Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a range of executive cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in various engine and body configurations produced since 1993. Prior to 1993, Mercedes-Benz offered the same category of car under a non-unified naming structure. The E initially stood for Einspritzmotor (German for fuel injection engine); a new feature in volume production vehicles at the time that the E-Class first appeared, with the E as a suffix to the engine nomenclature (e.g. 230E) in the 1960s. It was not until the launch of the facelifted W124 in 1993 that the E was used as a prefix (i.e., E 220) and the model referred to officially as the E-Class (or E-Klasse). At this time all Mercedes cars used fuel injection and the company felt it was no longer necessary to add this as a distinguishing feature. Due to the E-Class's size and durability, the cars also frequently serve as taxis in European and Asian countries. Mercedes-Benz also offers special-purpose vehicles (e.g., police or ambulance modifications) from the factory.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211)

The Mercedes-Benz W211 is a chassis designation for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, produced from 2002 through 2009. The W211 models replaced the W210 E-Class models and were superseded by the Mercedes-Benz W212 in 2009. The car was available in two body types: Sedan and Estate (Estate models were sold in Canada as Wagon).

The W219, sold as the CLS "4-door coupe", was introduced as a niche model in 2005, and is based on the W211's mechanical package.

Launched in 2002 for the 2003 model year, the W211 E-Class was another evolution of the previous model. Before North American sales began, the car was shown in the 2002 movie Men in Black II. The W211 development program commenced in 1997, with design work starting later on. The final designs were chosen in 1999 and German patents were later filed on December 18, 2000 utilizing an E500 prototype. Development ended in 2001 after 48 months of development at a total cost €2 billion euros. Pilot production went into testing in the summer of 2001, the W211 E-Class debut at the Brussels Motor in January 2002.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (C207)

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class (C207 and A207) are the respective coupé and convertible versions of the fourth generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class automobile. Sold since 2009 by Mercedes-Benz, the C207 and A207 replaced the previous C209/A209 CLK-Class models. Like the CLK-Class predecessor, the C207/A207 E-Class are derived from the C-Class. Sedan and station wagon models of the E-Class of the same vintage are built on their own platform and are known as the W212 and S212. The coupé and convertible share a more aggressive, swifter look than the sedan and saloon, with a more svelte front and a sleeker bonnet.

The C207 E-Class shares its platform with the W204 C-Class sedan. Therefore, wheelbases are identical, the axle tracks are within a tenth of an inch of each other, and are about two inches narrower than the front and rear tracks of the W212 E-Class sedan. While the W212 E-Class sedan is built at the Sindelfingen plant, the E-Class C207 coupe is built in the Bremen plant alongside the W204 C-Class. Mercedes-Benz is defensive about this relationship, clarifying the original media reports by announcing that the C207 shares approximately 60 percent of its mechanical components with the W212. However, this includes powertrain and other technologies that are shared with the E-Class but does not alter the fact that the fundamental structure is W204 derived. Motor Trend, along with other media outlets reported that the coupe "feels nothing like the new E-Class sedan" to drive. Mercedes-Benz actually intended for the C207/A207 to be called CLK, but moved over to the E-Class name later on.