Mercedes sold more than a dozen distinct nameplates in the United States for the 2008 model year, from a 228-hp roadster to a 604-hp V12 flagship. Most model-year database pages show them one at a time. This guide lays out the whole 2008 Mercedes-Benz lineup in one place, grouped by class, with the engines, the power figures and the changes that mattered.
2008 is a pivot year. The all-new C-Class arrived, the S-Class and CL were in the middle of their generation, and AMG was in its big naturally aspirated V8 phase before turbochargers took over. Diesel BlueTEC models were also on sale in the US, which still surprises people.
TLDR
- Biggest change: the all-new C-Class (C300, C350 Sport and the 451-hp C63 AMG).
- New SUV: the GL550, a 5.5-liter V8 version of the three-row GL.
- Halo cars: S65 AMG (604 hp), CLK63 AMG Black Series (500 hp) and the SLR McLaren Roadster.
- Dropped: the R-Class lost its R500 and R63 AMG versions.
- Not here yet: the GLK was shown in 2008 but did not reach US dealers until the 2010 model year.
- Used-buying rule: the simpler the car, the cheaper it is to keep. Air suspension, V12s and AMG V8s all cost real money when they age.
Contents
- 2008 Mercedes-Benz quick-reference table
- Sedans: C-Class, E-Class, S-Class and CLS
- Coupes and roadsters: CLK, CL, SL, SLK and SLR
- Wagons
- SUVs and crossovers: ML, GL, R-Class and G-Class
- The 2008 AMG models
- Buying a 2008 Mercedes used
2008 Mercedes-Benz quick-reference table
Power figures are SAE horsepower as quoted for the US market. Trims varied by body style and drivetrain.
| Model | Body style | Engines (US) | Notable for 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Class | Sedan | 3.0L V6 (C300), 3.5L V6 (C350), 6.2L V8 (C63 AMG) | All-new generation; C63 AMG debuts |
| E-Class | Sedan, wagon | 3.5L V6, 3.0L diesel V6, 5.5L V8, 6.2L V8 (E63 AMG) | Mid-cycle carryover; diesel E320 BlueTEC |
| S-Class | Sedan | 5.5L V8, 5.5L twin-turbo V12, 6.2L V8, 6.0L twin-turbo V12 | S65 AMG at 604 hp |
| CLS-Class | Four-door coupe | 5.5L V8, 6.2L V8 (CLS63 AMG) | Sleek sedan alternative to the E-Class |
| CLK-Class | Coupe, cabriolet | 3.5L V6, 5.5L V8, 6.2L V8 (CLK63 AMG) | CLK63 AMG Black Series, 500 hp |
| CL-Class | Coupe | 5.5L V8, 5.5L V12, 6.2L V8, 6.0L V12 | Four AMG and V12 options at the top |
| SL-Class | Roadster | 5.5L V8, 5.5L V12, 6.2L V8, 6.0L V12 | Retractable hardtop; up to 604 hp |
| SLK-Class | Roadster | 3.0L V6, 3.5L V6, 5.5L V8 (SLK55 AMG) | Compact hardtop roadster |
| SLR McLaren | Roadster | 5.4L supercharged V8 | Roadster version of the SLR |
| ML-Class | SUV | 3.0L diesel V6, 3.5L V6, 5.5L V8, 6.2L V8 (ML63 AMG) | Diesel and AMG options |
| GL-Class | Three-row SUV | 3.0L diesel V6, 4.6L V8 (GL450), 5.5L V8 (GL550) | GL550 is new |
| R-Class | Sport tourer | 3.0L diesel V6, 3.5L V6 | R500 and R63 AMG dropped |
| G-Class | Off-road SUV | 5.5L supercharged V8 (G55 AMG) | Boxy 1979 design still on sale |
Sedans: C-Class, E-Class, S-Class and CLS
C-Class
The 2008 C-Class was a complete redesign, the first in seven years. The old car’s final year is covered in the 2007 Mercedes-Benz lineup. The car got longer and wider, and the interior moved up a class. Two trim lines mattered: Luxury, with the traditional grille and hood star, and Sport, with a larger grille emblem and a sportier suspension.
The C300 used a 3.0-liter V6 with 228 hp and was offered with a six-speed manual, a seven-speed automatic or 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The C350 Sport stepped up to a 3.5-liter V6 with 268 hp.
At the top sat the C63 AMG. It used a hand-built 6.2-liter V8 making 451 hp and 443 lb-ft, paired with a seven-speed AMG SpeedShift automatic. It replaced the old C55 AMG with roughly 100 more horsepower and became the defining car of the model year.
E-Class
The W211 E-Class was in its later years, so 2008 was about refinement rather than new sheet metal. The E350 (3.5L V6, 268 hp) was the volume car, available as rear-wheel drive or 4MATIC. The E550 brought a 5.5-liter V8 with 382 hp.
The oddball was the E320 BlueTEC, a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 rated at 208 hp and 388 lb-ft. It was one of the few diesel passenger cars on sale in the US at the time and was certified in all fifty states. At the top, the E63 AMG pushed a 6.2-liter V8 to 507 hp.
S-Class
The W221 S-Class was the technology showpiece. The S550 (5.5L V8, 382 hp) was the core model, with 4MATIC also offered. The S600 used a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V12 making 510 hp and a mountain of torque, and the S63 AMG carried a 6.2-liter V8 with 518 hp.
The headline was the S65 AMG: a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 with 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. It was the most powerful production sedan Mercedes had ever sold in the US, and it cost accordingly.
CLS-Class
The CLS took the E-Class platform and gave it a sloping four-door coupe roofline. The CLS550 used the 382-hp 5.5-liter V8, and the CLS63 AMG used the 6.2-liter V8 at 507 hp. If the E-Class felt too formal, this was the answer. The trade-off is a tighter rear seat and less headroom for the people sitting in it.
Coupes and roadsters: CLK, CL, SL, SLK and SLR
CLK-Class
The CLK came as a coupe or a cabriolet. The CLK350 used the 268-hp 3.5-liter V6, and the CLK550 used the 382-hp 5.5-liter V8. The CLK63 AMG carried a 6.2-liter V8 (badged 6.3) at 475 hp.
The 2008 headline was the CLK63 AMG Black Series: a stripped, widened, track-biased coupe with 500 hp, an adjustable coilover suspension and a carbon-fiber hood. It was a limited-production car and mostly sold to collectors.
CL-Class
The CL is the big, expensive grand tourer built on the S-Class. In 2008 you could get the CL550 (382 hp, with 4MATIC added), the CL600 (5.5L twin-turbo V12, 510 hp), the CL63 AMG (6.2L V8, 518 hp) and the CL65 AMG (6.0L twin-turbo V12, 604 hp). Prices ran from the high $90,000s to well past $190,000.
SL-Class
The SL had a folding aluminum hardtop and a bigger ambition than its size suggested. The SL550 (382 hp), SL600 (510 hp), SL63 AMG (6.2L V8, 507 hp) and SL65 AMG (604 hp) mirrored the S-Class engine ladder.
SLK-Class
The SLK was the entry roadster. The SLK280 used a 3.0-liter V6 with 228 hp, the SLK350 used the 3.5-liter V6 with 300 hp, and the SLK55 AMG carried a 5.5-liter V8 rated at 355 hp. All used a retractable hardtop. The 2008 car was in its final year before the redesign.
SLR McLaren Roadster
The SLR McLaren Roadster is the outlier. It used a hand-assembled, supercharged 5.4-liter V8 making roughly 617 hp, a carbon-fiber body and a fixed rear spoiler that raised with speed. It was built in tiny numbers and priced like a house. The 2008 McLaren car models guide covers the other half of the SLR’s story. For 2008 it sat alongside the coupe as the one car on this list most people only ever see at car shows.
Wagons
The wagon is a one-class story in the US. The E350 4MATIC wagon carried the same 3.5-liter V6 as the sedan, with seating for seven thanks to a rear-facing third row. The E63 AMG wagon put the 507-hp V8 in the same body and is now one of the more collectible Mercedes of the period.
There was no C-Class wagon in the US for 2008, so if you wanted a smaller Mercedes with a cargo bay, the E350 wagon was the only choice. Anyone shopping for something similar should also look at the R-Class, covered below.
SUVs and crossovers: ML, GL, R-Class and G-Class
ML-Class
The ML had been redesigned for 2006 and 2008 was a steady year. The ML350 (3.5L V6, 268 hp) was the base car, the ML550 (5.5L V8, 382 hp) the sport-leaning one, and the ML320 CDI a 3.0-liter diesel with 215 hp and 398 lb-ft. At the top, the ML63 AMG carried a 6.2-liter V8 with 503 hp.
GL-Class
The three-row GL was in only its second model year. The GL320 CDI used the same diesel V6 as the ML, the GL450 a 4.6-liter V8 with 335 hp, and the new GL550 a 5.5-liter V8 with 382 hp. The GL550 is the notable 2008 addition and it brought the GL closer to the Range Rover in capability and price.
R-Class
The R-Class was Mercedes’s attempt at a crossover wagon, a long, low, seven-seat sport tourer. For 2008 the lineup was trimmed: the R350 (3.5L V6, 268 hp) and the R320 CDI diesel stayed, but the R500 and R63 AMG were dropped. Sales were slow, and this was the year Mercedes began to pare it back.
G-Class
The G-Class was almost the same boxy truck Mercedes first sold in 1979. In the US the G55 AMG was the one to have, with a supercharged 5.5-liter V8 making around 500 hp. It is a utility vehicle only in the sense that it has four doors and a spare tire on the back. The GLK, a compact SUV rival to the BMW X3, was revealed around this time but did not reach American buyers until the 2010 model year, so it doesn’t belong in a 2008 lineup.
The 2008 AMG models
AMG was in a golden age of naturally aspirated V8s, part of the last stretch of 2000s sports cars before turbochargers took over. The 6.2-liter M156 engine, introduced in the C63 and E63, was the centerpiece. The 2008 AMG lineup:
- C63 AMG: 451 hp, 6.2L V8
- E63 AMG (sedan and wagon): 507 hp
- CLS63 AMG: 507 hp
- CLK63 AMG: 475 hp
- CLK63 AMG Black Series: 500 hp
- SLK55 AMG: 355 hp, 5.5L V8
- SL63 AMG: 507 hp
- SL65 AMG: 604 hp, 6.0L twin-turbo V12
- S63 AMG: 518 hp
- S65 AMG: 604 hp
- CL63 AMG: 518 hp
- CL65 AMG: 604 hp
- ML63 AMG: 503 hp
- G55 AMG: about 500 hp, supercharged 5.5L V8
That is fourteen AMG-badged cars in a single model year, which is a bigger spread than most manufacturers offer with a full lineup.
Buying a 2008 Mercedes used
Whatever you pick, start with the paperwork. Run the VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup to see any open recalls, and check IIHS crash-test ratings if you’re comparing family cars. The EPA’s fueleconomy.gov lists the official mileage for each model year, which helps when comparing a V6 against a V8.
Here is what to look for by family. Owner reports are the source for most of this, not factory data, so treat it as a checklist rather than a guarantee.
- C-Class (C300, C350): The 3.0 and 3.5 V6 engines of this period are known for balance-shaft gear wear in earlier builds. Ask for service records and listen for rattling on a cold start. Otherwise, the C300 is the simplest 2008 Mercedes to run.
- C63 AMG: Cylinder head bolt failures on the 6.2-liter engine are a known weak point. Fuel and tire costs are high. Buy one with a documented service history or not at all.
- E-Class: Look for air-suspension leaks on cars with Airmatic, and electronic module faults. The E320 BlueTEC needs its urea fluid topped up and its emissions system working.
- S-Class, CL and SL: These are the expensive-to-fix cars. Active Body Control and Airmatic components are costly, and the V12s add more complexity. A cheap S600 is cheap for a reason.
- CLS and CLK: Basically E-Class and C-Class hardware, so the same checks apply. On the CLK cabriolet, test the roof.
- SLK and SL: Operate the hardtop several times and look for hydraulic leaks. Check the trunk floor for water.
- ML and GL: Air suspension on equipped cars is the main concern, along with the wear you’d expect on a heavy SUV. The diesels are worth buying if the emissions system is sound.
- R-Class: A roomy car that nobody wanted, which makes it cheap. It’s a reasonable family hauler if the air suspension is working.
- G55 AMG: Hold value well. Fuel economy is poor and parts are expensive.
If you only want one rule: buy the best-maintained example, not the cheapest. A well-documented C300 or E350 will cost less over five years than a neglected V8 that looked like a bargain.
Daniela Voss
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