatic gearbox) debuted. A revised front end and interior appeared in ‘02 as well.

With a new E on the way, 2001 and 2002 were relatively quiet years for the car. But you could get a new sport package for the E320 that included lower body cladding and larger wheels and tires.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class:(W124): 1986-1995

The most important thing about the W124 is that it was conceived and designed by Mercedes after the company’s introduction of the smaller 190-Series (what would eventually become the C-Class) for 1984. That, for the first time, meant the company was selling passenger cars smaller than the E’s progenitors — the midsize Mercedes was now actually in the middle of the range.

Everything about the new Mercedes W124 was new and everything about it looked new — more 1990s than mid-1980s. The structure was completely revised and, through the use of high-strength steel and other construction methods, was significantly stiffer and lighter. The front suspension still utilized double wishbones but incorporated anti-dive technology; and the rear suspension was now a multilink system, which rode better and improved wheel location throughout its travel. The front grille sloped back for better aerodynamics and there was but a single windshield wiper that, using an eccentric cam, was able to clear that big piece of steeply raked glass all by itself. Even the engines were new. In the history of Mercedes sedans, there’s never been one more completely revised than the 1986 300E and 300D.

For 1987, a 260E sedan joined the W124 model mix in the U.S., powered by a 2.6-liter version of the 300E’s straight six rated at 158 horsepower. Also new that year was a station wagon that came only in 300TD turbodiesel form.

The 1988 model lineup included a new, crisply styled 300CE coupe, and a five-speed manual transmission was now offered on 260E and 300E. Considering that just a few years earlier diesels had made up over three-quarters of all Mercedes sold in the United States, the disappearance of diesels from Mercedes’ 1988 lineup may have been a surprise. But increasingly severe particulate emissions standards left the company little choice. This also meant that Mercedes was finally selling a gasoline-powered wagon here as a 300TE.

The 1989 model range was virtually unchanged except that the five-speed manual transmission (few of which were ordered anyhow) was gone from the lineup again and a passenger-side front airbag was a new option.

A diesel returned to the 1990 W124 line with the introduction of an all-new 2.5-liter turbocharged inline five aboard the awkwardly named 300D 2.5. The 260E was also inelegantly renamed the 300E 2.6 for no apparent reason. By stealing the DOHC, 24-valve cylinder head from that year’s new 300SL roadster, the 300CE’s 3.0-liter straight six now made a healthy 217 horsepower. Beyond that, if you wanted Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system on your 300E sedan or 300TE wagon, you could get it.

For fans of traction control, 1991 was a big year as Mercedes’ ASR system became optional on the 300E, 300TE and 300CE.

Much bigger news came with the 1992 models and the introduction of V8 power to the midsize Mercedes. The new, mainstream 400E sedan had the 268-horsepower, 4.2-liter, DOHC V8 from the larger S-Class sedan under its hood. Meanwhile, the glorious limited-production Porsche-built 500E was also introduced with the 500SL’s 5.0-liter, DOHC V8 between its specially flared fenders. With 322 horsepower on board, the 500E was easily the most powerful midsize Mercedes ever and the quickest sedan of any size the company had ever built.

Dual front airbags were standard across Mercedes’ 1993 line and new engines were installed in the W124. The 300E 2.6 became the 300E 2.8 as the engine grew to 2.8 liters and now wore a DOHC head with four valves per cylinder. And all 300E “3.0″ models (except the wagon and 4Matic sedan) had their 3.0-liter engines upgraded. Now at 3.2 liters and sporting DOHC, 24-valve architecture, this engine produced 217 horsepower. This year also saw the debut of the 300CE Cabriolet.

Finally for 1994, the E-Class officially came to be, as Mercedes reengineered its naming system by putting the “E” before the number and rationalizing the numbers in line with displacement. So the returning lineup consisted of E320 sedan, wagon and coupe, E420 sedan and E500 sedan. We guess “E” no longer stood for “einspritz.” To celebrate their new name, the W124s got new grilles, headlights and taillights for ‘94. At midyear, an E300D diesel arrived with a normally aspirated 3.0-liter straight six making 134 horsepower. Also, the 4Matic versions were dropped this year.

With a new E-Class due for ‘96, the only substantial change to the ‘95 line was the elimination of the limited-production E500. After 2,212,025 W124s, Mercedes was ready for a new E-Class.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class:(W123: 1977-1985)

With a slight rake to its stance, the new W123 (on sale in Europe during 1976 and a 1977 model in America) was undeniably a Mercedes of the 1970s. With a flattened grille, horizontally oriented headlamps and sculptured sides, it looked, more or less, like a scaled-down version of the era’s 450SEL.

Under the new skin were some significant advances in safety (moving the fuel tank over the rear axle where it was better protected in a collision, for instance), but the biggest change came in the engine bay of the six-cylinder model where fuel injection appeared for the first time on the smaller Mercedes. Accordingly, the letter “E” for “einspritz” (German for “injection”) appeared as part of this model’s name, 280E.

The 1978 model year brought forth new 280CE and 300CD coupes, and in ‘79, a new 300TD station wagon arrived. All were built on the same 110-inch wheelbase as the sedan, though the coupes were about 1.5 inches lower overall. The wagon offered a third-row seat as an option. In the late ’70s, mired as the era was in serial fuel crises, the economical diesel was appreciated by most buyers.

Innovations that would become regular equipment on future Mercedes models appeared during the W123’s life. The 1980 model year brought a four-speed fully automatic gearbox, and antilock brakes were available for the first time. In ‘81, a driver-side front airbag made its first appearance.

Surprisingly, Mercedes eliminated the gasoline-fueled W123s from the American market after 1981 and instead installed the 120-horsepower turbodiesel five from the S-Class in the 300D. And that’s how the W123 played out its days in America.

Mercedes built a total of 2,375,440 W123s, including 199,517 wagons.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class:(W114/W115: 1968-1976)

With its antiseptically clean and simple styling, the 1968 W114/W115 looks contemporary and elegant even in the 21st century. And with the replacement of that archaic swing axle rear suspension with a new trailing arm, fully independent system, it finally had a suspension worthy of a Mercedes.

The W114/W115 (the W114 was a six-cylinder model, the W115 had fours) was a wholly new midsize Mercedes expanded to include models with four-, five- and six-cylinder engines. In fact, there were times during the model’s life that up to 15 separate models existed inside the midsize Mercedes family, including a two-door variant. The “Stroke-8″ name arose when it was necessary to distinguish the new car from the old Fintail that continued in production during 1968 and carried the same model names. During ‘68, a 200D was likely a Fintail, while a 200D/8 was definitely a W115. Even after the Fintail was gone, that Stroke-8 heritage persisted in the informal world of nicknames.

The coupe arrived during the 1970 model year as the 250C (“C” for, you guessed it, coupe) sitting on the same wheelbase as the sedan, but about two inches lower in overall height. And while it was called the 250C, it didn’t actually carry the 2.5-liter six. Instead it had a 2.8-liter version of the six aboard making 157 horsepower. In 1971, the 250 sedan was blessed with the 2.8-liter engine.

Both the coupe and sedan were slightly redesigned for 1973 getting an updated front end, new fluted tail lamps and bigger bumpers to meet U.S. Federal regulations. More significant was a new 2.8-liter, DOHC straight six under the hoods of the newly named 280 and 280C. With emissions regulations getting tougher, engine outputs were dropping everywhere, so the new engine’s 130-horsepower output was actually quite respectable. Also, for the first time, an automatic transmission was standard with the six-cylinder Stroke-8s.

In 1974, the four-cylinder engine was upgraded to 2.3 liters and 95 horsepower so the car (then Mercedes’ cheapest for sale in America) was renamed the 230. A new 2.4-liter diesel four was also available in the 240D rated at 62 horsepower. The big diesel news came in ‘75 however, when Mercedes grafted another cylinder to the new diesel four to create a 3.0-liter straight five diesel making 77 horsepower — at the time, the most power available in a diesel passenger car.

On the gasoline-fueled side of the equation, 1975 brought with it the first use of catalytic converters. That clog in the exhaust system only robbed the 230’s four of two horsepower (down to 93), but the 280’s six retreated a full 10 horsepower to 120.

The Stroke-8 was wildly popular, with Mercedes building 1,833,442 of them before ending production during 1976. That’s a stunning 77 percent of all Mercedes passenger-car production during that time. It would be a tough act to follow.