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Library / Mercedes-Benz 500E / E500 (W124)

Four-speed automatic, short gearing and the First Gear Start mod

Mercedes-Benz 500E / E500 (W124) · driving

The four-speed automatic (said to share lineage with the 6.9) is regarded as robust but short-geared, which hurts top speed and economy and makes the car default to second-gear starts. A popular fix is a First Gear Start valve body or electronic controller to unlock the low-end torque.