Mercedes-Benz S-Class
S-Class refers to the luxury class of the Mercedes-Benz car brand . It stands for luxurious sedans and coupes . In autumn 1972, the 116 series was the first S-Class officially designated by Mercedes-Benz (MB) to appear. The top models from Mercedes-Benz had already been called S before that.
The S-Class coupé, which first appeared in the 126 series, became more stylistically independent from autumn 1992 ( C 140 series ) and from 1999 to 2014 ( C 215 series ) and has been called the CL-Class since mid-1996 . With the C 217 , a model known as the S-Class Coupé has been marketed again since mid-2014 , but the visual independence of the Coupé has remained, as is now common in automotive engineering.
The tenth generation of the S-Class appeared in May 2013.
Transfer of terms and particularities
Only with the introduction of the 116 series in September in 1972, was in the brochures of the "S-Class" ( special class ) talk, sometimes has been, or is the predecessor - the series W 108 / 109 - referred to as "old S-Class" . Mercedes-Benz describes the W 108/109 models as “the actual hour of birth of the S-Class, even if it wasn't called that at the time.” (Quote from the advertising video for the introduction of the 221 series ). Harry Niemann wrote in the “Illustrated Chronicle of Daimler-Benz AG” (publisher: Daimler-Benz Group Archive): “Even if the designation was only officially used for the 116 series from 1972, the 250 S types are the first S-Classes up to 300 SEL 6.3 (1965 to 1972) ".
The S-Class of the 220 series (1998-2005) is characterized by a. - with the exception of the S 600, which was only available with steel suspension ( Active Body Control ) - by a standard air suspension . This is considered to be elaborately designed and very robust.
The S-Class (221) is offered ex works as a special protection vehicle of resistance class B6 / B7.
The S-Class (221) is also available as a stretch limousine ( S 600 Pullman Guard ). It is only available with the above armor.
For many years, the S-Class was the best-selling luxury vehicle in the world, Europe and Germany. There were exceptions (as is usual in the automotive market) towards the end and the beginning of a model cycle. Two examples: more BMW 7 Series than S-Class vehicles were sold on the German market in 2004 ; In 2012, more BMW 7 Series and more Audi A8s were sold as S-Classes.
Series
designation | construction time | number of pieces | Entry price (approx. Including VAT) | Entry price adjusted for inflation | length | width | height | wheelbase | Empty weight |
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116 series : | 1972-1980 | 473.035 | 23,800 DM | € 38,673 | 4960 mm | 1870 mm | 1410 mm | 2860 mm | 1660 kg |
126 series : | 1979-1991 | 818.036 | 35,900 DM | € 41,609 | 4995 mm | 1820 mm | 1407 mm | 2850 mm | 1510 kg |
Series 140 : | 1991-1998 | 406,532 | 79,000 DM | € 64,982 | 5113 mm | 1886 mm | 1486 mm | 3065 mm | 1890 kg |
Series 220 : | 1998-2005 | 484,683 | 113,000 DM | € 77,566 | 5038 mm | 1855 mm | 1444 mm | 2965 mm | 1810 kg |
Series 221 : | 2005-2013 | > 500,000 | € 72,000 | € 87,790 | 5079 mm | 1872 mm | 1473 mm | 3035 mm | 1880 kg |
Series 222 : | since 2013 | > 350,000 | € 80,000 | € 85,506 | 5116 mm | 1899 mm | 1494 mm | 3035 mm | 1925 kg |
Technical features
The S-Class has always been an innovator in modern automotive technology. As a high-priced pioneer, it brought innovations onto the market, some of which subsequently found widespread use.
Type 220, series 187 (1951 to 1954): |
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Types 220 a, 219, 220 S and 220 SE, series 105 / 128 / 180 (1954-1959) |
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Types 220 b, 220 Sb, 220 SEb, 300 SE, series 111 and 112 (1959 to 1965) |
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250 S - 300 SE, SEL 300 - 300 SEL 6.3, series 108 / 109 (1965-1972) |
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S-Class 116 series (1972 to 1980) |
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S-Class 126 series (1979 to 1991) |
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S-Class 140 series (1991 to 1998) |
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S-Class 220 series (1998 to 2005) |
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S-Class 221 series (2005 to 2013) |
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S-Class model series 222 (since 2013) |
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literature
- Heribert Hofner: The S-Class from Mercedes-Benz , Bechtermünz Verlag; Augsburg 1997; ISBN 3-86047-589-4 .
- Martin Häußermann: Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The brochures since 1952 , archive edition of the DaimlerChrysler corporate archive, Delius Klasing Bielefeld, 2005; ISBN 3-7688-1718-0 .
- Christof Vieweg: S-Class - Masterpiece on Wheels , Delius Klasing Verlag; June 2006; ISBN 3-7688-1802-0 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mercedes flies the flag , faz.net, May 15, 2013
- ↑ http://www.autokiste.de/psg/1009/9019.htm .
Vehicle class | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | ||||||||||||||||
6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | |
Compact class | W 15 (type 170) | ||||||||||||||||||
W 23 (type 130) | |||||||||||||||||||
W 30 (type 150) | |||||||||||||||||||
W 28 (type 170 H) | |||||||||||||||||||
Middle class | W 02 (type Stuttgart 200) | W 136 / W 149 (types 170 V / 200 V) | |||||||||||||||||
W 11 (type Stuttgart 260) | W 143 (type 230 n) | ||||||||||||||||||
W 21 (type 200/230) | W 153 (type 230) | ||||||||||||||||||
W 138 (type 260 D) | |||||||||||||||||||
upper middle class | W 03 / W 04 / W 05 (types 300/320/350) | W 18 (type 290) | |||||||||||||||||
W 10 / W 19 (types 350/370/380) | W 142 (type 320) | ||||||||||||||||||
W 22 | |||||||||||||||||||
Upper class | Type 400 & Type 630 | W 24 / W 29 / W 129 (types 500 K / 540 K / 580 K) | |||||||||||||||||
W 08 (type Nürburg 460/460 K / 500 / type 500 N) | |||||||||||||||||||
W 07 / W 150 (types 770/770 K) | |||||||||||||||||||
Sports car | Model K | ||||||||||||||||||
W 06 (type S / SS / SSK / SSKL) | W 24 / W 29 / W 129 | ||||||||||||||||||
Off-road vehicle | W 103 (type G1) | W 31 (type G4) | |||||||||||||||||
W 133 III (type 170 VG) / W 139 (type 170 VL) / W 152 (type G5) | |||||||||||||||||||
Vans | L 3/4 | L 1000 Express | L 301 | ||||||||||||||||
L 300 |