W numbers?

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TomF

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Hello all,
Anyone educate me please? I understand that these W codes describe a vehicle somehow. Is there any logic to this numbering eg W212?
I have a 2014 '64' S class, would that be a W222?
 
IMO there is no sensible logic but in someone's mind at Mercedes there must be a logic of sorts! ;)
 
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I can never remember all the W numbers and what cars they relate too which makes forums such as this one a little frustrating when members post their cars W designation rather than posting what the car actually is!
 
I can never remember all the W numbers and what cars they relate too which makes forums such as this one a little frustrating when members post their cars W designation rather than posting what the car actually is!
Absolutely, BMW use E numbers lol, even worse.
Not that I'd ever own one, funny how driver behaviour puts you off a car, Audi is worse still!
 
That's Germans for you.... compare this nomenclature to the names the Italians give to their cars.... be it Alfa, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and even FIAT. OK, so Lancia strayed from the norm by choosing the Greek alphabet, but other than that.....
 
Yes, it can be very confusing. Call it what it is I say 😉
 
I'm sure I have been guilty in past too. I know my SL is an R230 and I expect you all too know that too. :rolleyes:
 
The three numbers are the same as the first three numbers of the VIN.
The prefix W is often wrongly used as that is for the saloon variant, S being the estate, R the roadster, C the cabriolet they are all listed in the Wiki table.
 
Absolutely, BMW use E numbers lol, even worse.

They seem to have been moving to F numbers over the last decade.
 
I can never remember all the W numbers and what cars they relate too which makes forums such as this one a little frustrating when members post their cars W designation rather than posting what the car actually is!

So if you have a 2004 SLK200

- Is that one of the last of the 1996-2004 model - R170 or the 2004 onwards R171?

So what is more frustrating - ambiguity or numeric pedantry and jargon?
 
So if you have a 2004 SLK200

- Is that one of the last of the 1996-2004 model - R170 or the 2004 onwards R171?

So what is more frustrating - ambiguity or numeric pedantry and jargon?
At least I know from the post the poster has an SLK which is more infomative than stating they have an R170.
 
At least I know from the post the poster has an SLK which is more infomative than stating they have an R170.

It's not 'more informative' - it is simply a piece of information which depending on context is usually less complete than using the number while possibly being more convenient.

If a question about brakes or servicing or leaks or parts comes up then the advice tends to have to pin to a specific model to be useful.

You can sometimes infer from an extended model designation - eg. SLK230 - but not always as some engine variants were available in some markets and not others (eg. E Class).

(That is not to say that model numbers can't in themselves be confusing or be misused - in the case of the Touareg the designations T3 and T4 are used on internet forums - which are not VW designations - just a comunity assigbning sequential numbers to models and major revisions - and in the MB world the W numbers are often used for CLS and estate versions of E class and C class).
 
Hello all,
Anyone educate me please? I understand that these W codes describe a vehicle somehow. Is there any logic to this numbering eg W212?
I have a 2014 '64' S class, would that be a W222?
Haaa seems I've created a monster with these W, R, S etc numbers and only been on here 5 mins 😂
 
The three numbers are the same as the first three numbers of the VIN.
The prefix W is often wrongly used as that is for the saloon variant, S being the estate, R the roadster, C the cabriolet they are all listed in the Wiki table.
Ahh makes the most sense 👍
 
Chassis number is good because it defines age of the car pretty well - at least technology point of view. True many are using W as a general desingnation (me included).
 
Useful thread.

Does W signify a saloon car, and S (as in S212) mean an estate car?
 
It's not 'more informative' - it is simply a piece of information which depending on context is usually less complete than using the number while possibly being more convenient.

If a question about brakes or servicing or leaks or parts comes up then the advice tends to have to pin to a specific model to be useful.

You can sometimes infer from an extended model designation - eg. SLK230 - but not always as some engine variants were available in some markets and not others (eg. E Class).

(That is not to say that model numbers can't in themselves be confusing or be misused - in the case of the Touareg the designations T3 and T4 are used on internet forums - which are not VW designations - just a comunity assigbning sequential numbers to models and major revisions - and in the MB world the W numbers are often used for CLS and estate versions of E class and C class).

You're missing my point but never mind. :)
 

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