Dealing with MB only, you're right, there are smaller engines and simpler specifications available in Europe, although the specs of even the base models are increasing these days.

You can have a C180 Classic, for instance, which is pretty bare: air con and front electric windows, cloth seats, manual transmission, steel wheels.

Or an E200k Classic with cloth seats. It would come with air con and electric windows, but not much more than that. It would be a manual transmission, too.

The smallest S-Class is the S280. These cars have a fairly full specification, though. I think leather is standard but you can have velour as a no cost option.

We have a SLK200k (and some countries have a SLK200), which has cloth seats, no air con (!!), manual transmission, simple wheels.

I think that the engines now have the same output the world over: the new Euro 4 emissions standard is about as strict as it gets, whereas in the past some US states had far stricter standards which crippled output.

All cars are available with "optional extras": sat nav, sunroof, bigger wheels, leather upholstery, sports suspension, tow bar, all of that sort of thing. I just assumed US cars were the same.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190