Friends and many members always ask about the alphabet game in the Mercedes-Benz nomenclature; here is a simple guide:

W (W123, W124, W126, W140, W210, W220)=
Wagen (wagon) to distinguish tourism cars from trucks.

E = Einspritzung (fuel injection)
To distinguish regular aspirated (carburated) engines from fuel injected ones.

D = Diesel

L = Lang (long wheelbase chassis models, like 500SEL)
Also, a "V" was used as an inside calling for these models, for example a short wheelbase 140 S-Class would be referred as S500W and the long wheelbase as S500V.
Also, the L was used as "Leicht" (light), like in the case of the 300SL, where ir refers to it a a "sport light" version model.

C = Coupe (two door models)

T = Touristik & Transport (sometimes mistakingly called "touring", but the term was well accepted in the inside trade). In plain words: station wagon (5-doors)
In a few instances, the "T" was informally used to identify "Turbodiesel" models, in the case of the S123 300TDT (as it was known inside factory, the public knew it as the 300TD Turbodiesel.

S = Here it gets confusing, as the "S" was used for several things. Mainly it refers as "Super" (top of line models, like in the S-Class -W126/W140/W220-).

In other cases it meant "Sport", like in the aformentioned case of the 300SL.

In the case of some models were an "SS" term was used, the first S stood for Super, and the second S stood for Sport.

In chassis designations, the "S" is used to identify "station wagons" from regular 4-door sedans, for example, a four door 1988 300E would be a W124, while the wagon would be called S124.

K = Kurz (short chassis) in earlier models. Later models is for "Kompressor" (supercharged engine). By the way, the "S" has never been used to signify Supercharged.

A = used in chassis designations for convertibles, like the A124 (a 124 series convertible, i.e. 1993 300CE-24) In some cases it was used to identify "automatic", but never officially, just as a reference.

R = used to identify "roadsters", as in the case of the R-129, body style of SL cars (300SL/500SL)

Small letters such as b, c, etc. were used to identify further models of a previous series, like the 300b.

It is important to note that the letters, throughout the years, have not always been logically used. There are some exceptions.

Hope this was useful for someone.

A. Rosich
S320(L), 1998
E320(T), 1995

Very concise.

Yes, the S-class tag is a little confusing at times. In fact, I'm still not so sure if it meant "Super".

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

well, what about this other "C."

I heard that C stood for Kompacte. Though I still don't get it because that would be a K. Maybe C for Cheap? LOL.

YMSin,
Actually S actually stands for Sonderklasse, which means Super Class.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Capital K stands for Kurz or Kompact, not for kompressor. Accordingly, SLK denotes Sport, Light, Kurz/Kompact. A supercharged car could be termed thus: SLK230k, the little k identifying the presence of a supercharger.

L has three possible meanings. Lang is most common: 560SEL. Light is next: 500SL. Yet more recently it has stood for Luxe: CL600 (Coupe, Luxe).

The Mercedes nomenclature seems to have become rather confused since 1993/4, as hinted at by David C-Klasse. A-, C-, E-, M- and V-Class cars derive their letter from nowhere in particular other than a hierarchy which gives smaller cars a lower letter (although it has been suggested that E-Class means Executive Class and C-Class means Compact Class).

Yet these models sit alongside G, SC, SLK, CLK, SL, S-Class, CL and SLR cars whose letters are meaningful descriptors of their character.

Finally, am I the only person who thinks SEC is far better than CL? I know fuel injection no longer requires identifying in the model designation and SC is taken, but still...

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

That's right... Kurz for short also.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

This is all just speculation, no facts or real knowlege to back this up. Please correct any of this that might be off...
It seems (to me at least) that the "E" class simple carried it's name over from the 300E. At the time the 300E was introduced (80's?) There were 3 main body styles. BIG sedans and coupes (SEL, SEC, SE), smaller sedans (300E, 300D, 190E, 190D, plus all the other variations) and roadsters (SL's). In 1993(?) when MB shortened the "S" class model numbers (560SEL to S500, 420SEL to S420, etc.) there was no need to shorten the W124 cars so they just moved the "E" to it's new location in the front. Deisel models just got mixed into this new "E Class". So, I guess what I'm saying is I think that the current "E" is the old "E" which used to signify fuel injection, but now is just a meaningless "E". I don't even recall MB's being refered to as "classes" until the changes in the early '90's. "SEL class" just sounds too cumbersome, and "TD class"?? I just don't think so.
Justin

Mercedes names mean nothing anymore. The long wheelbase designation is gone. Even the short wheelbase models are refered to simply as "S." And I beleive that "E" signified GASOLINE Fuel injection. (300E and 300D for example) but now we have an E300 Diesel. C means coupe? But what about the C class? And why on earth were the S class coupes renamed CL? Makes it sound like an Acura for God's sake.

On the Acura note, it's actually Acura that's trying to copy Mercedes, BMW, Volvo etc. All European cars are numbered, except VW. Acura wanted more attention to their name and not the models. When the Acura Legend gained alot of popularity, everyone just referred to them as Legends an d Integras not Acuras. Well at least this is what I read when Acura (Honda) decided to drop the names and follow the European way of designating models. Mercedes name game got real confusing when they started making more models. Back when my car was new, Mercedes only had the R107, W123 and W116. Maybe Mercedes came up with this "class" system to help restore some of the lost prestiege from the pre Lexus years.

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Agree with you on Acura changing their names and such, but the Acura CL was out before Mercedes renamed their SEC to CL.

And what about the A, M and V-class?

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.