Mercedes E60 AMG | PH Heroes

Some cars are born special and others are made special. The AMG E60 is qualified on both counts. To the uninitiated, it might look like a W124-generation Mercedes E-Class sedan, very similar to the more than two million other examples produced between 1985 and 1996. To the more informed it looks like the wider, beefier 500E that came later. But in fact it goes far beyond both, being Merc’s rarest (and, for many, most sought-after) top-of-the-line car. It is also a beautiful example of the success of having many parents. In this case Mercedes, Porsche and AMG.

The regular W124 is widely considered to be one of Peak Benz’s role models from the era when Merc’s engineers outnumbered the company’s accountants. However, it came onto the market without any performance derivatives: even the most powerful six-cylinder engine produced a relatively relaxed 177 hp when new.

The German tuners quickly exploited this gap, none reacted faster than AMG. The former motorsport specialist had started switching over to equipping road vehicles and soon installed a V8 in the W124. The result was the 1987 300E “Hammer,” the regular inline-six replaced by a 6.0-liter V8 that produced 355 hp and – along with suspension improvements – made the staid E-Class one of the fastest cars made the world at all.

The enthusiasm with which rich enthusiasts took up the hammer was noted at Mercedes, but the more obvious challenge came with the introduction of the E34-generation BMW M5 in 1987. The Beemer was one of the first cars to meet the 155 -Mile limiters had agreed to fit in their most powerful cars, emphasizing the fact that Mercedes had no direct competitor. The biggest problem was one of resources, with Merc’s technical staff largely working flat out on what would later become the R129-generation SL and the W140 S-Class.

This also brings Stuttgart’s other home team into the game. Porsche was a dwarf compared to Mercedes at the time, as the sports car maker’s global sales plummeted as the boom of the ’80s turned to bust of the ’90s. Porsche’s contract development department was one of the company’s few profitable areas, working for other car manufacturers – remember Porsche’s Seat Ibiza system? After some negotiations, a contract was concluded for Porsche to take over the development of the production version of the later W124 with a V8 engine as well as to take over the construction.

The 500E was launched in 1990. It used the 322 hp M119 V8 from the contemporary 500 SL and drove the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission shared with the Porsche 928. Visually, it embodied subtlety – the most obvious difference being the flared wheel arches covering a raised track. (Interestingly, these were the stated reasons why the 500E could not be built on the regular E-Class line, although it could be done on the later offered 400E with regular body and V8 power.)

The 500E was a huge success in several key markets – but never in the UK. The combination of pure left-hand drive and a price tag of £57,000, equivalent to around £135,000 in 2024, meant only a handful were newly registered here. But in total, almost 10,500 examples were built over the course of five years and a facelift was carried out, changing the branding from 500E to E500 (for clarity I’ve stuck with 500E throughout). Impressive volumes for an essentially hand-built car.

But despite the love, the 500E wasn’t special enough for some – and that’s where AMG comes into play again. The tuner’s connections to Mercedes became ever closer during this time and led to a complete takeover in 1999. But while AMG was still independent, AMG was already collaborating on production models – with the first C36 and then, in 1994, the introduction of the harmless-sounding option code 957 for the 500E, which is the “AMG technology package”. Ticking this box will increase the cost of the 500E by DM34,270 – the equivalent of €32,000 at current prices – and the car will be sent to AMG for a more powerful 6.0-litre engine and suspension upgrades. Also “E60 AMG” badges.

This takes us far into crème-de-la-crème-de-la-crème territory. Mercedes’ own Heritage division admits it doesn’t know exactly how many of these “factory” E60s were built, but online sources suggest the total was no more than 45 cars – with another hundred or so in existence 500Es were subsequently converted to E60 specification. On the rare occasion that a fully documented factory car comes onto the market, the bidding quickly becomes serious, with lower-mileage examples having sold for more than £200,000.

It is all the more a privilege to be able to drive your own car from the Mercedes Classic Center. This is part of the company’s extensive collection of more than 1,100 cars, with the E60 frequently displayed in the company’s museum. But it’s also registered and road legal, which is why, after some undignified begging, I was given the opportunity to take it out for a few hours and add to the modest 76,500km odometer reading on the roads around Stuttgart. For a Merc uber-geek like me, it felt like a chance to borrow the Holy Grail for the afternoon.

I’ve been lucky enough to drive several 500Es over the years, and the E60’s core experience is, as expected, similar. AMG definitely didn’t want to compromise on the subtlety that has always been at the core of the 500E’s appeal. Visually, the E60 is almost invisible to anyone who doesn’t look at its logo. There are still more than enough 90s Mercs on the streets of Stuttgart that a W124 would attract little attention. AMG has equipped some E60s with more aggressive body kits. The ‘factory’ specification remained unchanged from the regular 500E, with the exception of 17-inch alloy wheels with the same pattern as the 190E 2.5-16 Evo 2 and – down to the smallest detail – square section exhaust tailpipes.

Unsurprisingly, the Classic Center’s E60 is the most complete W124 I’ve ever sat in. It has virtually every available option, including power heated seats with memory function, a power steering column and even automatic air conditioning. basically an early form of non-digital air conditioning. But the retro gadgets get little attention as soon as I drive off, overshadowed by the special nature of the driving experience.

No wonder the powerful V8 is the standout feature. Compared to screaming modern sports sedans, the engine is muted. At low speeds there is a subtle V8 background noise that works well with more throttle or higher revs, but never gets loud. When cruising, the E60 is barely louder than its smaller siblings.

The idea of ​​a performance car with a smooth four-speed torque converter automatic seems alien these days, but the 500E’s peak torque of 354Nm prevented the use of the sharper five-speed gearbox that was optional on the six-cylinder W124. The E60 has a noticeably higher peak, and while 428lb ft doesn’t exactly inspire shock and awe, it gave the 1993 E60 some of the highest torque of any passenger car. It still defines the driving experience.

The gearbox itself feels boring and sluggish. Mechanical kickdowns only occur when the accelerator pedal is almost completely stationary, and manually selecting gears via the selector lever results in a seconds-long delay between ordering a lower gear and feeling it arrive. However, given the immediacy of the V8’s responses and the amount of muscle in the bottom end, that doesn’t matter much. Even before the gear ratios change, the acceleration is already strong.

No, I didn’t have a chance to let the E60 loose on a closed highway and acknowledge its 155 mph limiter. But even on limited roads it still feels quick, with the power needed to cope with the bumpy acceleration tracks of Germany’s city highways and exploit gaps in faster-moving traffic. At a cruising speed of 80 miles per hour it felt rock solid, and I have no doubt that would be the case at speeds almost twice that. There’s something very Bentley-like about the size of the iron fist wrapped in the E60’s kid glove.

But this comparison definitely doesn’t extend to the chassis. The E60 feels both more refined and more agile than any Bentley built within a decade of it. AMG’s suspension changes to the 500E were subtle and included new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. But they couldn’t get rid of the flexibility, which has always been a big part of the 500E’s appeal. It’s definitely soft by modern standards, a winding section of country road that creates the feeling of body roll as the cornering forces build up. But that only helps to adapt to the increasing loads, and although the E60 always handles better at high speeds than on back roads, the fundamentals are all perfect. The steering reacts linearly and provides conversational feedback; the grip level seems to be perfectly coordinated between the front and rear axles. In fact, it takes a warning flash of the traction control light and the unmistakable feel of the taillight to remind me that I’m dealing with an irreplaceable museum piece.

The E60’s rarity is a key part of its legend. But behind the market-driven hype surrounding such a rare top-of-the-line model is real substance – this is the ultimate version of what is already a recognized classic. For me personally, it is also special in another way – as my new favorite car.

Engine: 5956cc V8
Perfomance: 375 hp at 5500 rpm
Torque: 428 lb-ft at 3750 rpm
Transmission: Four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Notch weight: 1710kg
0-62 mph: 5.4 sec
Maximum speed: 155 mph (limited)
Fuel consumption: 17.5 mpg (EU “urban”)
CO2 emissions: Many!
Price new (1993): 179,860 DM (equivalent to £71,900 in 1993)
Price now: £200,000+