How Well Does A 27 Year-Old S-Class Age?
Let’s take a peek at the pinnacle of luxury, from almost three-decades ago.
When it comes to the ultimate in luxury, style and technology, you just can’t beat the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. For decades, it has been the ultimate benchmark against which the rest of the automotive world is measured. But how does the greatest car in the world age? This is the question Doug DeMuro attempts to answer in this video on a 1991 Mercedes 560 SEL. A car that just over two decades ago would have cost you in the ballpark of $77,000. Adjust for inflation and that price comes out to a cool $150,000.
With a 5.5L V8 making 300 horsepower, this Mercedes wouldn’t worry an EcoBoost Mustang today, but back in the early 90s, it was quite a performer. But beyond the now underpowered motor, this 560 SEL actually still has a large number of features that are hard to find on modern cars. The switchgear is wonky, but look around and you’ll find powered headrests, a variable driving mode for using snow tires, multiple horn tones, and more. Other luxury equipment like multiple airbags and climate control seem quaint to mention, but for a car of the time, these were impressive options. And it still keeps these cars feeling modern so many years later.
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Other nice luxury touches that were mind-blowing for the time are found in the back seats. How do motorized reclining rear seats with integrated heaters sound? It wasn’t until just a few years ago that rear heated seats became a common option in cars.
Just like all of DeMuro’s videos, we have a lot of random facts and features that he finds interesting or worth mentioning. For some reason he is quite smitten with storage trays hidden behind the rear seat headrests. But finally, if you make it far enough he goes for a drive.
And this is when the impeccable engineering of the Mercedes badge really shines. The engine feels a little anemic thanks to its four-speed transmission, but the ride quality is unbeatable. This 560 SEL flows down the road in a way that made DeMuro compare it to a modern Bentley.
We know that DeMuro videos aren’t for everyone, but we think this one is worth a watch.
