The Ultimate 1990s Sleeper Super-Sedan, a Mercedes-Porsche Collaboration
Classics
European
In 1984, BMW debuted the first M5, the automaker’s high-performance version of the 535i. The M5 established the first-mover advantage in the emerging mid-size super-sedan category. The proud product planners at Mercedes looked on—and considered how to respond with their own potent luxury sedan. But Mercedes’s largest displacement mid-size sedan at the time was the 178-horsepower six-cylinder 300E. What was Stuttgart’s answer?
The plot thickened when managers at Porsche announced that its Zuffenhausen had spare production capacity, which they were eager to fill. Mercedes seized the opportunity in 1989 when it launched a joint venture with Porsche to produce the Mercedes-Benz 500E. The car—based on the successful E-class W124 chassis—would set a new standard for post-war Mercedes quality. This fine 500E which recently listed on eBay Motors gives German-car enthusiasts a chance to own the rare 5-liter V-8 Mercedes-Porsche mash-up.
The subtle design cues make the 500E hard to differentiate from lesser E-Class models. You can scour the Internet for months before finding a 500E for sale.
Produced by Hand
The 500E was a bespoke vehicle requiring all kinds of extra work for both manufacturers. Only around 10,500 cars produced between 1991 and 1994—with just 1,500 units officially imported to the United States.
Converting the Mercedes-Benz W124 mid-size chassis for the 500E was a manual affair. During assembly, the cars were manually pushed around the Porsche factory floor on rolling dollies. Each car took more than 18 days to complete. The two companies shared duties for design, development, modification, and production. At various stages of production, the cars were transported back and forth across Stuttgart between Mercedes and Porsche factories.
Porsche strengthened the W124 chassis and widened the standard transmission tunnel to fit the larger and heavier Mercedes-Benz 4,973cc aluminum block DOHC 32-valve V-8. Stampings from Mercedes-Benz and other suppliers were sent directly to Porsche so they could be hand welded onto the W124 chassis.
Super-Sleeper
“The 500E is a shockingly underrated automotive great,” writes Zac Estrada at Jalopnik. “There is absolutely nothing flamboyant about this car, and it really does look like any other W124…It takes a keen car enthusiast to see this isn’t just any sedan.”
The front and rear fenders were widened to accept the bigger tires and larger track of the 500E. The blown fenders combined with its lower stance give the car a sinister shark-like appearance. The 500E shared brakes, suspension, and other components with the groundbreaking new-at-the-time R129 Mercedes 500SL.
In 1992, when the car arrived in the United States, the price was set at $80,000—a big jump from the plebeian 300E’s $49,500 sticker. (The 500E is about $128,000 in today’s dollars.) Add a United States gas-guzzler tax of $2,600 and the total price pushed the four-door super sedan into very exclusive territory. Heavily laden with luxury features, the 500E came standard with heated Recaro sport seats, Becker radio/cassette/CD, driver and passenger airbags, traction control, ABS, an automatic rear sunshade, and a 155-MPH speed limiter.
Despite its lofty price, Mercedes-Benz lost money on each vehicle—due to the labor-intensive 18-day production cycle. But for Mercedes-Benz, this car was not about profit. It was a statement to the automotive world about dominance in the luxury high-performance segment.
Even by today’s high-horsepower standards, the car is still an impressive performer. The sedan is heavy yet nimble. The example on eBay Motors has 126,000 miles on the odometer, which is considered high-mileage for normal cars—but not for the 500E, which is built like a bank vault. The venerable V-8 M119 motor is bulletproof. The car currently wears factory Mercedes Evolution II 17 x 8.5 wheels and corresponding tires but thankfully the original factory wheels are included.
The 500E is a rare and desirable modern classic—and the one which listed on eBay Motors checks all the boxes.
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