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I've owned every S class since the late 80's. If I could create the perfect S class , what features/designs of all of those S classes would produce the perfect S class?
For me, I loved the stately W126 the most. If it had the modern headlight features of the W222 and interior lighting , that would be awesome. If it had the power of my current S63 , that would be amazing. If it had modern navigation and autonomous features , it would be nice as well. Airbags of the present , creature comforts and reliability improvements of today's modern S class added would produce a beautiful car. I actually prefer the dash of the W126 as it was back then , just add navigation.
For me the next one
Well, I think W222 S550 4 MATIC or W222 S63 AMG . I can't make a decision between these .I have heard of many solid stories to praise the W126s but sorry it's too old and frump to me but these must be technical marvels back in those days then . I have also heard of god things on W140s but reliability wise W126 must be better than that of W140s
The W126 still has road presence today. I see one at least a few times a week here in San Diego. Turbo Diesels of course. For me, I'd do the W222 modernization to the W140, the last S Class with real road presence, just my opinion of course.
I went to the MB Museum 2 weeks ago and saw this car... to me, it's the perfect S Class! I found it oddly beautiful but I'd rather own my new one of course.
"At the 1968 Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 300 SEL 6.3, a V8-power thingamajig that ticked all the boxes. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 was a tour de force on all levels: W109 had everything... Power output was 247 hp (184 kW), fully active at 4,000 rpm and tasked with moving a 1,780-kilo sedan. And moved it did. According to Mercedes literature, the 300 SLE 6.3 needed 6.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill.
Apparently, unsuspecting Porsche 911 drivers had to recover their jaws from their laps as one particular 300 SEL 6.3 which did not feature the 6.3 badge on its bodywork left them behind on the Autobahn during an auto, motor und sport test drive. And it pulled that off comfortably - literally speaking, courtesy the air suspension and four-speed automatic transmission. The suspension adapted itself to changing loads thank to an automatic level control setup that allowed spring travel and the car’s posture to remain steady at all times.
Peculiarly, the 300 SEL 6.3 wasn’t something Mercedes-Benz cooked up in formal meetings with its engineers, designers and whatnot. It was the brainchild of Erich Waxenberger, who saw an opportunity in taking the 600’s V8 and using it for other cars. The earliest 300 SEL 6.3 was, in fact, a test car build in secret right under the unsuspecting nose of Rudolf Uhlenhaut, head of passenger car development at Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s. The project eventually got the R&D go and Mercedes-Benz turned up building 6,526 units by 1972. Today, a well-maintained Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 sells for €80,000, almost as much as a brand new entry-level S-Class."
The first S-Class with that moniker as it is used today, the car that was absolute perfection and became car of the year in 1974.
For me, a 450 SEL is the best S-Class ever, since it had absolutely ZERO competition or alternatives at the time, nothing compared to it.
All successors were excellent but were never able to assert that kind of domination.
I went to the MB Museum 2 weeks ago and saw this car... to me, it's the perfect S Class! I found it oddly beautiful but I'd rather own my new one of course.
"At the 1968 Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 300 SEL 6.3, a V8-power thingamajig that ticked all the boxes. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 was a tour de force on all levels: W109 had everything... Power output was 247 hp (184 kW), fully active at 4,000 rpm and tasked with moving a 1,780-kilo sedan. And moved it did. According to Mercedes literature, the 300 SLE 6.3 needed 6.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill.
Apparently, unsuspecting Porsche 911 drivers had to recover their jaws from their laps as one particular 300 SEL 6.3 which did not feature the 6.3 badge on its bodywork left them behind on the Autobahn during an auto, motor und sport test drive. And it pulled that off comfortably - literally speaking, courtesy the air suspension and four-speed automatic transmission. The suspension adapted itself to changing loads thank to an automatic level control setup that allowed spring travel and the car’s posture to remain steady at all times.
Peculiarly, the 300 SEL 6.3 wasn’t something Mercedes-Benz cooked up in formal meetings with its engineers, designers and whatnot. It was the brainchild of Erich Waxenberger, who saw an opportunity in taking the 600’s V8 and using it for other cars. The earliest 300 SEL 6.3 was, in fact, a test car build in secret right under the unsuspecting nose of Rudolf Uhlenhaut, head of passenger car development at Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s. The project eventually got the R&D go and Mercedes-Benz turned up building 6,526 units by 1972. Today, a well-maintained Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 sells for €80,000, almost as much as a brand new entry-level S-Class."
I can't believe you posted that 1968 beauty. I was five years old in 1968 when I first crawled into a Mercedes. At that very moment I fell in love Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and it happened to be that very year and a car very similar to that one.
Place the gear selctor back on the console where it belongs and use low dust ceramic brake pads. I also luved the way the doors closed prior to the w140's...
BITD I spent plenty of time in both 6.3's and 9's...amazing for what they were and still are.
Place the gear selctor back on the console where it belongs and use low dust ceramic brake pads. I also luved the way the doors closed prior to the w140's...
BITD I spent plenty of time in both 6.3's and 9's...amazing for what they were and still are.
The steering column located gear clicker is the one single ting I hate about S-Class the most.....
The steering column located gear clicker is the one single ting I hate about S-Class the most.....
I hated column shifters back in the day and refused to ever own a car that had one...had to eat my words owning two S coupes and am now looking for a third lol....was hoping the 8 series would be a better choice but the interior felt cheap compd to the S-cpe.
I can't believe you posted that 1968 beauty. I was five years old in 1968 when I first crawled into a Mercedes. At that very moment I fell in love Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and it happened to be that very year and a car very similar to that one.
I was about the same age the night my dad came home from a evening out with my mom in his new to him year old '59 180 and put me in the front seat. It set the definition for quality with me and I have loved these cars ever since. Though the more complicated they get my fear of them is beginning to out weigh my love for them.
12-30-2018, 07:30 PM
