The second generation of the E-Class

The new E-Class marked the state-of-the-art in the area of vehicle safety. Thanks to an optimised body shell structure with large crumple zones and even more effective restraint systems in the interior, the saloons of the 210 series were among the safest cars in their segment. Mercedes Benz was the first automotive manufacturer in the world to use belt forcer tensioners in the E-Class as standard. The side impact protection was further perfected with the use of a newly developed side airbag.

The host of other innovative systems that premièred in the E-Class also included a rain sensor for the windscreen wiper, an air quality sensor for the automatic climate control system as well as the "Parktronic" (PTS) ultrasound parking aid.

Compared with the CLASSIC base version, which was characterised by its deliberately low-key appearance, the ELEGANCE-variant offered a number of additional equipment features. They included 10-hole light-alloy wheels as well as chrome plating on door handles, bumpers and the side rub strips.

AVANTGARDE was the technical-progressive model variant, which was also clearly different visually. The most clear distinction was the different radiator grille, which on the AVANTGARDE version had five rather than two horizontal chrome strips and was the only one to sport louvres painted in high-gloss black. Another difference was the trim of the B-pillars, which were fitted with gradient car film in vehicle colour. The chrome plating of the door handles, bumpers and side rub strips were identical to the ELEGANCE variant.

With about one million vehicles sold, this generation of the E-Class was the world's most successful car in the upper mid-size market segment in the first four years of production.

Mercedes Benz presented the refreshed version of the E-Class Saloon of the W 210 series in June 1999.

The revised design stayed true to the signature four-headlamp face, with which the E-Class had set design trends in 1995. However, the designers honed the appearance and gave the front of the E-Class more dynamics as a result. In detail, this was courtesy of the front end, which had been lowered by two centimetres and featured a redesigned bonnet, a new radiator grille and bumper cladding, which was now seamlessly integrated into the body.

In addition, modified front wings made it possible to install the headlamps in a more reclined and lower position. The designers also adapted the housings of the exterior mirrors and the tail lamps to the fresh design.

In addition to the saloon and estate cars, the 210 model series was available as a rolling chassis with partial body, which body manufacturers in Germany and abroad fitted out as ambulances, estate cars or other special-purpose versions. Like their predecessor models of the 124 series, these rolling chassis were based on the corresponding estate cars. For the first time, a variant with standard wheelbase was no longer available. Only the extended version was still sold, whose significance had grown steadily over the years compared with the short chassis.

A particularly exclusive variant of the E-Class was completed in March 1996. In response to a request by the Thai Royal Family, an E 320 long-wheelbase version was created as a one-off in a very short time. It was jointly developed by Binz and Daimler-Benz, and as a six-door had a wheelbase extended by 970 millimetres and a full-featured third row of seats.

In order to be able to satisfy the demand, above all from abroad, the long-wheelbase version of the E-Class was produced in-house by Binz starting at the end of 1996.

Another similarly rather exclusive variant of the 210 series was produced in a dedicated department at the Sindelfingen plant starting in April 1995: this is where the E-Class Saloons in special protection specification were built largely by hand. As a result, models of the mid-range model series were also available ex-factory with ballistic protection for the first time. In addition, starting in March 1997, a version with a more lightweight protection concept corresponding to protection level B4 was available, which offered protection against almost all handguns.