The rear lights (both the 3rd brake light as well as the tail lights) on the W210s were not the best designs.

I think someone at M-B was trying to impress their boss with the fancy CAD/CAM systems just coming online in the early 90s. Great concept but poorly executed.

It appears to me that the 210 was the first car where they CAD modeled the entire car and then CNC cut the molds for the plastics from the CAD files.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech