We have friends with a 2002 E320 4Matic. They are very impressed with it, and their previous car was a 1999 Audi A6 Quattro. (To refute the article linked, the owners say the MB is far better in every regard except for the AWD system.) There are a few caveats: 1, this car was built to a cost standard and not a quality standard. It has a SOHC 3.2L V6 motor with 3 valves / cylinder. This engine was designed for and built in America for the ML SUV's. Many people like the engine, others say the previous 3.2L m104 inline 6 DOHC 24V unit was better in terms of performance and longevity. I have also heard that while the new V6 offers excellent all around power, the old engine performed better at high speeds. Some people say the build quality suffered in the w210 series you are interested in, but from what I have seen it makes the older w124 cars seem very spartan. Make sure the engine does not have an FSS / oil change issue. Also, the harmonic balancer was recalled on most of these cars. Hopefully, others can offer more detailed info on this car.

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2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 4Matic
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon
2005 Land Rover LR3 V8 SE
1999 Audi A8 4.2L quattro