Produced since September 1953, the E-Class falls as a midrange in the Mercedes line-up, and has been marketed worldwide across five generations.

Before 1993, the E suffix in Mercedes-Benz model names referred to Einspritzmotor (German for fuel injection engine) when in the early 1960s fuel injection began to proliferate beyond its upper-tier luxury and sporting models.

By the launch of the facelifted W124 in 1993 fuel injection was ubiquitous in Mercedes engines, and the E was adopted as a prefix (i.e., E 220).

With the latest incarnation of the E-Class released for the 2017 model year, all body styles share the same W213 platform.

[2] Due to the E-Class's size and durability, it has filled many market segments, from personal cars to frequently serving as taxis in European countries, as well special-purpose vehicles (e.g., police or ambulance modifications) from the factory.

This time, the 6-cylinder models (The W114s) were most prevalent, with the W115 line making up the bottom of the company's offerings with four- and five-cylinder power.

Especially in diesel powered 200D and 240D (also the five-cylinder 300D) guises, the cars enhanced the company's reputation for product quality.

The W210 E-Class, launched in January 1995, brought the line firmly into the upper end of the mid-size luxury market.

The E-class made major changes compared to the earlier version of the E-class, including four large oval headlights, which gave Mercedes an updated image intended to attract more younger buyers and women.

The W211-based C219 CLS-Class 4-door coupe was introduced as a niche model in 2005, primarily to attract a younger demographic.

Official photos of the W212 were leaked on the internet on 9 December 2008 ahead of its 2009 Geneva Motor Show unveiling.

Daimler invested close to €1 billion into the development of the extensive refresh, making it likely the most expensive mid-life facelift in the history of the automobile.

The system uses a complex array of motion sensors, radars, and cameras to scan the road ahead, and requires the driver's hands to be placed on the wheel at all times.

Starting from this generation, coupés and convertibles will no longer bear the E-Class name.