Chassis No. WDB1240361C160623
At the Paris Motor Show in October 1990, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a midsize sedan powered by the 5.0-liter M119 V8 from its 500 SL roadster. Aimed squarely at BMW's M5, the 500 E could reach 62 mph in 6.1 seconds and run on to a limited 155 mph top speed. Only subtly flared fenders, a reshaped front apron, and a discreet trunk badge set it apart from the W124s waiting at taxi stations across Germany.
Mercedes-Benz's own engineers were consumed by the W140 S-Class, so Porsche was asked to take on the project, along with 90 percent of the development work. Building each car became a joint effort. Mercedes-Benz supplied the body panels, then handled paint and final inspection at Sindelfingen. Porsche built the bodies in its Reutter building in Zuffenhausen and completed the cars in its Rössle Bau, where the engines were installed. Shuttling between the two plants, every car took a remarkable 18 days to complete.
With the 1993 facelift, the 500 E became the E 500. In 1994, Mercedes-Benz marked the approaching end of production with the E 500 Limited, of which 951 were produced. Special Sapphire Black or Diamond Silver paint, sports suspension, and EVO II or eight-vent alloy wheels set it apart. The leather Recaro sports seats were trimmed with a distinctive patterned leather in Grey, Red, or Green, with the steering wheel, shifter knob, carpets, and even the document wallet color-coded to match. For all that, the factory brochure insisted the car was ''...first and foremost a Mercedes. Albeit a special one.''
This example was completed in June 1994, ordered through Mexico, and delivered on 7 July 1994. It is finished in Sapphire Black with a distinctive patterned Grey leather interior and black bird's-eye maple trim, riding on EVO II-design 17-inch alloy wheels. An electric tilting and sliding sunroof, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable steering column, and the Mercedes-Benz Exquisit radio round out its original specification.
Fewer than 1,000 were built, making the E 500 Limited one of the scarcest W124 variants. Its 315-horsepower V8 pulls hard and settles into a long-legged stride at highway speed. To anyone who knows what to look for, those flared fenders mark this wolf in sheep's clothing as something far more special than an ordinary E-Class.
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- VIN CodeWDB1240361C160623
