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S-Class

Press Kit: S-Class History

Stuttgart

May 11, 2009

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Technical highlights of the S-Class and its predecessor series

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has always been in the avant-garde of automotive technology. Over the years it has brought many innovations to market which subsequently found a widespread application. What follows is a brief overview of the distinctive design features found in the individual model series.

Mercedes-Benz 220, W 187 series (1951 to 1954)

Newly designed six-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft
Safety door lock to prevent doors bursting open
Duplex drum brakes at the front

Mercedes-Benz 220 a, 219, 220 S and 220 SE,
W 180/105/128 series (1954 to 1959)

Self-supporting chassis/body structure
Front axle subframe
Single-joint swing axle with a lowered pivot
Brake drums with “turbo cooling”
“Hydrak” hydraulic-automatic clutch (from 1959)
Mechanically-controlled petrol injection (220 SE, from 1958)

Mercedes-Benz 220 b 220 Sb, 220 SEb, 230 S, 300 SE, 300 SEL, W 111/112 series (1959 to 1968)

Safety passenger cell with crumple zones (front and rear)
Padded steering wheel
Wedge-pin door locks
Disk brakes (300 SE)
Three-point seat belts
Four-speed automatic transmission
Air suspension (300 SE)
Long-wheelbase version available (300 SE)

Mercedes-Benz 250 S – 300 SEL 6.3, W 108/109 series (1965 to 1972)

First independent premium-class model series
Patented safety steering system
Hydropneumatic balancer spring on the rear axle
Air suspension (300 SEL, 300 SEL 6.3

S-Class W 116 series (1972 to 1980)

Officially designated “S-Class” for the first time
Anti-lock brake system ABS from 1978
Largest post-war passenger car engine with 6.9-liter displacement in the 450 SEL 6.9
Double-wishbone front axle from the C 111 experimental vehicle
Fuel tank located above the rear axle for protection in case of collision
Safety design in the interior
First premium-class car with diesel engine (300 SD)

S-Class W 126 series (1979 to 1991)

New safety concept, first production car worldwide to meet the criteria of an offset crash
Driver’s airbag and seat belt tensioner from 1981
Front passenger airbag from 1985
Three-point seat belts for rear seats
Automatic locking differential
Acceleration skid control ASR
Drag coefficient of cd=0.36
Still the most successful Mercedes-Benz saloon in the prestige class

S-Class W 140 series (1991 to 1998)

Electronic Stability Program ESP® (S 420, S 500, S 600, from 1995)
Brake Assist BAS (from 1996)
Adaptive Damping System ADS
Soundproofed windows
Parameter steering with speed-sensitive steering moment
Seat belt system with automatic height adjustment
Sidebags
First Mercedes-Benz twelve-cylinder production engine in a passenger car, at the time the brand’s most powerful passenger car engine
Introduction of four-valve technology with adjustable intake camshaft for petrol engines

S-Class W 220 series (1998 to 2005)

Seat belt tensioners and belt force limiters in the rear
Automatic child seat recognition system
Window bags
PRE-SAFE® occupant protection system
DISTRONIC autonomous intelligent cruise control
Automatic cylinder shut-off
Co-efficient of drag rating = 0.27
KEYLESS-GO access system
Air suspension with electronically-controlled AIRMATIC damping system as standard
At the time world’s most powerful passenger car diesel engine in the S 400 CDI
4MATIC all-wheel drive (from late 2002)