Mercedes-Benz of Germany makes luxury and performance vehicles that span the scale in size and type with multiple options for power and traction and the 2004 collection contains more models than ever before.

The products, clustered in alphabetical classes by size and style, include sophisticated two-seat sports cars, sedate four-door sedans, sensuous two-door coupes, rakish convertibles and muscular sport-utility wagons, plus souped-up performance versions for many categories under the AMG label.

This year the CLK Class of mid-size cars gets drop-top versions with three different trims bound for America. All are derived from slinky CLK hardtop coupes but cut to airy convertibles by German car crafter Karmann. New all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction applies to three car classes in 2004 with the compact-size C Class sedans, mid-size E Class sedans and estate wagons, plus top-of-the-line S Class sedans.

And Mercedes has a new seven-speed automatic transmission primed for the E500 sedan and E500 wagon, S430 and S500 sedans, plus elite full-size CL500 coupe and SL500 roadster convertible. The top roadster - SL600 - earns a V12 engine with twin turbo-chargers aboard to punch it out to 493 hp. And multiple models continue for the SLK Class of roadsters and M Class of sport-utility vehicles, as well as the G Class of no-compromise super-SUVs.

A total of seven different models cluster behind the E Class banner of mid-size luxury sedans and wagons in the Mercedes line for 2004.

Included is optional new AWD equipment, called 4Matic in Mercedes nomenclature, with 40/60 percent front/rear torque split. The 4Matic system is offered on the two E Class wagons, E320 and E500.

Also new to the E Class is a high-performance sports sedan dubbed E55 AMG. It totes a 5.5-liter V8 built by the Mercedes tuner AMG and fitted with a Lysholm supercharger and crossfire intercooler. Power for E55 AMG reaches to 469 hp with a five-speed automatic featuring manual TouchShift mode.

E320 as a sedan with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) traction is the volume model, while the E500 RWD sedan is a performance model with keen handling traits. E320 takes its name from a 3.2-liter V6 engine that's good for 221 hp with the Mercedes five-speed automatic and TouchShift manual mode. E500 stocks a 5.0-liter V8 charged to 302 hp. It also brings the new seven-speed automatic transmission.

Besides electronic braking, both sedans carry a four-link front suspension coupled to the Airmatic device with selectable levels of comfort and ride height.

A five-seat cabin draws on fine leathers and rich polished hardwoods, and high-tech Mercedes options appear like the Keyless Go entry system, Distronic adaptive cruise control, a twin-window Panorama Sunroof and energy-generating solar panels, plus bi-xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and a DVD-based navigation system. (CONTINUED...)