NorseWagon

# 265 : Delete Elegance Badging

What the h... does that mean.?
Got the regular E-500/4Matic badge on the tail.

Got the Standard plus #326 Premium Package plus a few others 531, 890, etc.

Also: 167: Standard Non Sport.
So, Not getting the Sport package is Optional..

amdeutsch

No. In ROW cars are badged differently than in the US. All that means is that you have the luxury version. That little badge is on the rub strip on the front fender in front of the front doors in ROW.

NorseWagon

Huh...?

What is ROW cars? And what is the "Luxury" version?
As opposed to the "Regular" E-500..?

Different badging and versions in Europe then?

Barry45RPM

ROW =Rest Of the World. Cars in each country are badged differently from country to country than US Spec cars. Each Country's importer/distributor of the MB product specifies how they want their cars to be made available. (No RWD cars for Canada... only 4WD, Metric Speedos, etc.) Every possible add on to the vehicle has a numerical code as well as do special request deletions, so that build orders are concise, and NOT in plain language. Everyone understands a number, but words from foreign countries can be confusing.

Look for a 03 Brochure, and you will see that a Sport Version in 2003 had "SPORT" on the small piece of body side moulding just forward of the front door even in the US. They stopped doing that after 03. MBUSA sets the specs/badging/available options for the USA market from all of the possible configurations that MB can assemble in Germany. For instance, we cant get a fabric interior or a manual transmission in the US, and our smallest engine is a 350. Not so in the ROW.

So on yiour car, MB Germany (The REAL MB) is deleting that badge per MBUSAs request. In the ROW the trim levels are denoted by such terms as "SE" or "Avantgarde" which would be rediculous here so they arent used.

There is no "Regular" version. the car in the US is either a Sport or Luxury "version", having to do with how it was equipped with certain option packages at the factory. Check a Brochure for particulars.

NorseWagon

I did:
Have the 2004 brochure as it relates to my car and still got confused on the Sport/Luxury/Regular.

Don't have the 2003 brochure you mentioned so I can't see the Sport badge.

Thanks for the info, have heard Avantgarde on this forum a few times and guessed it was other countries (ROW)

Barry45RPM

No "Regular". Just Sport & Luxury.

NorseWagon

[QUOTENo Regular. Just Sport & Luxury. ][/QUOTE]
I know, attempt @ dry humor..

Since ya are a former owner of the E-500 and present owner of a E-550,
how much difference in performance?

What was your first impressions when you took delivery of the 550?

Pretty much "same-same" OR worth every penny of difference in dough?

Just curious, but a bit of moot point since there is no E-550 Wagons out there that I could put my hands on, and I can't do with a Sedan.

Barry45RPM

A totally different car. The 550s performance compares very favorably against the w210 E55. That's how much of a difference! Its got all the performance anyone over 25 could ask for. All of the crappy problems have been exorcised out of the car.

I liked the color combo of my 04 500 better (Pewter/Stone) but by 2007 Stone had been dropped in favor of Cashmere for the interior and I felt that Cashmere didnt go well with Pewter, so I chose Ash (Grey) and Granite. I chose the gray interior because I thought that with the mandatory (at the time) Black wood that comes with the Sport Package, it went better with the Gray than the Black or Cashmere.

I didn't change cars just to have the newest & latest, but rather because of all the repair problems and down time with the 04 E500. I got to where I couldn't stand the car... I loved the car, it hated me.

All of the grunt & engine power is available at very low revs, so its right there from the moment you press on the accelerator. Again... I wouldn't have dumped the '04, but since I had to, the '07 was a fantastic reward.

NorseWagon

Good info, thanks Mr. Barry....

K-A

With the W211, in the U.S; "Luxury" is basically the Standard Version ("Elegance", or whatever it should be called), and any Sport variation is noted as an "Upgrade" price wise.

Also, as for the Sport badge on the side door/fender impact strip, my W211 with AMG Sport (the highest of the 2 Sport Packages available for the W211) did have a little Sport emblem, the same seen as on the Sport W203's.

For the W212 however, M-B unfortunately simplified things even further. Now the Sport Option is at practically no cost, so that becomes the "Standard" version in reality as that's how they're all ordered, despite what MBUSA states as standard. As well, the AMG Sport is the only Sport available, the "Avantgarde"; which is essentially what the W211 "Sports" (non AMG) were, is now not an Option on U.S Spec W212's.

I wish it was like how it is in EU, with all the variations, seems more fun and diverse. Even the original W211's had 3 different designations: Standard/Luxuy, Sport, then AMG Sport. Made for nice diversification.