1992 Mercedes 500e- Porsche Built on 2040-cars

In 1990, Mercedes decided to develop a high performance version of their successful 300E model which debuted in 1986. Porsche was contracted to engineer the modifications necessary to transform an ordinary 300E into the very special 500E. However, the extensive modifications to the floor and external sheetmetal meant the 500E could not easily be built on the normal assembly line at the busy Mercedes Sindelfingen plant. So, Mercedes also called upon Porsche to perform the assembly of the 500E at Porsche's Rossle-Bau plant in Zuffenhausen. The contract called for 8 to 12 500Es per day, 2400 per year, built to the highest quality.

During the 1992-1994 production run, Porsche's Rossle-Bau facility was operated by Old World standards: cars were built on wheeled pallets and were moved by hand from station to station as they were assembled. Electric spot welding was also done mostly by hand. This process is a major reason why I would place a special value on the 500E, as no other modern-day Mercedes has received so much care in assembly and quality control.

Each 500E started life at the Rossle-Bau plant where the basic body shell was completed, including doors, trunk, and hood, and then transported on special trucks to the Mercedes Sindelfingen plant across town. There, the body was corrosion-proofed and painted, giving it the full measure of rust protection and allowing customers to choose from the entire palette of Mercedes colors. Then each 500E went back to the Porsche plant for more assembly. Engines, transmissions, and other major mechanicals were assembled by Mercedes and shipped to Porsche for installation. Then another trip across town, back to Mercedes, where each 500E received a final inspection before delivery or export. On average, it took 18 days to build each 500E, much of which was consumed by transportation time.

Porsche's modifications to the original 300E included splaying-out and reinforcing the frame rails, widening the driveshaft tunnel, modifying the front axle crossmember and other engine bay components to accept the 5-liter 322-hp V8 engine that was also specified for the 500SL at that time and weighed 70 lbs more than the 300E's inline-6 engine. The heavy duty battery was moved to the trunk to achieve an ideal 50:50 weight balance with two occupants and 175 lb of luggage aboard. 500SL-sourced wishbone suspension pieces and steering linkages were reinforced to accomodate the 500E's increased weight. The 500E stands nearly an inch lower than the 300E due to shorter and stiffer springs with plastic buffers and gas pressurized shock absorbers with internal damping springs. A hydraulic self-leveling suspension is standard equipment. 11.8-inch vented disc brakes in the front were sourced from the 300CE, and the 10.9-inch vented rear discs were the same as the 500SL. Wider wheels and tires resulted in a 1.5-inch wider track, and the wheel well fenders were flared out to better accomodate the extra width.

While the 500E's engine was the same M119 V8 used in the 500SL, the 500E was specified with Bosch LH Jetronic fuel injection (the 500SL used KE Jetronic) and a redesigned intake manifold with longer runners that resulted in an additional 22 lb-ft of torque, developing a maximum 354 lb-ft at 3900 rpm.

To handle the extra horsepower and torque, the 500E's 4-speed automatic transmission was sourced from the 500SL model, as well as its rear axle that used a 2.82:1 differential to fully exploit the V8's torque. ASR traction control was standard and no defeat switches were provided by the factory (aftermarket defeat switches are available, however). Like all other Mercedes transmissions at that time, the default starting gear was 2nd, presumably to ensure smooth acceleration. There were two ways to force a start in 1st gear: either floor the gas pedal, which resulted in a less-than-smooth kickdown, or by moving the gear selector down and over to B, then back to D (this tricked the gearbox into starting off in 1st, regardless of throttle position).

Factory performance figures were 0-to-60 mph in 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. With the standard ASR, most real-world acceleration runs produced 6.0 to 6.2 second results. With ASR defeated via aftermarket equipment, sub-6 second times would be more reliably achieved. The 155 mph top speed was electronically limited, in accordance with the Audi/BMW/Mercedes agreement to avoid escalating top speed wars.

Purchased in 2005 with @57,689 miles

3rd Owner

Original paint except for the roof, which I had re-sprayed in March of this year. The clear coat was getting cloudy. Many major repairs and preventative maintenance done during my ownership. I have an extensive file of most of the repairs and receipts. Factory steering wheel included along with an original Bergwerks First Gear Start module (new & uninstalled). Here's a partial list of some of the major items:

-BBS RSII Wheels- Fronts are 18x8.5 ET22, Rears are 18x10 ET20
Refinished 3/14, No curb rash
-Kumho Tires- 235/40/18, 275/35/18, Fronts 75%, Rears 95%
-New Grill insert and shell- 3/2014
-New IAT sensor-5/2014
-Transmission rebuild 12/2013
-Rear main seal 12/2013
-New driveshaft flex discs 12/2013
-Power Steering hose 12/2013
-Ignition switch and cylinder 12/2013
-New Behr Radiator 4/2014
-New front rotors and pads 5/2014
-New drivers side ignition coil 4/2014
-Upper and Lower Wiring Harness @70K
-Throttle Body Actuator replaced @70K
-EGR replaced @70K
-Blower motor replaced @120K
-Rear Accumulators @100K