For Sale at Auction: 1995 Mercedes-Benz 500 in Las Vegas, Nevada

Chassis No. WDB1240361C160623

At the Paris Motor Show in October 1990, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a midsize sedan powered by the 5.0-liter M119 V8 from its 500 SL roadster. Aimed squarely at BMW's M5, the 500 E could reach 62 mph in 6.1 seconds and run on to a limited 155 mph top speed. Only subtly flared fenders, a reshaped front apron, and a discreet trunk badge set it apart from the W124s waiting at taxi stations across Germany.

Mercedes-Benz's own engineers were consumed by the W140 S-Class, so Porsche was asked to take on the project, along with 90 percent of the development work. Building each car became a joint effort. Mercedes-Benz supplied the body panels, then handled paint and final inspection at Sindelfingen. Porsche built the bodies in its Reutter building in Zuffenhausen and completed the cars in its R�ssle Bau, where the engines were installed. Shuttling between the two plants, every car took a remarkable 18 days to complete.

With the 1993 facelift, the 500 E became the E 500. In 1994, Mercedes-Benz marked the approaching end of production with the E 500 Limited, of which 951 were produced. Special Sapphire Black or Diamond Silver paint, sports suspension, and EVO II or eight-vent alloy wheels set it apart. The leather Recaro sports seats were trimmed with a distinctive patterned leather in Grey, Red, or Green, with the steering wheel, shifter knob, carpets, and even the document wallet color-coded to match. For all that, the factory brochure insisted the car was "...first and foremost a Mercedes. Albeit a special one."

This example was completed in June 1994, ordered through Mexico, and delivered on 7 July 1994. It is finished in Sapphire Black with a distinctive patterned Grey leather interior and black bird's-eye maple trim, riding on EVO II-design 17-inch alloy wheels. An electric tilting and sliding sunroof, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable steering column, and the Mercedes-Benz Exquisit radio round out its original specification.

Fewer than 1,000 were built, making the E 500 Limited one of the scarcest W124 variants. Its 315-horsepower V8 pulls hard and settles into a long-legged stride at highway speed. To anyone who knows what to look for, those flared fenders mark this wolf in sheep's clothing as something far more special than an ordinary E-Class.