Not Even Some Diehard Mercedes-Benz Fans Know About One of the Brand’s Coolest ’90s Cars

You’ve probably heard of the W210 E 55 AMG, but have you ever heard of the E 50 AMG?

White car rear with red tail light and chrome "E 50" badge on the trunk.

Published 3 hours ago

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Updated 58 minutes ago

When one thinks of Mercedes-Benz and AMG in the 1990s, the W202 C 36/C 43 and W210 E 55 sedans often first to come to mind. They were some of the first models jointly produced before AMG officially merged with Mercedes.

But have you ever heard of the W210 E 50 AMG? If not, you have now, and one of them is up for bidding on BringATrailer.

The W210 E 50 was the first official V8-powered E-Class AMG sedan

Silver Mercedes-Benz sedan driving on a snowy mountain road under a partly cloudy blue sky. — The W210 E-Class AMG sedan was the first official Mercedes-Benz AMG sedan of its kind.

Today, it’s easy to think of Mercedes-AMG as the equivalent of what M is to BMW. And when it comes to the E-Class AMG, it’s one of Benz’s longest-running high-performance nameplates.

It lives today as the E 53 and E 63 sedans, with coupe and convertible variants complementing the range. But prior, when Mercedes’ nomenclature made more sense and designated the engine’s displacement output, it was the E 55.

2024 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid — Today, the E-Class AMG exists as the E 53 Hybrid, based on the W214.

So, what exactly is an E 50? Well, it’s an E-Class AMG sedan. But it also precedes the original and more commonly known W210 E 55 by one model year.

Based on the E-Class from 1996 to 2003, the E 50 is technically one of the first official E-Class AMG sedans. It’s also one of the first Mercedes-Benz-sanctioned collaborations between the two firms.

White four-door sedan with silver alloy wheels parked in an outdoor lot. — The AMG “Monoblock Aero II” wheels are fan-favorites.

The official part being, these vehicles were some of the first AMG models sold through the automaker’s dealer franchise network. They also came with factory-backed warranties for the first time.

Yes. Mercedes-Benz and AMG worked on the W124 platform in the ’80s, giving the world the iconic “AMG Hammer.” But those never sold through Mercedes’ dealer network and with factory warranties.

The E 50 AMG is basically the precursor to the E 55 AMG

White Mercedes-Benz E50 AMG sedan with rear spoiler and quad exhaust tips parked on asphalt. — The E 50 AMG came before the W210 E 55 AMG.

The E 50 AMG was the car Europe got before it evolved into the more commonly known E 55 AMG from 1998 onwards. That ’98 E 55 is what America received as its first official E-Class AMG sedan. The USA-specification E 55 remained in production until the supercharged W211 E 55 succeeded it in 2003.

Silver Mercedes-Benz sedan with AMG badge parked on a gravel surface with rocky hills in the background. — The W211 E 55 AMG succeeded the W210 E 55 AMG and was the first forced-induced model in the vehicle’s history.

Like AMG cars before it, the E 50 features sport-tuned suspension, an upgraded 5.0-liter V8, a more aggressive exterior body kit, larger iconic AMG “Monoblock Aero II” wheels and grippier rubber, and beefed-up brakes.

Mercedes-Benz AMG engine with black plastic cover and visible yellow ignition wires in engine bay. — The W210 E 50 is unique in that it comes with an earlier “M119” V8, compared to the E 55’s newer “M113.”

Because it predates the E 55 AMG sedan, the E 50 features the “M119” V8 from earlier “500” model cars, like the W140 S 500 and R129 SL 500. It punches out around 342 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque. The results are a 0-60 mph sprint in just six seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.

The later E 55 models came with Benz’s significantly newer and more ubiquitous, but still AMG-fettered “M113” 5.5-liter V8. Output for the E 55 slightly increased to 349 hp and 391 lb-ft.

Interior view of a Mercedes-Benz car dashboard with black leather steering wheel, center console with controls, and white leather seats. — An aftermarket Pioneer radio does affect overall value, slightly, for not being original.

And with less than 3,000 made, E 50s are far rarer than the E 55, making their collectability significantly more desirable among Benz enthusiasts.

Mercedes-Benz and AMG did make an extremely limited-production W210 six-cylinder car called the E 36 in 1996 and 1997. It utilized the same power- and drivetrain as the W202 C 36 AMG. But those are rarer than hen’s teeth and one of the rarest AMG models of all time.

White Mercedes-Benz sedan with sunroof parked on asphalt with greenery in the background. — The E 50 AMG is one of the rarest AMG models of the 1990s.

Mercedes-Benz and AMG were two completely different entities until the 1990s

In the mid-1990s, Mercedes-Benz and the Affalterbach-based tuning firm started working more closely together after AMG experienced profound success in the 1980s.

Dark gray AMG sedan parked on a metal platform with industrial railings and stairs. — The original W124-based AMG Hammer is one of the brand’s most iconic cars.

Prior to their official merger in 1999, AMG and Mercedes-Benz were two completely separate entities.

As Mercedes-Benz models rolled off the factory assembly line in Sindelfingen, those specially customized and ordered through AMG were then sent to the firm’s tuning department on the other side of Stuttgart. They were then delivered to the customer at AMG’s HQ in Affalterbach.

Six Mercedes-Benz cars arranged on a paved surface, including a red vintage race car with AMG decals and five silver, black, and dark-colored sedans. — AMG roots its origins to motorsports in the 1960s, with the “Red Pig”, front, center row.

Half way through the decade Mercedes reached out to AMG to form a joint venture. The two would officially collaborate on high-performance models to compete with BMW M. And that’s how AMG became a part of Mercedes-Benz.

Special-ordered for a high-paying Japanese customer

This specific Polar White 1997 E 50 AMG lived its life in Japan, uniquely as a left-hand drive car. With just 116,000 barely-broken-in kilometers— or roughly the equivalent to 72,000 miles — this E 50 appears outrageously clean.

White Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan parked in an empty lot with green dumpsters and gray buildings in the background. — The W210 E 50 was not sold in North America.

It isn’t fully original, as the seller notes that one of the previous owners equipped aftermarket lowering springs. You can also visibly see an aftermarket single-DIN Pioneer radio head unit on the center console.

But being a European and Asian market car only, the fact that it’s available and currently living in New Hampshire means this is your chance to own one of the rarest and coolest AMG cars out there.

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