Mercedes-Benz Chassis Codes Explained

By CarWhere Research · Updated

A Mercedes-Benz chassis code names one model generation and body: the W205 is the 2015–2021 C-Class sedan, the C205 its coupe and the A205 its cabriolet. The letter gives the body — W sedan, C coupe, A cabriolet, S wagon, R roadster, X or V for most newer SUVs — and the number the series. 89 codes are decoded below.

What the letters mean

  • W — From Wagen (“car”): sedans, and the body code of many older SUVs and the G-Class (W163, W164, W166, W463).
  • S — Station wagon (Estate) versions — S211, S212, S213 E-Class wagons and the S203 C-Class wagon.
  • C — Coupes, including two-door versions of a sedan line (C204, C205, C207, C238) and coupe-only cars (C117 CLA, C190 AMG GT).
  • A — Cabriolets (convertibles) — A205 C-Class, A207 and A238 E-Class.
  • R — Roadsters — the R230, R231 and R232 SL and the R190 AMG GT Roadster.
  • X — Most crossovers and SUVs since the late 2000s (X164 GL, X253 GLC, X247 GLB, X167 GLS), plus the X290 AMG GT 4-Door Coupe and X294/X296 EQ SUVs.
  • V — Originally long-wheelbase versions (V222 S-Class); now also used as the main code for some lines, such as the V167 GLE and the V295/V297 EQ sedans.
  • H — Used for the second-generation GLA (H247), a compact SUV on the same platform as the CLA and GLB.

The three digits identify the model series and usually stay the same across the bodies of one generation: W205 sedan, C205 coupe and A205 cabriolet are all the 2015–2021 C-Class. Some coupes and cabriolets get their own number instead — the 2017–2023 E-Class sedan and wagon are W213 and S213, but its coupe and cabriolet are C238 and A238. AMG versions share the base car's code (a C 63 sedan is a W205), while dedicated AMG cars get their own (C190 AMG GT). A mid-cycle facelift keeps the code.

Mercedes-AMG GT chassis codes

Mercedes-AMG GT chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 4 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
C190Coupe2016–20212020C190 AMG GT specs
R190Roadster2018–20212020R190 AMG GT specs
X2904-Door Coupe2019–present2024X290 AMG GT specs
C192Coupe2024–present—C192 AMG GT specs

Mercedes-Benz C-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz C-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 9 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
W203Sedan2001–20072005W203 C-Class specs
S203Wagon2001–20052005S203 C-Class specs
CL203Coupe2001–20052005CL203 C-Class specs
W204Sedan2008–20152012W204 C-Class specs
C204Coupe2008–20152012C204 C-Class specs
W205Sedan2015–20232019W205 C-Class specs
C205Coupe2015–20232019C205 C-Class specs
A205Cabriolet2015–20232019A205 C-Class specs
W206Sedan2022–present—W206 C-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 2 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
C117Coupe2014–20192017C117 CLA-Class specs
C118Coupe2020–20262024C118 CLA-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz E-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz E-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 12 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
W211Sedan2003–20092007W211 E-Class specs
S211Wagon2003–20092007S211 E-Class specs
C207Coupe2010–20172014C207 E-Class specs
A207Cabriolet2010–20172014A207 E-Class specs
W212Sedan2010–20172014W212 E-Class specs
S212Wagon2010–20162014S212 E-Class specs
W213Sedan2017–20232021W213 E-Class specs
S213Wagon2017–20232021S213 E-Class specs
C238Coupe2018–20232021C238 E-Class specs
A238Cabriolet2018–20232021A238 E-Class specs
W214Sedan2024–present—W214 E-Class specs
S214Wagon2024–present—S214 E-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz EQB chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz EQB chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 1 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X243SUV2022–20252024X243 EQB specs

Mercedes-Benz EQE chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz EQE chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 2 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X294SUV2023–present—X294 EQE specs
V295Sedan2023–present—V295 EQE specs

Mercedes-Benz EQS chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz EQS chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 2 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
V297Sedan2022–present2025V297 EQS specs
X296SUV2023–present2025X296 EQS specs

Mercedes-Benz G-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz G-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 2 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
W463SUV2002–2018—W463 G-Class specs
W463ASUV2019–present2025W463A G-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 2 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X156SUV2015–20202018X156 GLA-Class specs
H247SUV2021–present2024H247 GLA-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 1 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X247SUV2020–20262024X247 GLB-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz GLC chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz GLC chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 4 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X253SUV2016–20232020X253 GLC specs
C253SUV Coupe2016–20232020C253 GLC specs
X254SUV2023–present—X254 GLC specs
C254SUV Coupe2023–present—C254 GLC specs

Mercedes-Benz GLE chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz GLE chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 5 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
W164SUV2006–20112009W164 GLE specs
W166SUV2012–20192016W166 GLE specs
C292SUV Coupe2016–20192016C292 GLE specs
V167SUV2020–present2024V167 GLE specs
C167SUV Coupe2020–present2024C167 GLE specs

Mercedes-Benz GLS chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz GLS chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 3 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
X164SUV2007–20122010X164 GLS specs
X166SUV2013–20192017X166 GLS specs
X167SUV2020–present2024X167 GLS specs

Mercedes-Benz S-Class chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz S-Class chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 7 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
W221Sedan2007–20132010W221 S-Class specs
C217Coupe2014–20212018C217 S-Class specs
A217Cabriolet2014–20212018A217 S-Class specs
W222Sedan2014–20212018W222 S-Class specs
X222Sedan (Mercedes-Maybach)2014–20202018X222 S-Class specs
W223Sedan2021–present—W223 S-Class specs
Z223Sedan (Mercedes-Maybach)2021–present—Z223 S-Class specs

Mercedes-Benz SL chassis codes

Mercedes-Benz SL chassis codes: body style, US model years and facelift year — 3 rows
Chassis codeBodyUS model yearsFacelift (US model year)Specs
R230Roadster2003–20122009R230 SL specs
R231Roadster2013–20202017R231 SL specs
R232Roadster2022–present—R232 SL specs

Other Mercedes-Benz chassis codes

Older and discontinued models not yet in the CarWhere spec tables. Years are worldwide production years, which can differ from US model years by a year.

Other Mercedes-Benz chassis codes with model and production years — 30 rows
Chassis codeModelProduction yearsNote
W198 / R198Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing coupe / roadster1954–1963
W113Mercedes-Benz SL “Pagoda” (230 SL, 250 SL, 280 SL)1963–1971
R107 / C107Mercedes-Benz SL roadster / SLC coupe1971–1989
W123Mercedes-Benz Mid-size sedan, wagon (S123) and coupe (C123)1976–1986
W126Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan (C126 = SEC coupe)1979–1991
W201Mercedes-Benz 190 / 190E compact sedan1982–1993
W124Mercedes-Benz Mid-size line, named E-Class from 1993 (S124 wagon, C124 coupe, A124 cabriolet)1984–1997
R129Mercedes-Benz SL roadster1989–2001
W140Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan (C140 = coupe, later CL)1991–1998
W202Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan (S202 = wagon)1993–2000
W210Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan (S210 = wagon)1995–2002
R170Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster (first generation)1996–2004
W163Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV (first generation)1997–2005
W220Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan1998–2005
C215Mercedes-Benz CL coupe1999–2006
C199Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (R199 = roadster)2003–2009
C219Mercedes-Benz CLS (first generation)2004–2010
R171Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster (second generation)2004–2011
W251Mercedes-Benz R-Class crossover2005–2017US sales ended after the 2013 model year
C216Mercedes-Benz CL coupe2006–2014
W906Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van (second generation)2006–2018
X204Mercedes-Benz GLK compact SUV2008–2015
C197 / R197Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG gullwing coupe / roadster2010–2014
C218Mercedes-Benz CLS (second generation)2011–2017
R172Mercedes-Benz SLK, renamed SLC from 20162011–2020
C292Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe (first generation)2015–2019
W447Mercedes-Benz Metris / V-Class van2014–present
C257Mercedes-Benz CLS (third generation)2018–2023
V177Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan2018–2022US model years 2019–2022
W907 / W910Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van (third generation)2018–present

Chassis code vs engine code

The chassis code names the car; the engine code names what is under the hood. A W204 C 350 and a W212 E 350 share the M272 and later M276 V6, while a W205 C 300 uses the M274 four-cylinder. The Mercedes-Benz engine codes page decodes those, and the Mercedes-Benz known issues by chassis code page lists what to check on each generation.

Not sure which chassis, engine and options a Mercedes has?

The data card lists a Mercedes-Benz's model designation, factory option codes, original paint and upholstery. CarWhere decodes it from the VIN — free availability check, $9.99 only if build data exists for that car.

Mercedes-Benz data card by VIN

Frequently asked questions

What does the W mean in Mercedes chassis codes?

W comes from Wagen, German for car, and marks the sedan body of a model line — W205 is the C-Class sedan. Other letters mark other bodies: C for coupe, A for cabriolet, S for wagon, R for roadster, and X, V or H for most newer SUVs and some sedans.

How do I find the chassis code of my Mercedes-Benz?

Match the model and model year to the tables on this page — for example, a 2017 C-Class sedan is a W205. A free VIN decode confirms the exact model, body and year, and the data card lists the full model designation, which starts with the series number.

Which years are the W203, W204, W205 and W206 C-Class?

In the US the C-Class sedan generations run W203 2001–2007, W204 2008–2015, W205 2015–2023, W206 2022–present. Coupes and cabriolets in the same generations carry C and A codes, such as the C205 coupe and A205 cabriolet.

Which years are the W211, W212, W213 and W214 E-Class?

The E-Class sedan generations sold in the US run W211 2003–2009, W212 2010–2017, W213 2017–2023, W214 2024–present. E-Class wagons use S codes (S211, S212, S213), and the 2010-on coupes and cabriolets are C207/A207 and C238/A238.

Is the W463A the same as the W464?

Yes — both names are used for the G-Class redesigned for the 2019 model year. Owners, clubs and parts catalogs use W463A or W464 to tell it apart from the earlier W463, which Mercedes-Benz USA sold from 2002 to 2018.

What is the difference between a Mercedes chassis code and an engine code?

The chassis code names the car (W205 C-Class); the engine code names the engine under the hood (M274 four-cylinder, M276 V6, M177 AMG V8). The same engine can appear in many chassis, and one chassis can offer several engines.

Sources

Chassis codes and US model years in the model tables come from the CarWhere Mercedes-Benz spec dataset, which cites Mercedes-Benz USA material per generation. The supplementary table was cross-checked against the references below.

  1. CarWhere Mercedes-Benz specs by chassis code (per-generation sources) — CarWhere
  2. Mercedes-Benz USA media newsroom — Mercedes-Benz USA
  3. Mercedes-Benz Group media — classic and model history — Mercedes-Benz Group
  4. List of Mercedes-Benz vehicles — Wikipedia (secondary reference)

More Mercedes-Benz tools

Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Mercedes-Benz Group AG or Mercedes-Benz USA. Mercedes-Benz, AMG, Maybach and the model names are trademarks of their owner.