Default wheels

The W211 E-class came in three trim levels: Classic, Elegance, and Avantgarde. All came from the factory with alloy wheels of different styles, which were changed with the facelift. 16″ was standard.

Pre-facelift:

•  Classic : 7-hole design
• Elegance: 13-hole design, a reinterpretation of the classic “manhole cover” wheels
• Avantgarde: 5-spoke design

Facelift:

• Classic: 7-spoke design
• Elegance: 11-spoke design
• Avantgarde: 5 dual-spoke design, depending on engine 16″ or 17″

Sport package

• Sport package: 10 dual-spoke design, 18″
• AMG sport package: AMG 5-spoke design, 18″ (new version for facelift)

Optional wheels

These are wheels that could be ordered instead of the default wheels.

Pre-facelift:

• 5-spoke Avantgarde wheel in 17″
• 13-hole Elegance wheel in 17″
• 5 dual-spoke design in 16″ and 17″
• AMG 5-spoke design

Facelift:

• 11-spoke Elegance wheel in 17″
• 7-spoke Classic wheel
• 5 dual-spoke design in 16″ and 17″
• AMG 5-spoke design

Add-on wheels

These are wheels that could be ordered as dealer-installed option.

Pre-facelift:

• Vela 6-spoke 16″
• Fidis 6-hole 16″
• Megrez 7-spoke 16″
• Markab multi-spoke 17″
• Almach 5 dual-spoke 17″ – very similar if not identical to the facelift Avantgarde wheel
• Tarazed 9-spoke design
• Alresha multi-spoke design, 18″

Facelift:

• Vela,
• Fidis
• Megrez
• Mebsuta 5 double-spoke 16″ and 17″
• Almach
• Tarazed
• Markab
• Minelauva 7-spoke 17″
• Mekbuda 5-spoke 18″
• Alresha

Conclusions

As you can see there are quite some options in 16″, 17″, and 18″. The facelift wheels are clearly a bit more edgy than the rounder pre-facelift wheels. One thing to keep in mind is the list of permissible wheel/tire sizes. Cars that came with 16″ wheels are, if built before august 2007, technically not allowed to be equipped with 17″ wheels due to changes in emission. Cars need different front bump stops when going from 16″ to 17″ as well, the exception being facelift Avantgarde models, which already came with 17″ wheels. I do get the impression that this is more of a precautionary measure than an absolute requirement.

My favourites are the 5 dual-spoke designs, but I think that the Mebsuta is a bit too edgy for the rather round W211. I definitely like the 13-hole design the least

mercedeswheel.style also has pictures of most of these, as well as those for other models.