Does anyone know of any attempts to retrofit the '92-94 500E with a current (5-speed) transmission? Despite the obvious electronic hurdles, how feasible is this?

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'93 500E
'99 E320 Wagon
'88 Tyrrell 017
'95 Ducati 916

Jim,
After talking with many techs and just about all the tuners, every one of them say it is NOT do-able. Electronics aside, I'm told it plain won't fit. Your tranny choices are the 4-speed automatic (that occasionally has a mind of its own) or a conversion to a 6-speed manual. The 4-speed can be massaged a bit if it is being rebuilt, but it is still basically the same hydraulic-only 4-speed. The 6-speed conversion would surely change the nature of the car.

Hope this helps...Lee

Thanks for the input. It was a bit of a wild hair; I figure if you can fit the V-12 into the newer E-class, it's worth asking the question.

On the note of fitting this's into that's: The W124 chassis was never designed to hold a V8. They had to do many mods to the normal W124 to get the M119's to fit well. Some of the cooling woes stem from that. Also why you will not see a factory convertible V8 W124.

The W210 was designed to hold a V8 from the start (with room to spare) The V12 is just a happy (if snug) fit.

The transmission I would like to fit in a 500E would be a clutchless manual SMG. A true sequential gearbox (F355, etc), not a electronically controlled auto like Tiptronic/Steptronic/Autostick/etc. Give me a six speed SMG in a 500E, now THAT would be fun!

Lee