The W124 Mercedes 500E was the world's most perfect sedan | Revelations with Jason Cammisa | Ep. 05

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Porsche-built W124 Mercedes 500E, and Jason explains why the 500E and E500 was NOT a Porsche sports sedan with a Mercedes badge. First off, there's not a single Porsche part on the car.

Porsche Engineering Services helped with reengineering the W124's engine compartment to fit in the 32-valve, 4-cam M119 V-8 — for both the 400E and the 500E.

But the 500E doesn't use the same V-8 as the 500SL. It needed shorter connecting rods so that it fit in the same physical space as the 4.2-liter 400E — this way only one structural variant needed to be produced.

The 400E was a response to the Lexus LS400. Why do you think it wasn't called a 420E?

Porsche also did the engineering to bolt up wheels, tires, brakes, and suspension components from the wider and heavier R129 500SL and W124 500SEL. That necessitated fender flares so wide that the 500E didn't fit down the regular W124 production line in Sindelfingen.

For both models, Porsche performed the physical modifications to Mercedes-built W124 chassis, and sent them back to Sindelfingen for paint. The 400E remained there, but because of its width, the 500E was sent back to Porsche, which assembled the 500E at a second Zuffenhausen factory.

With Bruno Sacco's revolutionary looks, aerodynamics, obsession with safety, and Mercedes build quality and engineering might, the W124 was certainly among the best (and most expensive) sedans in the world.

Still is. It's close to perfect. But it's not a Porsche Sports Sedan.

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[tinkukuty]

"This is a car from back when Mercedes engineers outranked Mercedes accountants" - That hit me real hard being an Automotive Engineer :(

[Solanza]

Been driving a w124 300D as my daily car for about 20 years now, sitting at nearly 700 thousand km.
All I can say is that she'll be driven at least another 20 years.
Best car ever.

[svrin]

My father owned one…one of the first to arrive in Greece… I got it 15 years ago from him. It’s my only car, still. I can surely say that this piece of engineering is the HIGHLANDER of cars…

[detonator]

Bruno Sacco is a genius. W124, R129 and W140 are absolute pinnacles of modern Mercedes-Benz.

[mukunimulundika]

My Dad had this car and he was so proud, so was I.
My best memory with my Dad is him picking me up abruptly from my Mum's house and us driving from Lusaka Zambia to Harare Zimbabwe for the weekend.
He had a business there. He was a pilot so he drove expertly and fast. It was like I was on a very expensive, air conditioned and cushiony rollercoaster ride. With Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie, Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston blasting through the cassette radio.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel and were woken up by the sounds of motorcycles and police sirens. I went to the balcony and President Mugabe's motorcade was going down the street. 10 or more of this very Mercedes speeding by, with outriders stretching as far as the eye could see.
Great memory surrounding this car.
I was about 8 or 9 years old.

[clausalbk]

This is some of the finest youtube'ing I've ever seen.

[Speter]

I think it's still one of the most beautiful "modern" Mercedes ever made, together with the 190 EVO 2.

[OfentseMwaseFilms]

This popped up on my feed, an I just couldn’t stop watching! What an incredible piece of machinery.

[rezaasghari]

Jason Camissa is hands down one of the greatest automotive journalists I have seen in a very long time. Thank you for this series.

[williamwackerhagen]

I've loved the creation of the W124 since I was a kid in Germany when it was introduced in late 1984 as a 1985 Upper-Mid Class Car. This particular Car was the beginning of the insane one up- man-ship between Mercedes-Benz and BMW in that segment much as previously the Battle between the W201 Baby Benz 190E Evolution and the BMW M3. I remember when Automotive Journalists compared the cost of the (C124) AMG Mercedes Hammer's Brakes to the entire cost of an M5 (E34) just to make a point to the reader about the intensity of this rivalry. When AMG gets involved BMW used to benefit from Schnitzer or Alpina getting involved for an attempt to settle the scores. Anyone here remember Opel's Omega getting the Lotus Treatment that resulted in a creation that could outperform even the 500E? It could do 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and come close to the 285km/h mark.

It's time we change the way we measure performance and focus on 0 - 160 or 0 - 200 as almost everybody can build you a Car that can do 0-100 in under 3 seconds.
I miss the 80s when all this was going on! I remember the yellow 911 Turbo S in 1987 that could beat a 747 from 0 - 250 km/h. Another milestone I reminisce about.

[adanreinosa]

Excellent. Thank you. As a Mechanical Engineer I appreciate the beauty of the W124 design in form and function...my 1991 300e at 451k miles shrugs off aches, rides like a tank, starts at one shot, delivers good MPG, never stranded, and people start asking me in Los Angeles freeways: Want to sell it??...an emphatic and nice NO is always classic indeed....nice video !!

[jcollins]

When I was a kid (I’m 45) MB were really the top of the line. They had a reputation of being built like tanks with indestructible engines. I think you nailed it when you said today they’re built by accountants not engineers. Well done video!

[cessealbeach]

My Dad had the 300E 1986, He bought it brand new, This car is indeed the perfect 4 door sedan, built like a tank, straight 6 engine, german engineering at it's finest, very comfortable ride, My dad donated the car in 2015 with 267K miles . Lots of memories

[fariedjohnstone]

From a lifelong Mercedes-Benz fan, this is the best video I've ever watched!

[irnluns]

Was raised in Germany and this car is an ICON to me 🥰

[Thermosmcjug]

Who directs/edits these? Absolutely deadly work - this is how you capture a host who can carry a show. I promise, I don't usually get this excited.

[Anirossa]

I am a mechanical engineer student and I adore these old German sedans, I have two E34s, a Granada, and I would love to have such an iconic car as the 500E one day, they truly don't make them like they used to anymore.

[mackavely]

Jason, you're gifted in storytelling. Can you please do a part two with the W201 and it's EVO versions... Please ?

[TheAwakez]

these videos are so necessary, people need to know a little bit of history behind these iconic models! well done sir, well done.

[gluyh]

Including the little driving footage I was desperately waiting for at the end made this video a 10/10 for me.