In the fall of 1990, Daimler-Benz proudly presented its latest W124 at the Paris Motor Show. The car, which at first glance might not differ much from a 5-year-old “taxi-Merci”. However, as you get closer to the car, or read the brochure, your eyes really open. The car on display is not just a simple facelift, and it is no coincidence that Porsche engineers can also be seen alongside Daimler engineers. This is a more powerful, wilder 124 Merc, the 500 E, modified in several details.
Problems in Sindelfingen
The 124 series was introduced in 1984. It was a mid-size luxury sedan, intended as a worthy successor to the W123, and was characterized by excellent engineering, durability, and timeless design. It was an extremely durable model, which was part of the Mercedes product range for more than 10 years and even today, 30 years later, you can still come across many examples if you keep your eyes open.
Its popularity is no coincidence, the model was available with a wide range of engines, so almost every market player found the right one for their purpose. From the very beginning, it was available with 2-liter and 2,3-liter 4-cylinder, and 2,6-liter and 3-liter 6-cylinder gasoline engines, but the diesel range was not left behind either, with 2-liter and 2,3-liter 4-cylinder, as well as 3-liter 6-cylinder versions available. Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that it was the most defining car of the luxury sedans of the time, and due to its sophistication, comfort, and elegance, many people began to compare the products of other manufacturers to this car. There was almost only one thing missing, but that became more and more apparent as time went on.
As the 90s approached, BMW began to gain a huge advantage with the 5 Series. The M5 was a powerful, fast, exciting choice for those who did not want to compromise on the altar of speed and comfort. Its in-line 6, 3,5-3,7 liter engine was capable of delivering 315-340 horsepower, and its top speed was only limited to 250 km/h because it was factory-limited. Even the most powerful 3-liter, 24-valve 124 available at the time could not compete with this model. Noticing the success of the M5 and the desire for such cars, the decision was made in Stuttgart: a stronger, higher-performance limousine must be built that could compete with the products of the Bavarian manufacturer. Moreover, a car was needed that still carried the elegance, comfort, and discretion characteristic of Mercedes.
The planning of the project started without any problems, as the engineers thought the dimensions and capabilities of the 124 series were just right for the new sports sedan. Moreover, the solution for the more powerful power unit was also available in-house, the M119 5-liter V8 engine, which the 500E inherited from the Sauber C9 racing car. In addition, it inherited several components (including the larger brakes) from the 500 SL, and there was almost only one thing missing for the project to be implemented. Capacity.
Problems in Zuffenhausen
Porsche had wanted to expand its product range in the 70s, namely with a sports car that would be positioned below the 911 series. They wanted to create a cheaper model that was accessible to more people, and this is how the 914, created together with Volkswagen, was first born. Although many of the cars were sold, the nose-engined 924, or the even later 944, did not achieve the set goals. By 1993, the situation had deteriorated to the point that Porsche's sales had fallen to 14 thousand units, which, considering the 1986 thousand units sold in 50, could have caused a huge stir within the Stuttgart company. In order to prevent the closure of several factories, Porsche also accepted orders from other manufacturers, including Daimler-Benz. They devoted almost their entire capacity to the development of the brand's latest flagship, the W140.
Is everything a given now?
So it happened that the Mercedes management entrusted Porsche with the design of the new, more powerful W124, the 500 E. Porsche fulfilled the agreement and made the necessary modifications to the 124 series. The car became 56 mm wider, thus making room for the larger engine and brakes. At the same time, the interior space was made a little tighter, with only 2 people in the back. This was necessary due to the installation of a larger differential. The engineers did not encounter any serious problems until they transferred the production of the model back to Mercedes, where it was immediately apparent that the redesigned, widened body would be too wide and would not fit on their own production line. As a result, Porsche played a notable role not only in the design of the model, but also in the production, as all 500 Es began to be assembled at Porsche's Zuffenhausen factory, and by hand. But if only it were that simple!
It is true that the assembly of the components, the final assembly and the start-up took place at Porsche's Zuffenhausen facility, but Daimler-Benz insisted that the intermediate painting and quality control be carried out at its Sindelfingen plant, for quality assurance reasons. This meant that each car had to be driven at least three times before it could "proudly receive the star" at the end.
Are you completely ready now?
The 500 E models produced had almost everything that was excellent and expensive at the time. This had its results, as, with the exception of the M5, almost no manufacturer or model could compete with it in its own category. The car's power output was 326 hp and 480 Nm, and its top speed was officially, like the M5, 250 km/h. Between 1990 and 1995, a little more than 10 thousand of them were sold, and the modern price of the early pieces was 134,250 German marks. This price swelled to 145,590 marks by the last year of production. Regarding the interior leather, the future owner could choose from such color options as black/black, black/light gray, black/red or black/green. In terms of rims, there were 2 options at idle: the typical 8-hole Mercs, or the alloy wheels inherited from the 190 EVO II. The model underwent a model update in 1993. The ones after 93 were available as E 500, and their design became a bit more modern, in line with the characteristics of other models of the time.
Those who found the factory 326 horsepower insufficient, however, did not have to worry. AMG did not back down with their hands raised in the case of this model either. The 60 cc engine of the modified models bearing the E6000 AMG name was already capable of delivering 381 horsepower and 580 Nm of torque. The price of V8 124s is constantly increasing, and although a 500 E in good condition can cost almost ten times as much as a 200D, the truly expensive pieces were and will be the rarest AMG pieces.
Written by: Áron Kecskeméti
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