What do people perceive as Mercedes most refined offering to date. My definition of refinement would be lowest NVH, greatest sense of solidity, highest ride quality and quality of materials and construction.

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MBlovr
'59 180 Dad's original
'59 180 Dad's 2nd one
'67 250SE Dad's last one
'59 220 SE My first one
'62 220SE Coupe second one
'89 190E 2.6 5spd third one
'06 E350 4matic (sold)
'10 E350 4matic

1991 560sel

600 Pullman.

Modern? Maybach 57 & 62.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Newer or older?

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

The newer cars have far better suspensions and far stiffer chassis than the old cars...and far far better handling. Oh and they wont chirp the tires on a full throttle upshift too

A lowly C230 will ride and handle and be more quiet than a W126. Not surprising really..the W126 is what, a 30 year old design.

That said, the 560SEC is better looking than any S-class released since.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

w221

drives significantly better than the maybach which has recirc ball steering.

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Jonathan
1998 S600
2001 E430
1994 E320
1991 560SEL
1994 Turbo R

Either.

I expected the answer to be the W140. But maybe a w221 beats it.

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MBlovr
'59 180 Dad's original
'59 180 Dad's 2nd one
'67 250SE Dad's last one
'59 220 SE My first one
'62 220SE Coupe second one
'89 190E 2.6 5spd third one
'06 E350 4matic (sold)
'10 E350 4matic

In that case, the most refined Mercedes in my book is either a 99 S600 or 99 S500 Grand Edition. Timeless styling, excellent ride, excellent materials and workmanship.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

600 Pullman followed by W123 chassis petrol engine MB, they don't make em like that no more.

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT

Out of ones I've driven: 280 SEL 4.5 by a slim margin over my 300D. Of course, I've only driven a few W123's, a beat-to-heck W124, and a W114 in addition to that single W108.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

221 or 216 models. I have owned 126's, 140's and 220's and the 221 blows them away with refinement. However the 560 SEL that I owned was perhaps my favorite--simplicity personified but still elegant. This was when the engineers had a heavy hand in design and German build logic. The classic was the outside mirror adjustment. The passenger side was electrical but the driver side had a manual lever to adjust the mirror. The logic behind it was why do you need and electric motor when the lever is 6" away from your hand. Also no cup holders because the car was meant to be driven and not be used as a 4 wheel cafateria

Cummon! W100 of course!

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

I feel that my 89 300E was well built.

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For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

Not so much refinement but as far as build quality is concerned....

Gwagen-30 years since it first hit the road and they are still building it, that has to say something.

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

That's because MB guaranteed production for NATO until 2025.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman