Most Porsche enthusiasts are familiar with the Mercedes-Benz 500E, later called the E500, and Porsche’s connection to it. In the 1990s, when Porsche was struggling with poor sales and little cash, the brand took on a project for Mercedes: Porsche would build a high-performance version of Mercedes’ “W124” E-Class sedan, stuffing in the 5.0-liter V8 from the 500SL and rearranging the car’s front suspension to make it work. From then on, this model was always known as the Porsche-built Mercedes.
As a result of this interesting collaboration, the 500E/E500 (the named changed for the 1994 model year to coincide with a general renaming of Mercedes-Benz models to stick the letter first) has always been sought after by enthusiasts — and this 1994 example is precisely what they’re looking for. It’s unmodified, the interior remains flawless and it looks to be in nice shape, with only one interesting noteworthy point: It’s traveled 377,000 miles.
Yes, that’s right: This Porsche-built classic Mercedes has made it nearly 400,000 miles, and now it’s for sale on Autotrader. It’s offered by a private seller in Torrance, California, south of Los Angeles, and it truly does look flawless, with a gorgeous interior and a clean, shiny body. The seller notes the miles are “mostly highway,” which is believable given the car’s condition.
Unfortunately, the pricing is high: The seller is asking $37,000, which is a lot for a 25-year-old Mercedes-Benz. But prices of these Porsche-built 500E/E500 models have been shooting up lately, commensurate with the rise in classic Porsche pricing — and we may look back on this car, someday, as a surprisingly good deal.
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