1998 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Sedan

Description

W210 was internal designation for a range of Mercedes-Benz executive cars manufactured and marketed under the E-Class model name in both sedan (1995-2002) and estate (1995-2003) configurations. Designed by Steve Mattin under design chief Bruno Sacco between 1989 and 1991, it was previewed at the 1993 Geneva Auto Show in March 1993. The W210 was the first Mercedes-Benz production car featuring Xenon headlamps (including dynamic headlamp range control, only low beam). This was the first time a V6 engine was offered (model year 1998) to replace the straight-six configuration (1995–1997). Other offerings were the E 420 (1997), E 430 (1998–2002), and the ultimate E 55 AMG (1998–2002).
There were four engines that AMG installed in the W210. The first was the E 36, M104.995, launched in 1996 for select markets, then the M119.980 in the E 50 AMG produced from early 1996 until late 1997. This model was assembled in Affalterbach under the one man-one engine philosophy and was only available in left hand drive European markets although many were exported to Japan from new. There was also an option for the M119.980 V8 that was bored out to 6.0L and increased power to 280 kW, and these were designated E 60 in both sedan and wagon varieties. A limited edition 6.3L version, also badged E 60 AMG were built in 1996, generating 298 kW. In 1998 came the M113 powered E 55 which used a 5.4L V8 SOHC 24V to produce 260 kW and 530 Nm of torque. The body styling on all W210 AMG models was the same until 2000, when a facelift and interior upgrades were implemented. The W210 E 55 was the last vehicle for which a major portion of production took place at AMG in Affalterbach, though some production was split with the Bremen Mercedes-Benz facility until the end of 2001.