Introduced for the 1997 model year, this nameplate marked a shift toward Mercedes-Benz’s more stylish, youth-oriented two-door offerings of the late 1990s. The original coupe arrived first, bringing a sleek, hardtop profile and a grand-touring character to a market segment that had often been more conservative. A cabriolet followed shortly afterward, expanding the line into an open-top four-seat alternative while retaining the same basic elegance and everyday usability that defined the coupe.
The first generation established the formula that made the car memorable: restrained luxury, strong emphasis on design, and a position between mainstream midsize coupes and the brand’s larger flagship coupes. In the early 2000s, the line was comprehensively updated with a cleaner, more refined second generation that continued the same concept but with a fresher body and a more modern cabin. Performance variants and AMG-tuned versions also helped build an enthusiast following, especially among buyers who wanted a premium grand tourer with strong road presence.
The nameplate reached its final model year in 2009, when the coupe and cabriolet were replaced by the next-generation E-Class two-door models. It is remembered as one of the most recognizable Mercedes two-door families of its era, bridging the gap between classic pillarless elegance and the more contemporary E-Class-based coupé tradition that followed.