The 400E has a different front fender as the 300E and 300D.
The US spec 400E has the very same front fenders as the Euro/ROW spec 400E
becuase the Euro/ROW 400E had also a wider rim and tire, 7.5" with 215
instead of the US spec 195.
It also makes it easy to see if a US 400E had an accident and front fender
replaced during its life.
MB USA did not have the 400E Euro/ROW frontfender with the MB factory rolled
lip.
I agree with you on the "sport compact crowd' and their stretched tires when
to small for the rim size.
Since MB factory installed the 215 tire on the 7.5" rim for the Euro/ROW
spec cars, using a 215 on the 8" 500E rim is not a noticable difference.
Most people that use the 500E rims also use the 215 size tire, as the
Euro/ROW, and depending tire brand they fit perfect on those rims, so do not
look stretched at all.
I have Michelins 215s on the E420 and they are about the same size on the
ground as some GoodYear 225s.
Fredd
Hmm. I believe it about the post '94 E classes since those cars came
with wider tires stock and had a wider track with no noticeable change
in the fender shape. Not sure I believe it about the 400Es unless
you're running narrower tires than the 500E came with stock (225s?
235s?). On a 300E they will rub the fenders over the slightest bump.
(Of course tire shape and size can make a difference, and I notice
that it's now trendy with the "sport compact" crowd to run tires with
a treadwidth that's much too narrow for your wheels, so that when you
look at the car from directly in front or behind the sidewalls stretch
diagonally inward from rim to ground. Myself, I think that looks
ridiculous---tire treads are supposed to be the same width as the rim,
with the sidewall bulging out between the two a little bit like a
donut.)
Al;ex
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