Here’s What Made The W124 Mercedes 500E One Of The Best Sedans Ever Built – SlashGear

The Mercedes-Benz W124 answers the need for a more compact and fuel-efficient car that meets stringent U.S. fuel economy regulations. The series came with a slew of new and fuel-sipping four and six-cylinder engines, and Mercedes design director Bruno Sacco sculpted the W124’s boxy countenance to slice the wind effortlessly, making it one of the most aerodynamic production sedans in history.

But when it came to force-fitting the Mercedes SL’s M119 V8 into the W124 500E, the brand sought help from fellow German automaker Porsche to make it work. The folks at Porsche re-engineered the front frame rails, reinforced the firewall, relocated the front seats, and crash-tested the entire thing to ensure maximum safety.

Porsche

However, the changes made the 500E wider than a standard W124 sedan (also thanks to more extensive fender flares). So much so that it wouldn’t fit in Mercedes-Benz’s production line, so Porsche agreed to build the 500E and ship it back to Mercedes for a final inspection. Moreover, Porsche also shoehorned the SL’s suspension and brakes under the 500E.

However, the complicated and time-consuming build process made the W124 500E prohibitively expensive. Starting at about $89,000 in the early nineties, you’ll need a fat bank account or an obscene inheritance to afford a Mercedes-Benz 500E.