Mercedes-Benz S-Class



The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the common description for a series of full-size luxury flagship sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Benz. The S-Class is a product of nine lines of Mercedes-Benz models dating since the mid-1950s, and is the largest Mercedes-Benz sedan. The latest generation, the W221 S-Class, premiered in 2005 as an all-new design. As in previous iterations, the latest S-Class is sold in standard and long wheelbase versions and offers V6, V8, V12, and diesel powertrains. The name "S-Class" derives from the German word Sonderklasse which refers to "a specially outfitted car."

Recent changes

 * For 2011, Mercedes updates the S63 AMG with a new smaller displacing direct injected 5.5 litre Biturbo V8 now producing 571 horsepower (up from 518) along with generating 663 pound-feet of torque between 2,250 and 3,750 rpm. That's enough to propel this land yacht to 60 in a supercar challenging 4.5 seconds (4.4 seconds with the optional AMG sports package). Despite this fuel economy have jumped from 16.3 miles per gallon (U.S.) to 22.4 mpg on the EU test cycle.


 * In 2005, the current W221 S-Class premiered, replacing the W220. This latest generation of the S-Class is slightly larger than its predecessor, with sharper exterior styling and technological improvements. New technological features on the W221 include an infrared night vision feature and the latest Mercedes-Benz "Pre-Safe" pre-collision system.

Styles and Major Options

 * Active Body Control (ABC) $3,900
 * Distronic PLUS Feature Spotlight $2,850
 * Heated Steering Wheel  $450
 * iPod Integration Kit  $425
 * Panorama Sunroof  $1,000
 * Power Side Window Sunblinds  $700
 * Wood/Leather Steering Wheel  $550
 * 18" 5-Spoke Wheel, Titanium Silver Finish  $0
 * 19" Multispoke Wheel, Sterling Silver Finish  $1,200
 * 18" 5-Spoke Wheel, Chrome Finish  $1,000
 * Dynamic Rear View Monitor  $750
 * Electronic Trunk Closer  $500

Pricing
In the U.S., base prices for the W221 S-Class range from $85,000 for the long wheelbase S550, $139,000 for the S600, and higher for AMG variants.

Reliability

 * RECALL ALERT: On November 25, 2008, Mercedes-Benz issued a recall affecting 1,515 MY2007 W221 S-Class sedans due to a defective radial knuckle of the front strut made by a supplier. According to the NHTSA, said item may fail after significant mileage accumulation combined with exposure to high continuous stress by driving on rough roads. If this happens, the steering may malfunction. The recall is set to begin in December and Mercedes promises to replace it free of charge.


 * RECALL ALERT: Embarrassing Recall of the Week: Mercedes Mismatches 2009 S-Class Door Locks

Overview
While the exact beginning of the colloquial S-Class expression cannot be determined precisely, it has always referred to the most spacious and largest luxury vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz line-up, with the exception of the limited-production Mercedes-Benz 600 limousine. In some cases it also applied to vehicles requiring premium fuel or "Super" due to the higher compression ratio and output of the company's top-of-the-line engines. The name "S-Class" derives from the German word "Sonderklasse" for which "S-class" is just an abbreviation. "Sonderklasse" means "special class", meaning a specially outfitted car.

The cars are commonly accepted as the Mercedes-Benz flagship model. Though the term S-Class has been used as a colloquial term for decades, it was not officially adopted by Mercedes-Benz until the introduction of the W116 for the 1973 model year.

The S-Class grew out of the modest "Ponton" model, a six cylinder sedan known as the W180/128 bodystyle. The line was introduced with the 220a, 219 (W105), 220S, and 220SE sedan, coupe, and convertible in 1954/1956. 1959 saw the introduction of the 220Sb (W111) with the new "Einheitskarosserie", which branched off in 1961 into the W110 featuring a shorter hood and wheelbase for the "economy" models 190c and 190Dc, and the 300 SE (W112), a short time successor to the "Großer Mercedes" 300/300b/300c/300d and predecessor of the "Großer Mercedes" 600 (W100). As the German economy grew, Mercedes-Benz saw the opportunity to build much larger vehicles, including the limited volume 1964 600 limousine (W100 series), which would then take the title of the "Großer Mercedes".

The W111 line continued in 1965 with the 230S sedan (still W111) alongside the new larger models W108/W109 250S / 250SE – which in 1968 grew to 280S and 280SE. The 300 SE was available in the W108 and in the W109 (LWB 300SEL) line until replaced by the 3.5 litre (in both long and standard bodies) and 6.3 litre V8 engine in the long body. These larger vehicles established the S-Class market position which continues.

The 1973 W116 saw the introduction of passive safety into the design and the 1980 W126 brought much-improved aerodynamics. The W140 saw the car grow dramatically in its proportions, while the W220 saw a renewed focus on elegance.

All S-Classes are currently built in Sindelfingen, Germany.

S-Class Chronology

 * 1956 Mercedes-Benz W180
 * 1958 Mercedes-Benz W128
 * 1959 Mercedes-Benz W111
 * 1961 Mercedes-Benz W112
 * 1965 Mercedes-Benz W108
 * 1973 Mercedes-Benz W116
 * 1979 Mercedes-Benz W126
 * 1991 Mercedes-Benz W140
 * 1999 Mercedes-Benz W220
 * 2006 Mercedes-Benz W221

Nomenclature
As is typical for Mercedes, the name of the car consists of a small series of numbers and letters, often carried over from one bodystyle to the next.

For example, 500SEL denotes an S-Class car with an engine size of about 5,000ccm, with fuel injection (Einspritz) and long wheelbase (Lang). Note that the "S" in "SEL" is not the same as the "S" in "SL" (Sport Light) – the SL roadsters are not S-Class vehicles.

Currently, the S-Class is available in seven trim levels; the numbers are given in ascending order to denote more upscale models.

In 1994, the traditional naming convention (numbers, then letters) was reversed. From then on, the long-wheelbase models (formerly "SEL") and the regular length models (formerly "SE") are both labeled with the prefix of "S" regardless of length. For example, both 500SEL and 500SE are now labeled as S500.

Role of autobahn
In Germany large stretches of the freeway system, the Autobahn, do not feature speed limits. Driving at rather high speeds for extended periods tends to result in increased strain on a vehicle and requires careful engineering. Mercedes-Benz has sought to engineer vehicles suitable to this unique environment, often without regard to cost. The company in turn has been able to exploit this as a marketing tool.

W111 1959 Fintail
See Mercedes-Benz W111 for complete details.

The W111 "Fintail" series debuted in 1959. Initially powered by a line of straight-6 engines (the M180 and M127), it set a new standard for luxury. The series was augmented with a line of 3.0 L cars in 1961, the W112.

The Fintail was among the first cars in the world to have crumple zones and disc brakes, and for the top of range 300SE model, air suspension.

This large Fintail model should not be confused with a smaller Fintail line, the W110, which was also produced at that time and was essentially the predecessor of today's E-Class.

W108/109 1960s
See Mercedes-Benz W108 for complete details.

With the W108/W109 series of 1965, the range received V8 power for the first time. The unusual 300 SEL 6.3 was based on this body type.

During this period, the designation SE was used for short wheel based models. Longer models (with more room in the back) were designated SEL. This designation continued until 1994.

W116 1970s
See Mercedes-Benz W116 for complete details.

The S-Class continued in the 1970s with the W116 series, produced from 1972 through 1979. This car had four-wheel independent suspension and disk brakes. It was the first Mercedes model to be officially called S-Class.

The W116 models were large luxury sedans. The new car was larger on the outside than the W108/W109 series it replaced, but had similar interior capacity, as the additional bulk was driven by new theories on car safety and occupant protection in a crash. It was one of the first cars to be available with ABS, airbag or a turbo diesel engine.

The most notable W116 was the high-performance, limited-production 450 SEL 6.9. This 8 cylinder model boasted the largest engine installed in a postwar Mercedes-Benz up to that time. Every 6.9 featured self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension and four wheel disc brakes and offered the ABS anti-lock braking system as an option from 1978 on.

Production totalled 473,035 units.

W126 1981
See Mercedes-Benz W126 for complete details.

The W116 S-Class was replaced by an all-new model in late 1979 for 1980 (and 1981 in USA), codenamed W126. The car won the prestigious Australian Wheels Magazine Car of the Year award for 1981, the first luxury car to do so.

Most sales came from the Diesel model in the United States and straight-6 models in Europe, but the V8 models were considered the best variants by contemporary journalists.

Although the top of range Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 of the previous generation was not directly replaced, the W126 carried forward the hydropneumatic suspension of the 6.9 as an option on the 500SEL. In 1981, the W126 re-introduced the airbag to the world, as an additional measure of occupant protection.

Abandoning the roadster based coupes, the W126 had a two door variant, the SEC coupé. The W126 line lasted from 1979 through 1991.

The 500SEL has an interesting place in US history, since American demand for this particular car drove the establishment of a large grey market. The detuned, yet very expensive standard US specification 380 SE/SEL/SEC/SL was underpowered, according to contemporary reports, so 25,000 units per year of the parallel import vehicle were sold in the early 1980s. That prompted then Mercedes-Benz of North America to lobby for the elimination of parallel import in 1988.

In the 1980s, Mercedes-Benz built the world's first driverless cars, together with the team of Professor Ernst Dickmanns at Bundeswehr Universität München. The culmination was achieved in 1995, when Dickmanns' re-engineered autonomous S-Class robot took a return trip from Munich, Bavaria to Copenhagen, Denmark and back. On autobahns the robot achieved speeds exceeding 175 km/h. It suggested and executed overtaking manoeuvers. The car's abilities left a big impression on many observers, and heavily influenced robot car research and funding decisions world-wide.

Production totalled 818,036 units.

The W126 line was replaced by the W140 S-Class in 1991.

W140 1991
See Mercedes-Benz W140 for complete details.

In 1991, Mercedes replaced the W126 S-Class with the W140. The very first W140 rolled off the assembly line on August 6, 1991.

Production totalled 406,532 units, the reduced total reflecting the inroads made by Lexus into the key US export market.

As with its predecessor, the W140 was the first of the "next generation" of Mercedes-Benz models to feature the company's new design theme.

The W140 introduced new innovations such as double-pane window glazing, self-closing doors and boot lid, electric windows which lowered back down when encountering an obstruction, rear-parking markers which appeared on the rear wings and a heating system which emitted warm air even after the engine was turned off.

For details like this, the W140 is often known as the last Mercedes to be "overengineered," a Mercedes trait that was costing the company in product delays and overbudgeting. For the consumer, the W140 cost a considerable 25% more than its predecessor, the W126. In addition, the intense pressure from Infiniti and Lexus led to adding more features and options as to set the W140 apart from the rest and to justify the higher price.

The W140 was to feature air-suspension as an option, but Mercedes was still perfecting the technology and chose to launch air-suspension in the next generation S-Class in 2000.

The W140 coupé and sedan were each fitted with Electronic Stability Control following the mid-year facelift in 1997.

Like its predecessor, the car was available in two wheelbase lengths along with the shorter-wheelbased W140 coupé.

In 1992, A new 6L 408 hp V12 engine joined the lineup for the first time with the 600SE, 600SEL and 600SEC. A "V12" badge was affixed to the C-pillar. In 1997, grille was redesigned on all V12 models.

In 1993, the 408 hp V12 motor was slightly detuned to 389 hp to comply with tighter emission control regulations in the United States and Europe. The V8 models were tuned down from 322 hp to 315 hp.

In 1994, all Mercedes-Benz model names were rationalized, with the SE/SEL/SEC cars becoming the S-Class. The alphanumerical designations were inverted: for example the both 500SE and 500SEL became S500 regardless of wheelbase length.

The W140 S600 was available with a leather dashboard and a suede headliner, unlike the V8 and inline 6-cylinder models.

Following the new Mercedes-Benz tradition of mid-life facelifts (starting with the W126 in 1986), the W140 received a minor facelift in 1997. The clear turn signal indicator lenses on the front and rear were the most obvious changes. Headlamps were fitted with separate low and high beam reflectors.

W220 2000
See Mercedes-Benz W220 for complete details.

In late 1999, the completely restyled W220 S-Class was introduced. The W220 was slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor.

Production totalled 485,000 units, slightly more than the production totals from the W140.

Unlike its predecessor, the W220 was not the first model to feature the company's new design theme for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz. This honor was given to the A-Class launched in 1997. The new S-Class incorporated the new styling cues.

Despite being smaller, the new car offered more interior space than the W140. The dashboard carried over the new styling details first seen in the Mk I A-Class the year before.

As with each new S-Class, the W220 brought in new innovations such as Airmatic air suspension and Active Ventilated seats (which use miniature fans in the seats to move air through perforations). Other options included keyless entry and ignition, a radar-controlled Distronic cruise control system and a cylinder shut-off system called Active Cylinder Control.

4MATIC all wheel drive was introduced to the North American S-Class for 2002.

The W220 was available with more engine options than the W126 or W140. The range started with smaller 3.2L 224 hp V6 motor, which was superseded by an enlarged 3.7L 245 hp V6 in S350.

The S430 was powered by a 4.3L 279 hp V8 and the S500 was powered by a 5.0L 306 hp V8. The S55 AMG was outfitted with a supercharged 5.4L 493 hp V8 motor. The S600 was outfitted with a 5.5L 493 hp V12 twin turbo engine.

For one month in 2001, AMG produced S63 AMG, which was sold in very limited numbers. The S63 was powered by a 6.3L 444 hp V12. An undisclosed number of were sold exclusively through AMG in European and Asian markets.

The S65 AMG was introduced in 2005. Powered by a 6.0L 612 hp V12 twin turbo motor, the S65 was the most powerful S-Class, as well as the world's most powerful five-seat sedan.

W221 2005/6
See Mercedes-Benz W221 for complete details.

The W220 S-Class was replaced by an all-new W221 model in the autumn of 2005, with export to other markets beginning in 2006. The W221 was introduced to the North American market at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January.

The W221 is slightly larger in all dimensions than its predecessor, and it features a more luxurious, Maybach-like appearance, as well as three newly developed engines with up to 26% power increase. The interior is completely new, all materials have been upgraded and make for a more luxurious ride, and the center-mounted transmission has been replaced with a column-shifter.

The 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission is standard, except on V12 engines, where the 5-speed Sequentronic is maintained. 4MATIC four wheel drive will become available in the fourth quarter of 2006. One major mechanical change is the elimination of brake by wire technology in favor of conventional hydraulic power assist. The brakes continue to become more advanced, however, with the new Brake Assist Plus system monitoring for an impending collision and increasing braking if needed, while the Distronic Plus cruise control can now bring the car to a complete stop.

Models sold in North America are the S 450 (2008-), S 550, S 600, S 63 AMG and S65 AMG; other models to be sold outside North America include the S 350 and S320 CDI. The first W221 model released in North America was the S 550 (called S 500 outside North America), with the S 600 arriving in the following spring. Upscale department store Saks Fifth Avenue offered 20 special-edition S 600 sedans for sale in its 2005 Christmas catalog. All 20 cars, priced at US$145,000 each, sold on November 22, 2005 in under seven minutes. The Saks-edition S 600 sedans are finished in a mocha black exterior with an almond beige interior and are the first examples of the S 600 to be sold to private owners. The S 600s come with nearly every option standard.

Safety
Road accident statistics on a model-by-model basis from the UK Department of Transport show that the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is one of the safest cars on the UK roads (measured in terms of chance of death in an accident) &mdash;between three times safer than the safest Volvo and BMW 7 Series models and only matched by the Jaguar XJ series and Land Rover.

Awards
The S-class was the Car of the Year in Australian Wheels magazine for 1981 and again in 1999.