Following the debut of the 1970s generation W116 (which also included the flagship Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9), Mercedes-Benz began plans for the next-generation S-Class model. Codenamed “project W126,” the project had specific goals: an improved ride, better handling, and improved fuel efficiency. These improvements were aimed at helping retain the S-Class’ market leadership as the world’s best-selling prestige luxury sedan. Following the 1970s oil crisis, Mercedes-Benz had made fuel efficiency an especially pertinent goal (named “Energy Program”), even in the large V8 engined versions of the S-Class.
In terms of the body design, the objective of the W126 design team, led by Mercedes-Benz’s Bruno Sacco, was to produce a car that was sleeker and more aerodynamic (and thus lighter and faster) than the previous model. The application of lighter materials and alloys combined with thorough wind tunnel testing (to reduce overall drag) meant the car consumed about 10% less fuel than its predecessor; the maximum speed was also increased (250 km/h in the most powerful model).
After six years of development, the W126 was formally introduced at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (International Motor Show, or IAA) in Frankfurt on September 1979. The initial lineup featured seven models in standard (SE, SD) and long (SEL, SDL) wheelbase sedan body styles: the 280 SE/SEL, 380 SE/SEL, 500 SE/SEL and 300 SD. Technically, the long wheelbase (SEL) variants were codenamed V126, but this was not popularly known. In 1981, the coupe version (SEC) of the W126 S-Class premiered at the IAA with the 500 SEC model. In 1981, Wheels Magazine selected the W126 model 380 SE as its Car of the Year.
Four years after the introduction of the fuel-efficiency “Energy Program,” the model range had been reworked completely. In September 1985, again at the IAA in Frankfurt, the reworked model range was reintroduced. Apart from visual changes to the bumpers, side covers and alloys, the changes made to the available collection of engine variants was most visible. Two newly-constructed 6 cylinder engines and a new 4.2L V8 were added, and other engines were further upgraded.
The W126 generation was replaced by the W140 in 1992, although a satellite factory in South Africa is known to have continued production until 1994.
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The 2009 A-Class features redesigned front and rear bumpers, new tail lamps and headlights, new grille, new exterior mirrors, a restyled interior design and new upholsteries and colors. The 2009 A-Class was released alongside the refreshed 2009 M-Class and B-Class.
A four-day, seven-country tour which officially introduced the car culminated in an event in Milan, in the Castello Sforzesco, where all the touring units were received by a myriad of European personalities from music, fashion, sport and movies. Armani presented a fashion show and Christina Aguilera did a live performance of her song “Hello”, composed exclusively for the occasion.
The W169 advertising campaign included television spots with Christina Aguilera, Giorgio Armani and Boris Becker.
Sales of the W169 were targeted at 50,000 units in 2004. Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, said that target had been reached even before vehicles arrived in dealer showrooms.
DaimlerChrysler invested EUR 900 million in developing the Rastatt plant where the A-Class is produced, and created 1600 new jobs (for a total of 4700). A further 600 people work on the industrial estate at the plant site.
In 1999, Mercedes Benz opened, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Brazil), its first factory in South America dedicated to passenger cars, with an investment of USD 840 million and 10,000 employees. The factory initially produced A-Class and C-Class models, assembling them from pieces manufactured in Germany. The target for the cars was regional markets (from Argentina to Mexico) with modifications made to the cars to suit local conditions, like a protection for the motor base for the mostly poor roads in South America. In 2005 the factory stopped production of A-Class cars.
Mercedes-Benz has made a number of confusing announcements – first that a “weak Euro” could have produce costs problems and later that the “fall of the Dollar” will cause the enterprise to not be profitable.
According to some analyses, Mercedes-Benz considers the creation of the A-Class to have reduced its prestige in Europe, and the company has concentrated its efforts on its larger and more profitable vehicle lines.
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How was Mercedes’ compact sedan developed? This second part shows the car’s testing…its safety and its durability.
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How was Mercedes’ compact sedan developed? This last episode shows the aerodynamical excellence of the new C-Class, including the patented world-first rear light units. The car is further tested until the team is satisfied with the product and production commences.
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The Mercedes-Benz C215 is a luxury four seater coupé produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz between 1999 and 2006. It was sold under the CL-Class model name. The W215 replaced the previous Mercedes-Benz C140 CL-Class/S-Class coupés after 1998. It was produced from 2000 to 2003 then facelifted from 2003-2006.
CL500: 5.0 litre V8 producing 306 bhp (228 kW/310 PS). Top Speed = 130 mph (210 km/h) (limited)
CL600 (’99-’02): 6.0 litre V12 producing 367 bhp (274 kW/372 PS). Top speed = 130 mph (limited)
CL600 (’02-’06): 5.5 litre V12 Bi-Turbo producing 500 bhp (373 kW/507 PS). Top Speed = 130 mph (limited)
CL55 AMG (’00-’02): 5.5 litre V8 producing 365 bhp (272 kW/370 PS). Top Speed = 155 mph (limited)
CL55 AMG (’02-’06): 5.5 litre Supercharged V8 producing 500 bhp (373 kW/507 PS). Top speed= 155 mph (limited)
CL65 AMG: 6.0 litre V12 Bi-Turbo producing 612 bhp (456 kW/620 PS). Top Speed = 155 mph (limited)
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The R170-platform SLK 230 Kompressor was introduced in 1997 for model year 1998 to compete with the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z3. Setting it apart was its folding hardtop, though its additional weight detracting from the performance of the 185 hp 2.3 L supercharged I4 engine and automatic transmission. The SLK was on Car and Driver’s Ten Best list for 1997.
A 5-speed manual transmission was added for 1999 along with the 215 hp 3.2 L V6 and 6-speed manual transmission in the 2001 SLK 320.
An AMG model was added in 2001, with a 354 hp (264 kW) supercharged version of the 3.2 L V6. This SLK 32 AMG was the best-performing SLK ever, and was a direct rival of the BMW M Roadster and Porsche Boxster S. It is only offered with automatic transmission. The SLK AMG engine is also hand built.
Not all Mercedes SLKs were built in Bremen, Germany, the SLK 320 being built in South Africa. The very first R170 Mercedes SLK was completed on January 29, 1997 and last on April 7, 2004.
Summary of all versions and engine specifications:
R170 Pre-facelift
· SLK 200 – 2.0 L (1998 cc) 136 hp I4 engine, 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 9.3 seconds, top speed of 208 km/h (129 mph). NB Exported only to Portugal, Italy and Greece.
· SLK 200 Kompressor – 2.0 L (1998 cc) 192 hp I4 supercharged engine, 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.7 seconds, top speed of 236 km/h (147 mph).
· SLK 230 Kompressor – 2.3 L (2295 cc) 193 hp I4 supercharged engine, 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.4 seconds, top speed of 231 km/h (143 mph).
R170 With Facelift
· SLK 200 Kompressor – 2.0 L (1998 cc) 163 hp I4 supercharged engine, 0-60 mph in 8.2 seconds, top speed of 223 km/h (138 mph). NB Not exported to North American markets.
· SLK 230 Kompressor – 2.3 L (2295 cc) 197 hp I4 supercharged engine, 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds, top speed of 240 km/h (148 mph).
· SLK 320 – 3.2 L (3199 cc) 218 hp V6 engine, 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, top speed of 245 km/h (152 mph).
· SLK 32 AMG – 3.2 L (3199 cc) 354 hp V6 engine with “twin-screw” supercharger. Production commenced in August 2000 and ended in March 2004.
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The second generation C-Class was introduced in 2000, with a sportier look than the previous generations, with a steeper front-end and shorter rear-end. The styling cues were similar to that of the W220 S-Class. The sedan debuted with a range of straight-four and V6 gasoline engines and straight-four and straight-five Diesels. Most of the engines were carried over from the W202, but the C 320 was exclusive, offering 218 hp, also the C240 now had 2597 cc but output was unchanged at 170 hp. The diesels now featured common rail direct injection and variable geometry turbochargers. Six-speed manual gearboxes were now standard for nearly the entire range (except the C320 and C 270 CDI). For the first time, the number designations were no longer equivalent to the engine displacement, more specifically in the C 180 (2.0 L), C 240 (2.6 L) and C 200 CDI (2.2 L).
In 2001, Mercedes increased the range, with the introduction of the new T-Modell station wagon and Sportcoupé. The Sportcoupé was a three-door liftback made to counter the BMW Compact, but like its competitor, it proved unpopular with the younger buyers it was targeted towards, due to high prices compared to the lower entry-level models it was competing against, and unfavorable exchange rates. Although removed from the North American lineup in 2005, it continued on sale in other markets. From October 2000 until 2007, a total of 230,000 Sportcoupés were built in the Bremen factory and in Brazil[1]. In Canada, it was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz B-Class. A new family of supercharged four cylinder engines, dubbed M271, also debuted. All of them used the same 1.8 L engine, with different designations according to horsepower levels, including a version powered by natural gas. The 193 PS(142 kW/190 hp) C 230K was initially available only in the Sportcoupé. 4MATIC four wheel drive versions were also offered for the C 240 and C 320.
The C-Class was refreshed in early 2004. In this year, the interior styling was changed in all three body styles. Different taillights were added to the Sportcoupé and several all-new M272 and OM642 V6 engines were introduced later in the year. These were available in both petrol and diesel configuration, ranging between 2.5 L and 3.5 L, and the three-valve twin spark design was replaced by the more standard four-valve design, now with variable valve timing. The C 350 could now reach 272 PS (200 kW/268 hp), while the C 320 CDI was good for 224 PS (165 kW/221 hp). In addition, these engines also received the new seven-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission as optional, the diesel four cylinder’s power was slightly increased, and a more economical naturally-aspirated 1.8 L (C 160) was added to the Sportcoupé lineup.
The C-Class is arguably one of the most popular automobiles in its class in many of the European markets. The second generation was for a long time after its release the second most popular new car in the German market, right after the Volkswagen Golf, and in 2002 it achieved success in the field of safety by scoring the maximum five stars in a EuroNCAP crash test. In the United States, the C-Class automobiles are the least expensive of the Mercedes-Benz lineup as the A-Class was not imported there. However the W203 C-Class did acquire a poor reputation for reliability compared to other Mercedes-Benz models, an area which was targeted for improvement in the replacement model.
The last W203 C-Class sedan was produced on December 14, 2006 at the Sindelfingen plant, after almost 630,000 units of the sedan were produced.
By the revision of the C-Class in 2005, C 32 AMG was also replaced, giving way to a new 5.5 L naturally-aspirated V8-powered C 55 AMG. This was an evolution of the V8 engine found in the previous E-Class, with power raised to 367 PS (270 kW/362 hp) at 5750 rpm and torque climbing to 510 Nm (376 ft•lbf) at 4000 rpm. Unlike the less-powerful V6s and V8s in the rest of the Mercedes-Benz lineup, it continues to use Speedshift five-speed automatic. Though maximum speed is still limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) and 4.9 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is not improved, this model is considered the sportiest AMG model in the C-Class history before the recent release of the W204 (third generation) C63 AMG.
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The first generation W202 C-Class was introduced in 1993, as a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W201 (190), and proved immensely popular, quickly becoming Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling class of vehicles worldwide. Much of its popularity was accredited to the lower pricing point, when compared to other Mercedes-Benz models. The C-Class sedan was the company’s entry-level model up until 1997, when Mercedes launched the A-Class supermini. Styling themes were carried over from the previous W201 series, but the new series had a smoother and rounder design than the previous generation of compact Mercedes.
On its debut, the C-Class was the only Mercedes model with a complete lineup of multivalve engines. The new family of four cylinder petrol units, called M111, debuted in the C 180 (1.8 L, 122 PS (120 hp/90 kW)), C 200 (2.0 L, 136 PS (134 hp/100 kW) and C 220 (2.2 L, 150 PS (148 hp/110 kW), the only four cylinder of the range sold in the U.S.). In 1996 the C 220 was replaced by the C 230, enlarged to 2.3 L displacement but with the same output, although with torque increased to 220 N•m (162 ft•lbf). . The top of the range was the C 280, with a four-valve-per-cylinder straight-6 engine, capable of reaching 193 PS (190 hp/142 kW).
Four cylinder diesel models were equipped with the same OM601 engine of the 190, in the 2.0 L and 2.2 L versions. Many of these diesel variants were sold as taxis, due to their low fuel consumption and strong reliability. There were also more powerful five cylinder engines (OM605) which were available in naturally aspired (C 250 D) and turbocharged (C 250 TD) forms. The Turbodiesel was introduced in 1995 and is one of the novelties in the engine range available from this year. The most important was a supercharged version of the M111 straight four, the C 230 Kompressor, using a Roots-type supercharger to generate 193 PS (190 hp/142 kW) at 5300 rpm: Mercedes-Benz reused supercharger technology after 50 years. Due to Italian and Portugese car tax rules, export models in Portugal and Italy featured a supercharged version of the smaller 2.0 L (C 200 Kompressor), which had a similar output of the C 230 Kompressor.
With the 1997 restyling, a lot of things changed under the hood of the Baby Benz. The most important innovation was the OM611, the first turbodiesel engine equipped with a Common rail direct injection system (co-developed with Bosch). The new model was named C 220 CDI, and had an output improvement of 30 PS compared with the C 220 Diesel, better fuel average and lower emissions. Another revolution regarded six cylinder engines: the legendary straight six were replaced by an all new family of V6. These new engines, the M112, featured SOHC heads instead of the previous DOHC, three valves per cylinder, instead of four, and twin sparkplugs. So the four cylinder C 230 was replaced by the C 240 (2.4 L) and the I6 C 280 by the V6 C 280. These changes theoretically reduced emissions and fuel consumption without sacrificing power (the C 280 in fact had a slight 4 PS increase with the change).
W202s exported in North American market included the C 220 (later replaced by the C 230 and C 240), C 280 (both I6 and V6) and the AMG variants. It was launched in the U.S. in 1994 and differed from Euro-spec models due to a third stop light, no specific trim levels and side lights at the end of the front turn signals.
In 1997, the C-Class was given a small midlife freshening, with new darker rear lights and new wheel rims as well as subtle interior trim changes, especially the door mouldings. Front and rear bumpers also changed in shape for a more modern, even sporty, look.
In 1995, the C-Class received its first genuine performance model, the C 36 AMG, to counter the new six-cylinder BMW M3. Developed with AMG, the tuning house that had now become a subsidiary of Daimler-Benz, it had a racing-tuned suspension (lowered by 25 mm (1 in)) and in the USA, a four-speed automatic gearbox, followed by a standard five-speed automatic gearbox with Tiptronic function in 1996. The 3.6 L engine had a maximum output of 280 PS (276 hp/206 kW) at 5750 rpm and 385 N•m (284 ft•lbf) at 4000 rpm. Top speed was electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). A total of 5200 C 36 AMGs were produced.
In 1998 AMG developed a new flagship for the C-Class, the C 43 AMG, powered by a smoother 4.3 L V8, which could now achieve 306 PS (302 hp/225 kW) at 5850 rpm, with a torque of 410 N•m (302 ft•lbf) at 3250 rpm. It was also available as a station wagon. 4200 AMG units were produced, with only 25 C 43 vehicles of the 2000 model year imported to the US. This vehicle bears four gear assembly each side by side to impart better fuel efficiency & performance.
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The Mercedes-Benz W211 series entered production in 2002. They are sold under the E-Class model names. The W211 models replaced the W210 E-Class models.
The W211 E-Class continues the line’s push upmarket. The W211-based W219 CLS-Class was new for 2005. In 2001 Mercedes made a facelift for the W210 which began the launch of the W211. Although this was a complete facelift for the sedan, the wagon retains the rear of the W210 vehicles, except that it is slightly more rounded.
Current (MY 08′) E-Class Saloons (Sedans) and Estates (wagon) variants All prices are MSRP for cars sold in the US market. Those sold in other part of the world only will be priced by the starting MSRP in Germany (due to the full range of available engines there) in Euros as well as in British Pounds. Engine size is listed in CC (cubic centimetre). Figures are for automatic transmition models only, however manuals are available on most models. Models are available in Estate (or T-modell) variants.
The E63 AMG is a new model for 2007 offered in Sedan and Wagon body styles. It features an AMG designed and built 6,208-cc, DOHC, 32-valve V-8. This engine has a high-pressure die-cast alloy cylinder block with twin-wire arc spray coated running surfaces. It develops net horse power of 507 hp (378 kW) @ 6,800 rpm and net torque 465 lb·ft (630 N·m) @ 5,200 rpm. Compression ratio is 11.3:1. According to many auto journalists, the E63 AMG is the quickest production sports sedan in the world. Both the Sedan and Wagon reach 60 mph (100 km/h) from a stanstill in 4 seconds flat. The main reason for the power upgrade from the E55 AMG is directly related to BMW’s introduction of the 500 hp (370 kW) M5, and the release of the 2007 Audi RS6, boasting in excess of 550 hp (410 kW).
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The Mercedes-Benz W211 series entered production in 2002. They are sold under the E-Class model names. The W211 models replaced the W210 E-Class models.
The W211 E-Class continues the line’s push upmarket. The W211-based W219 CLS-Class was new for 2005. In 2001 Mercedes made a facelift for the W210 which began the launch of the W211. Although this was a complete facelift for the sedan, the wagon retains the rear of the W210 vehicles, except that it is slightly more rounded.
Current (MY 08′) E-Class Saloons (Sedans) and Estates (wagon) variants All prices are MSRP for cars sold in the US market. Those sold in other part of the world only will be priced by the starting MSRP in Germany (due to the full range of available engines there) in Euros as well as in British Pounds. Engine size is listed in CC (cubic centimetre). Figures are for automatic transmition models only, however manuals are available on most models. Models are available in Estate (or T-modell) variants.
The E63 AMG is a new model for 2007 offered in Sedan and Wagon body styles. It features an AMG designed and built 6,208-cc, DOHC, 32-valve V-8. This engine has a high-pressure die-cast alloy cylinder block with twin-wire arc spray coated running surfaces. It develops net horse power of 507 hp (378 kW) @ 6,800 rpm and net torque 465 lb·ft (630 N·m) @ 5,200 rpm. Compression ratio is 11.3:1. According to many auto journalists, the E63 AMG is the quickest production sports sedan in the world. Both the Sedan and Wagon reach 60 mph (100 km/h) from a stanstill in 4 seconds flat. The main reason for the power upgrade from the E55 AMG is directly related to BMW’s introduction of the 500 hp (370 kW) M5, and the release of the 2007 Audi RS6, boasting in excess of 550 hp (410 kW).
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