Initially unveiled for the first time back in 1977 as the W123, the Mercedes E-Class took its name from the word "Einspritzmotor", which means ’fuel injection engine’ in German. Eventually, the letter morphed into being officially designated as the E-Class - or E-Klasse - to describe Mercedes’ line of mid-size executive vehicles.
Over the course of its life, the E-Class has had many different iterations with the latest facelift coming in 1999 and the introduction of the latest model, the W212. Introduced for the first time at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2009 E-Class’ design was inspired by the new design language Mercedes adopted at that time for the C-Class, S-Class, and CLS-Class.
With the purpose of competing in a luxury executive market that features competitors in the form of the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A6, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class has become one of the staple vehicles amongst high-ranking executives and business people the world over.
Details on the 2009-2011 Mercedes E-Class after the jump.
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In standard Mercedes fashion, after the departure of the W211 E-class, the base version of the W212 came onto the scene. Soon after that, announcements were made for the coupe and convertible versions as well as the estate wagon. Different engine lines were introduced including the BlueTec Diesels and the standard line of V6s and V8s. The final piece of the puzzle was to add the AMG model. The W212 was to carry to same moniker as the outgoing model, but the new E63 AMG would be an entirely different car.
Mercedes first chose to use the 6.2-liter V8 in the previous generation E-class, but that car was truly made to house the 5.5-liter compressor unit of the E55. This new E63 had plans of being more civilized and more capable in every aspect. Competition in this segment gets stiffer every year and the other German brands all vie for supremacy. These cars are the ultimate sleepers, the ultimate executive sedan, and the ultimate autobahn sled.
People who drive the Mercedes E-class are among the most loyal in the automotive industry; they tend to buy the new generation as soon as possible. Many AMG owners are the same way and for that reason, Mercedes was also careful to make changes that would not rattle the cage too much. Everything has changed for the E63 AMG, but somehow it all feels so familiar…and awesome.
Hit the jump for more details on the Mercedes E63 AMG
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It’s 1984 and you’re a wealthy individual looking to spend some dough. Clearly the run of the mill BMW or Audi is not going to do the trick so you start looking into the Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach. Both were the fastest sports cars of their day and since price is not a concern to you, the only thing that matters is making the best impression on your other rich friends. The thing is, your next door neighbor has a red Testarossa and you see your business partner pull up and squeeze out of his tiny Lamborghini every morning. You need something special. Enter the Hammer.
The W124 Mercedes-Benz is a classically proportioned luxury saloon. The three-box shape, with its clearly defined lines, looks so simple and pure compared to the edgier, more obviously styled lines of its E 63 AMG relative. AMG’s detailing was remarkably low key, especially for the 1980’s. This is going to be a perfect fit for your lifestyle and you can even haul the kids in the back seat if you had too. Can the Merc really hold its own against the Italian thoroughbred racing machines?
You better bet your bottom dollar, because this machine is no joke even when compared with the newest technology from these companies. The 396hp Hammer is going to be more expensive than a Testarossa, but not only will you be the only person that you know who owns one; you will also be doing 190mph which is more than the Ferrari.
Hit the jump for more details on 1984 AMG HAMMER.
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Mercedes certainly offers its own lineup of heavily tuned cars, but for some people that is just not enough. The thought of having a V12 engine in your vehicle is something that most people only dream of and Ferrari owners get to enjoy. The smooth and strong power delivery coupled with a deep growl from all 12-cylinders firing in sequence is the stuff dreams are made of and for some lucky E-class owners the dream has become a reality. Speedriven is a Chicago based firm that we have covered before and their latest Mercedes project is one of the most impressive.
The Mercedes E-class has been a modified platform ever since the original E50 AMG model. It provides the right balance of size and performance capability in order to receive certain upgrades. Brabus was the first company to develop a V12 version of the car and shoehorn the 6.0-liter Mercedes V12 from the S-class inside the engine bay. This version is still being built on the E-class of today, albeit in very limited numbers. One gentleman has been attempting to put a V12 inside of his W211 E-class, but it took him a lot of time to find the engine and somewhat capable of doing the conversion. Speedriven seems to have found the right formula to make this type of swap efficient.
Speedriven considers this car to have “the right” power now that a monster V12 has been stuffed under the hood. That, quite simply, is not true, the right power for this car is the standard 5.0-liter V8. It has considerable thrust and won’t break the bank at the pump. My E55 has way too much torque and enough horsepower to embarrass lesser automobiles on the freeway. I’m not saying this as a bad thing, because I LOVE the torque and it is almost intoxicating. Nonetheless, stuffing a V12 in this car is insane, in a good way. It has become the ultimate sleeper car that could blow the doors off nearly anything that pulls up next to it at a stop light.
Hit the jump for more details on Speedriven EV12. Full story
There are certain vehicles that we know are just going to be widely received amongst tuners everywhere. These are the cars that will have more tuning packages than anyone will ever need. The Mercedes E-Class Cabrio wouldn’t be on our top ten list of these cars. However, the luxury sedan has seen packages from Binz, Prior Design, BD Motor, and now, MEC Design. MEC Design’s package for the E-Class is based on the E350 CDI model and only gives way for some small exterior changes.
The package starts off with a 35mm lowering of the springs and a new set of 20" MEC Design mecxtremeIII wheels wrapped in 235/30 + 10.5×20 with 285/25 ZR 20 tires. A new rear diffuser and a new exhaust system with a four pipe rear muffler have also been added, and some light body work can be added on the rear axle if the customer so chooses.
Overall, not a great package, but will make a conservative E-Class owner very happy.
