WHICH Interior Lights YOUR Fire? The Mercedes-Benz E500 Or E53 AMG?

I've kicked off the long weekend a bit early, Spies. I high tailed it out of New York City on a covert operation. This mission entails something I am not used to: Some rest & relaxation.

Having said that, I couldn't exactly step away from autos. I just love them too damn much.

Of course that means I was looking at vehicles I'd potentially like to own. One of them is the 1994 Mercedes-Benz E500. Considered a rare bird, I've seen a few very clean examples in recent months. But, as expected, buying any Mercedes of this vintage is like taking a shot in the dark. Or, perhaps it's like a box of chocolates? You decide.

While scoping out the E500's interior, I couldn't help but adore its simplicity and rather Spartan approach. When contrasting it with today's Mercedes interiors that make use of massive screens and copious amounts of carbon fiber, I can't help but wonder what a modern Mercedes interior would look if the marque kept with its traditional values.

Granted, the three-pointed star is delivering what the people want.

That said, I've got to ask: WHICH Mercedes interior do you prefer more? The old-school E500 or the all-new E53?

snowboard7 - 8/29/2019 11:43:21 PM

+3 Boost

AS much as how good the older cars where, you have to keep up with pace with technology and you gotta have that big screen with perfect touch screen, voice activations, auto-pilot etc with these cars no matter what. Most importantly they have to drive as good as they can. Its alot but thats what I expect from my new cars which I have.

MDarringer - 8/30/2019 8:55:11 AM

-2 Boost

And yes, for some driving an iPhone is their goal.

runninglogan1 - 8/30/2019 12:25:34 AM

+3 Boost

Love the old E500. A true classic. As most of you probably know, it was actually built by Porsche for Mercedes.

As much as I like the interior, it's 25 years old and looks it. Great for its time but modern Benz interiors are fantastic and I'm glad they've evolved as they have.

Car4life1 - 8/30/2019 12:27:20 AM

+2 Boost

What’s special about this particular photo is over 2 decades later Mercedes kept the unique placement of seat controls on the door and center console storage in the exact same place.

You can always tell when someone is a Benz owner or drives them often because they immediately reach for the door to
Adjust their seat as opposed to everyone else reaching on the side of the seat

TomM - 8/30/2019 6:57:59 AM

+1 Boost

I prefer the real wood of the older design which looks richer than the new one

However - the new one would not make me decide against that car either.

I think like most drivers - we actually do not interact with the dashboard as much as some people think.

qwertyfla1 - 8/30/2019 7:24:23 AM

0 Boost

I prefer the E interior -simple and elegant. The more techy life gets with computers, cars, appliances etc -the more I am starting to appreciate analogue. Driving should be about the experience and not how big your screen is or more useless information. All I need to know is how fast was I speeding officer, how much gas do I have left, what is the engine temperature and give me a real dipstick to check my own oil? The rest I will figure out myself...

MDarringer - 8/30/2019 8:19:20 AM

-1 Boost

If you enjoy driving, the E500 is what you want to be behind the dash of.

PUGPROUD - 8/30/2019 8:55:45 AM

+2 Boost

Analog please!

mre30 - 8/30/2019 9:32:02 AM

-1 Boost

"I can't help but wonder what a modern Mercedes interior would look if the marque kept with its traditional values

Look at BMW to see what a modern evolution of a 20 year old interior would look like. BMW kept the consistent visuals of the gauge cluster from about 1988 to 2015 or so when the E90 3-series was replaced - small fuel and temperature gauges, on either side of larger but same size speedo and tach, with a consistent font for the whole time period.

This year, BMW finally ditched this layout for a strange digital cluster with hockey sticks and parabolas and it wasn't an improvement

Its a matter a taste but while a like Mercedes as vehicles, I don't like the jumbo-tron approach MB takes to interior controls. Drive a new GLE/GLS or a G-Wagon - the screen is hard to see and the ergonomics are poor. BMW has best ergonomics hands down.

Car4life1 - 8/30/2019 2:46:07 PM

+4 Boost

Lmao BMW interiors are a snooze fest, I’d rather save the money on a new one and just get one 10-20 yrs old that looks pretty much the same inside without the gimmicks of hand gesture controls

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/30/2019 10:17:40 AM

+1 Boost

Bentley's new Continental shows you can have all the newest tech but still present the drive with a simple elegant interior. Mercedes has chosen to make the interior like a mobile phone. I don't think it benefits the industry to adopt this approach.

dumpsty - 8/30/2019 3:30:17 PM

+3 Boost

a lot these changes have come due to safety concerns & regulations. there's a lot more going on INSIDE of the average car today than in the past.

yes, BMW interiors are rather boring. and it's purposely been kept rather simple too. BMW still wants the driver to focus on "driving" over everything else.

the stereo/radio has been replaced with a huge display, which provides access to other information as well. mounting it higher - for the driver - means the driver only looks to the side & not down like it was in the past.

cidflekken - 8/30/2019 11:42:15 AM

+4 Boost

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but the new Benz displays, to me, are the most ergonomically effective. Most other brands have multiple displays on multiple planes that forces you to adjust your focus.

xjug1987a - 8/31/2019 12:54:47 PM

+3 Boost

E500, truly the last of the cost is not object, engineered Mercedes Benz cars. IT is what defines Mercedes today. (W124 and W126... few others as well) But this car, the pinnacle of the W124 Series.... it’s the bomb...