Mercedes S Class - 3 Generations in Comparison ( W140, W220, W221 )
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From: Hong Kong
C55AMG W203; 330i E90
Personally, W221 interior is the best 'cyber look' ! ( I never did like much the more classic style interior of W220 as it does not match its more hi-tech body ) I never own a S class and noe I am tempted to order a S350 :p
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From: Albuquerque, NM
09' E350, 01' Maxima SE, 93 Nissan Maxima SE, 1987 Nissan Maxima SE
I thought the W221 was going to be based on the old W126. Which I like the W126 body. I think they are timeless cars. Unfortunately, you dont' find many of those around since they are either in the junkyard rusting from accidents or owners probably kept them. My mom and her husband both have one, a 500SEL and a 560SEL and now my mom have the W220 which starting to grow on me.
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From: England
W140;R107
If you visit http://www.mb-w140.de you can see some pics of the mules used.The site is under reconstruction so click on alte version or alte homepage and keep scrolling down. If you do not speak German it`s basically telling you that DB used a strengthend and stretched S600 to test Maybach components. The W220 was not used as it was not strong enough to enable DB to simulate the driving characteristics of what was going to be a three to four ton car. The Maybach chassis is from the W140 and is the logical development of that car. When introduced in 1991 the S600SEL cost over £100,000. Add in inflation over a decade plus and margin and you get the Maybach current retail price.
The W220 was DC`s timid response following the flak it received over the W140. It resembles a Vauxhall Omega, has no road presence and is invisible on the road.
It`s interior is an ergonomic disaster and it materials quality is second rate compared to the W126 and W140. The W221 looks like a return to form and is probably what the W220 should have looked like had DC not lost it`s nerve.
The W220 was DC`s timid response following the flak it received over the W140. It resembles a Vauxhall Omega, has no road presence and is invisible on the road.
It`s interior is an ergonomic disaster and it materials quality is second rate compared to the W126 and W140. The W221 looks like a return to form and is probably what the W220 should have looked like had DC not lost it`s nerve.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: England
W140;R107
If you visit http://www.mb-w140.de you can see some pics of the mules used.The site is under reconstruction so click on alte version or alte homepage and keep scrolling down. If you do not speak German it`s basically telling you that DB used a strengthend and stretched S600 to test Maybach components. The W220 was not used as it was not strong enough to enable DB to simulate the driving characteristics of what was going to be a three to four ton car. The Maybach chassis is from the W140 and is the logical development of that car. When introduced in 1991 the S600SEL cost over £100,000. Add in inflation over a decade plus and margin and you get the Maybach current retail price.
The W220 was DC`s timid response following the flak it received over the W140. It resembles a Vauxhall Omega, has no road presence and is invisible on the road.
It`s interior is an ergonomic disaster and it materials quality is second rate compared to the W126 and W140. The W221 looks like a return to form and is probably what the W220 should have looked like had DC not lost it`s nerve.
Sorry, this was my first post here and related to andrewcbho`s post about the W140 being the testbed for the Maybach. Hopes my original post makes some sense now if not agreeable to W220 owners!
Chris.
The W220 was DC`s timid response following the flak it received over the W140. It resembles a Vauxhall Omega, has no road presence and is invisible on the road.
It`s interior is an ergonomic disaster and it materials quality is second rate compared to the W126 and W140. The W221 looks like a return to form and is probably what the W220 should have looked like had DC not lost it`s nerve.
Sorry, this was my first post here and related to andrewcbho`s post about the W140 being the testbed for the Maybach. Hopes my original post makes some sense now if not agreeable to W220 owners!
Chris.
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From: USA
18 G550, 24 EQB3504M
I love old MB's too, while I think the new W221 S-Class looks amazing outside, somehow that black leather interior of the W140 pictured just looks totally right! 
I love the 140, it's big, arrogant, overly-engineered, ugly (to some, not to me), old, but it's totally not ashamed to be! It sure has serious presence on the roads. I have not seen to many of them in great shape anymore though. A lot of sagging ones..
A black W140 S600 with tinted windows totally looks .. S-Class!
I love the 140, it's big, arrogant, overly-engineered, ugly (to some, not to me), old, but it's totally not ashamed to be! It sure has serious presence on the roads. I have not seen to many of them in great shape anymore though. A lot of sagging ones..
A black W140 S600 with tinted windows totally looks .. S-Class!
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From: New Jersey/Brooklyn
'99 C230 K
i love the outside of the 221, but the w140 is definately still top dog. I love my moms s320 LWB, its like riding in a limo, I used to call it the tank. the 220 looks too cheap on the interior and esp with the wood grain and leather. the 221's interior is oddly identical to the 7 seriers bmw, which disappoints me greatly.
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I vote for 140...well i own one. But the dash looks better, more MB like, and the feel of 140 when you drive it is PURE benz, not the crap they make these days.
140 is a kind of car you keep forever, even if you get a never model. The only thing it is missing is a navigation system thats facotry installed.
The new model looiks horrible, has a horrible dash. Dont get angry, just my opinion.
140 is a kind of car you keep forever, even if you get a never model. The only thing it is missing is a navigation system thats facotry installed.
The new model looiks horrible, has a horrible dash. Dont get angry, just my opinion.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: England
W140;R107
Three Generations of S Class
There has been a lot of comment about how the dashboard of the new W221 is similar to that of the 7 Series BMW and that this somehow demeans the efforts of the MB engineers and stylists.
There is no doubt that the S Class has a justifiable reputation for leading the way when it comes to technical innovation but that does not mean that MB will not borrow existing ideas or technologies and improve upon them. Air suspension has been around for donkey`s years as has the use of infra red light to aid night vision. These are just two examples of this approach.
What matters is that DC recaptures what DB produced when it made the W126 and W140. Each in their own time were leading edge but they were made with a build integrity and attention to detail that marks them out even today.
Looking at the pictures of the W221 the dash layout bears some resemblance to the BMW but in terms of quality and execution they are day and night.
I recently tried a BMW 745i on for size and was amazed how poor the materials quality was and crucially how claustrophobic the driver and passenger environment was.
Ultimately none of us will know until we can get our hands on the new S but it looks like a return to form. Sure hope so as great quality W126s and W140s are getting fewer and farther between.
Chris.
There is no doubt that the S Class has a justifiable reputation for leading the way when it comes to technical innovation but that does not mean that MB will not borrow existing ideas or technologies and improve upon them. Air suspension has been around for donkey`s years as has the use of infra red light to aid night vision. These are just two examples of this approach.
What matters is that DC recaptures what DB produced when it made the W126 and W140. Each in their own time were leading edge but they were made with a build integrity and attention to detail that marks them out even today.
Looking at the pictures of the W221 the dash layout bears some resemblance to the BMW but in terms of quality and execution they are day and night.
I recently tried a BMW 745i on for size and was amazed how poor the materials quality was and crucially how claustrophobic the driver and passenger environment was.
Ultimately none of us will know until we can get our hands on the new S but it looks like a return to form. Sure hope so as great quality W126s and W140s are getting fewer and farther between.
Chris.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 524
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From: Baltimore/DC area
2014 E350S4
Originally Posted by SSL
There has been a lot of comment about how the dashboard of the new W221 is similar to that of the 7 Series BMW and that this somehow demeans the efforts of the MB engineers and stylists.
There is no doubt that the S Class has a justifiable reputation for leading the way when it comes to technical innovation but that does not mean that MB will not borrow existing ideas or technologies and improve upon them. Air suspension has been around for donkey`s years as has the use of infra red light to aid night vision. These are just two examples of this approach.
What matters is that DC recaptures what DB produced when it made the W126 and W140. Each in their own time were leading edge but they were made with a build integrity and attention to detail that marks them out even today.
Looking at the pictures of the W221 the dash layout bears some resemblance to the BMW but in terms of quality and execution they are day and night.
I recently tried a BMW 745i on for size and was amazed how poor the materials quality was and crucially how claustrophobic the driver and passenger environment was.
Ultimately none of us will know until we can get our hands on the new S but it looks like a return to form. Sure hope so as great quality W126s and W140s are getting fewer and farther between.
Chris.
There is no doubt that the S Class has a justifiable reputation for leading the way when it comes to technical innovation but that does not mean that MB will not borrow existing ideas or technologies and improve upon them. Air suspension has been around for donkey`s years as has the use of infra red light to aid night vision. These are just two examples of this approach.
What matters is that DC recaptures what DB produced when it made the W126 and W140. Each in their own time were leading edge but they were made with a build integrity and attention to detail that marks them out even today.
Looking at the pictures of the W221 the dash layout bears some resemblance to the BMW but in terms of quality and execution they are day and night.
I recently tried a BMW 745i on for size and was amazed how poor the materials quality was and crucially how claustrophobic the driver and passenger environment was.
Ultimately none of us will know until we can get our hands on the new S but it looks like a return to form. Sure hope so as great quality W126s and W140s are getting fewer and farther between.
Chris.
Also agreed that BMW's materials felt SO cheap in the 7-series, it's as if BMW was taking a page out of MB's book when the W220 interior was built...
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From: South Orange County, CA
4 wheels
I currently own a 7 series and an S600 that we bought for my father. After looking at the interiors of my 750li and the new S class, I can certainly say that the new S class much better in terms of final refinement, materials, and simplicity. The dash is very clean on the S and all the buttons are clearly visible and not everything is controlled with the COMAND controller like so with my 750li.
I will be more than happy to buy an S class when it arrives.
I will be more than happy to buy an S class when it arrives.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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1993 400sel
okay okay, i wake up every day and slap myself because w140 is in my driveway, how did they make something so prominant and klasse. whats even more of a blunderbuss is that i dont even acknowlage the latter models or any other model for that matter. any who, if you dont own w140 than i am terribly sorry for your loss.................. god", youve completley wasted your life
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: North San Diego
2005 Range Rover HSE, 2008 BMW M3 Cab d/c, 2010 GL550 (wifes), 1993 Porsche 928GTS 32kmi garage quee
How did you even pull this old thread up?
Anyway I agree the 140 was the best.
Obviously its not the drivers car of today but it just looks so imposing especially in
the 90's there was nothing even close.
Anyway I agree the 140 was the best.
Obviously its not the drivers car of today but it just looks so imposing especially in
the 90's there was nothing even close.
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 200
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From: Vancouver BC Canada
'95 S500 '93 500 SEL
The road presence the W140 carries is second to none!
Mercedes did not set a budget when they were designing and engineering the W140.
Final result was over $1,000,000,000 spent!! YES that is one billion!
(one thousand million)
Keep in mind that is a Billion dollars in the 1980's.
No car company will ever put that much time, money, research, engineering or quality into another car again.
End of story
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Does anyone have the original Pictures OP Posted for this Thread? They're showing up as blue "X"'s on my Computer.
I never was too crazy about the 140, but love the "older" Benzes so I respect and admire it for what it is. I think the W220 was the most desirable and well executed (stylistically speaking) S-Class during its time-period (in more recent times), as I remember people swooning over owning one, even more-so than the current W221.
The W221 is a bitter-sweet thing to me, I really really like it in some aspects, and think many elements are downright striking and gorgeous, yet others I think are sloppily designed and don't flow well, like M-B tried too hard and made it too much of a "mash-up" look, like the way the tails mate with the fenders, the way the headlights do as well, the interior and the cold and empty/plasticy lower middle-console area, etc. Some area's of it are nice and organic, and others are trying to be a bit too "futuristic"-ish and angular.
Just IMO.
I never was too crazy about the 140, but love the "older" Benzes so I respect and admire it for what it is. I think the W220 was the most desirable and well executed (stylistically speaking) S-Class during its time-period (in more recent times), as I remember people swooning over owning one, even more-so than the current W221.
The W221 is a bitter-sweet thing to me, I really really like it in some aspects, and think many elements are downright striking and gorgeous, yet others I think are sloppily designed and don't flow well, like M-B tried too hard and made it too much of a "mash-up" look, like the way the tails mate with the fenders, the way the headlights do as well, the interior and the cold and empty/plasticy lower middle-console area, etc. Some area's of it are nice and organic, and others are trying to be a bit too "futuristic"-ish and angular.
Just IMO.
Last edited by K-A; Mar 25, 2009 at 04:25 AM.
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From: USA
W140 Mercedes S350, W221 S550 sport
We've had both. Here is the w221 and the w140 I grew up with 
I feel the w221 is the closest thing to the w140. I don't know what happened to the w220, but it made me wait almost 15 years to want one again. Ride, feel, a vault on wheels. The curb weight and dimensions of the w140 and w221 are almost identical. Mercedes definitely went back to their roots with the 221. Big dominating presence and I absolutely love the fenders, which make the w222 look characterless.
I feel the w221 is the closest thing to the w140. I don't know what happened to the w220, but it made me wait almost 15 years to want one again. Ride, feel, a vault on wheels. The curb weight and dimensions of the w140 and w221 are almost identical. Mercedes definitely went back to their roots with the 221. Big dominating presence and I absolutely love the fenders, which make the w222 look characterless.
Last edited by Jason B; Jan 4, 2014 at 11:08 AM.
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2016 C300
My first Benz was a 1989 190E 2.6 from that same era that I loved. My first big Benz was a W220 AMG Sport, Black/Java, followed by an 03 S430 AMG Sport, Pewter/Stone. I prefer the 220 to the 221 so far. Granted they can look geriatric without the AMG package and the design is showing some age, but it's still a good looking car to me.
My prior W220 (Paid $20k for it two years ago with 34,000 miles on it.)
My prior W220 (Paid $20k for it two years ago with 34,000 miles on it.)
