GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

All Mercedes-Benz articles

S-Class pricing

Mercedes-Benz - S-Class - S600

Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116)

W116

Make: Mercedes-Benz

Model: S-Class

Released: Jan 1970

Discontinued: Dec 1980

Mercedes-Benz logo1 Jun 1973

By THE GOAUTO TEAM

MERCEDES-BENZ has been selling large luxury cars with the letter ‘S’ in their name since the “fin-tailed” models of the late 1950s.

These were the 1959 W111 and (from ’61) the closely related W112 six-cylinder cars, followed up in 1965 by the W108/W109 V8-engined models.

But the series really made its mark with the W116 of 1973, bringing in sleek modern styling, leading crash-test abilities and advanced engineering and aerodynamics.

This car was also the first production vehicle with a double-wishbone front suspension with zero-offset steering and anti-dive control capabilities.

Other innovations included air-conditioning, central locking, a headlight wipe/wash system, and self-clean tail-lights.

The carburettor 119kW/226Nm 2.7-litre OHC in-line six-cylinder engine powered the 280S until ’76 and, in fuel-injected 136kW/238Nm guise, the ’79-’80 280SE. The gearbox was a four-speed automatic.

A 147kW/286Nm 3.5-litre fuel-injected SOHC V8 motivated the 350SE until its discontinuation in 1976, while three 450 models were released: the 165kW/370Nm 4.5-litre fuel-injected OHC V8 450SE, longer-wheelbase (by 100mm) 450SEL and – from December ’78 – the flagship 450SEL 6.9, powered by a 198kW/510Nm 6.8-litre fuel-injected OHC V8. It also had (troublesome) air suspension.

But arguably the biggest technical innovation the W116 introduced to the world was anti-lock brakes from late 1978.

Developed in collaboration with Robert Bosch AG, it brought unrestricted steering response since the wheels were not allowed to lock-up during hard braking.

Daimler-Benz produced 473,035 W116 models between 1972 and 1980.

Latest reviews

All Mercedes-Benz articles

S-Class pricing

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here