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Origins (Late 1980s)

By the late 1980s, Mercedes-Benz wanted a high-performance version of its W124 E-Class that could compete with BMW’s M5. Instead of developing it entirely in-house, Mercedes partnered with Porsche—a collaboration that would become legendary.

Mercedes–Porsche Collaboration (1990–1995)

• Design & Engineering: Mercedes designed the car conceptually, but Porsche handled major engineering tasks including modifying the W124 chassis to fit the 5.0-liter V8 from the 500SL.
• Production: The car’s widened body and complex assembly required Porsche’s expertise.
  • Mercedes built the basic body.
  • Porsche modified and assembled the cars in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.
  • Final inspection happened back at Mercedes.

This “shuttle production” between factories meant each car took 18 days to complete.

Technical Highlights

• Engine: 5.0-liter M119 V8
  • ~326 hp (varied slightly by market and model year)
  • 0–100 km/h in about 5.5 seconds
• Chassis: Wider track, flared fenders, upgraded brakes and suspension.
• Appearance: Subtle and understated—deceptively ordinary except for its wider stance.

Launch and Reception

• Debuted in 1990, sold from 1991–1995.
• Known for combining supercar performance with luxury-sedan comfort.
• Nicknamed “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.”
• Extremely expensive new, making it rare even today (around 10,479 units produced).

Legacy

• Considered one of the greatest Mercedes performance sedans ever.
• Marked a high point of old-school, over-engineered Mercedes craftsmanship.
• The collaboration helped Porsche through a financially difficult period.
• Today, the 500E/E500 is a sought-after modern classic.

M113 V8 in an SL55

Acknowledge: By The Car Spy – Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG, CC BY 2.0

The Authors C63

I covered over 120,000 miles in this, almost faultless.

Mercedes V8 Hall of Fame

Engine	Capacity	Character	Reliability	BetterBangers
M100	6.3/6.9L	Monumental	★★★★☆	8/10
M119	4.2/5.0L	Sophisticated	★★★★☆	9/10
M113	4.3/5.0L	Smooth & durable	★★★★★	9/10
M113K	5.4L	Supercharged monster	★★★★☆	9.5/10
M156	6.2L	Naturally aspirated lunacy	★★★☆☆	9/10
M157	5.5L	Twin-turbo brute	★★★☆☆	8/10
M273	4.7/5.5L	Refined	★★★☆☆	7.5/10
M278	4.7L	Fast & sophisticated	★★★☆☆	7/10

Wikipedia

I have always been a fan of this source of information and when asked to contribute to the running and maintenance have willingly donated.

Bruno Sacco

Chief designer of Mercedes responsible for many models

Bruno Sacco (12 November 1933 – 19 September 2024) was an Italian-German automobile designer and chief engineer, who served as the head of styling at the Daimler-Benz AG, the German manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz automobiles and trucks, from 1975 to 1999. Since Bruno Sacco was hired as a Mercedes-Benz stylist in 1958, his career and contributions to their vehicles’ industrial design spanned more than four decades.

VANOS has been used on these engines by BMW:

• M50
• M52
• M62

Double VANOS:

• M52TU
• M54
• M56
• M62TU
• S54
• N52
• N62

Engine Code	Cylinders	Models
M50	Inline – 6	E34, E36, early Z3
M52	Inline – 6	E36, E39, Z3, E38
M62	V8	E39, E38, E31 8 series, E53(X5)
M52TU	Inline – 6	E36/7 Z3, E46, E39, E38
M54	Inline – 6	E36, E49, E65, E53, Z3/Z4
M56	Inline – 6	Z3 (USA only)
M62TU	V8	E39, E38, E31, E53
S54	Inline – 6	E46, Z3 M, Z4 M
N52	Inline – 6	E90, E60, E63, E65, E83, Z4
N62	V8	E60, E65, E63, X5, X6