BUILT TO BE PERFECT, BROKE MERCEDES' REPUTATION: The Truth About the W211 E-Class!
Garagist
1,168 views
BUILT TO BE PERFECT, BROKE MERCEDES' REPUTATION: The Truth About the W211 E-Class!
It was supposed to be the most advanced sedan in the world. Instead, the Mercedes W211 E-Class became the centre of one of the biggest recalls in Mercedes history, with more than 1.3 million cars recalled in 2005. Yet today, many mechanics say a late W211 is one of the smartest used Mercedes you can buy. So which is it: a disaster or a hidden gem?
This is the full story of the Mercedes-Benz W211 E-Class, from its futuristic brake-by-wire system to its comeback as a million-kilometre taxi legend.
In this car documentary, we cover:
Why Mercedes needed a perfect car after the W210 rust crisis
The DaimlerChrysler pressure behind the W211
SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control): Mercedes' brake-by-wire experiment
Comand, Airmatic and the electronics nightmare
The 2005 recall of 1.3 million cars
"That was a mistake": Mercedes admits what went wrong
The 100,000-mile E320 CDI endurance run in Texas
The 2006 facelift that quietly removed SBC
E63 AMG and the unkillable CDI diesels
Buying guide: which W211 to avoid and which one to buy
Have you ever owned or driven a W211? Early car or facelift? Did you ever see that famous brake warning? Tell us in the comments.
🔔 Subscribe to Garagist for deep-dive car documentaries:
https://www.youtube.com/@garagist032?...
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Brake Pedal That Felt Wrong
01:05 – Mercedes' Problem in the 1990s
02:40 – The Plan: Build the Perfect Car
03:08 – The W211 Is Revealed
04:13 – Packed With Technology
04:42 – SBC: Brakes Controlled by a Computer
07:01 – A Sales Success
07:37 – The Electronics Start to Fail
08:22 – When the Brakes Went Into Backup Mode
09:34 – What Owners Went Through
11:01 – BMW and the Electronics Era
11:55 – The 1.3 Million Car Recall
12:45 – "That Was a Mistake"
13:39 – 100,000 Miles in 30 Days
14:32 – Mercedes Cleans House
16:00 – The Facelift That Fixed It
16:42 – E63 AMG
17:18 – The Real Hero: CDI Diesels
19:34 – Buying Guide: Which W211 to Avoid
21:52 – Two Cars in One
22:47 – The Lesson for Today's Cars
5 Comments
BUILT TO BE PERFECT, BROKE MERCEDES' REPUTATION: The Truth About the W211 E-Class!
Garagist
1,168 views
BUILT TO BE PERFECT, BROKE MERCEDES' REPUTATION: The Truth About the W211 E-Class!
It was supposed to be the most advanced sedan in the world. Instead, the Mercedes W211 E-Class became the centre of one of the biggest recalls in Mercedes history, with more than 1.3 million cars recalled in 2005. Yet today, many mechanics say a late W211 is one of the smartest used Mercedes you can buy. So which is it: a disaster or a hidden gem?
This is the full story of the Mercedes-Benz W211 E-Class, from its futuristic brake-by-wire system to its comeback as a million-kilometre taxi legend.
In this car documentary, we cover:
Why Mercedes needed a perfect car after the W210 rust crisis
The DaimlerChrysler pressure behind the W211
SBC (Sensotronic Brake Control): Mercedes' brake-by-wire experiment
Comand, Airmatic and the electronics nightmare
The 2005 recall of 1.3 million cars
"That was a mistake": Mercedes admits what went wrong
The 100,000-mile E320 CDI endurance run in Texas
The 2006 facelift that quietly removed SBC
E63 AMG and the unkillable CDI diesels
Buying guide: which W211 to avoid and which one to buy
Have you ever owned or driven a W211? Early car or facelift? Did you ever see that famous brake warning? Tell us in the comments.
🔔 Subscribe to Garagist for deep-dive car documentaries:
https://www.youtube.com/@garagist032?...
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Brake Pedal That Felt Wrong
01:05 – Mercedes' Problem in the 1990s
02:40 – The Plan: Build the Perfect Car
03:08 – The W211 Is Revealed
04:13 – Packed With Technology
04:42 – SBC: Brakes Controlled by a Computer
07:01 – A Sales Success
07:37 – The Electronics Start to Fail
08:22 – When the Brakes Went Into Backup Mode
09:34 – What Owners Went Through
11:01 – BMW and the Electronics Era
11:55 – The 1.3 Million Car Recall
12:45 – "That Was a Mistake"
13:39 – 100,000 Miles in 30 Days
14:32 – Mercedes Cleans House
16:00 – The Facelift That Fixed It
16:42 – E63 AMG
17:18 – The Real Hero: CDI Diesels
19:34 – Buying Guide: Which W211 to Avoid
21:52 – Two Cars in One
22:47 – The Lesson for Today's Cars