Cars - Mercedes-Benz S-Class

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	Cars - Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz
S-Class is the common description for a series of large sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, now a division of Daimler-Chrysler.

Origin of S-Class

While the exact beginning of the colloquial S-Class expression cannot be determined precisely, it always refered to the most spacious and largest luxury vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz line-up, except for the very limited production Mercedes-Benz 600 . In some cases it also applied to vehicles requiring premium fuel or "Super" due to higher compression ratio and output of the top-of-the-line engines.

Widely distributed, over time, these cars came to be considered desirable by people all over the world. They were commonly accepted as the Mercedes-Benx flagship. Though the term S-Class had been used as colcial term for decades, it was not officially adopted by Mercedes-Benz until the introduction of the W140 for the 1991 model year.

The S-Class grew out of the modest "Ponton" model, a six cylinder sedan known as the W180/128 bodystyle. The line was introduced with the 220a, 219 (W105), 220S, and 220SE sedan, coupe, and convertible in 1954/1956. 1959 saw the introduction of the 220Sb (W111) with the new "Einheitskarosserie", which branched off in 1961 into the W110 featuring a shorter hood and wheelbase for the "economy" models 190c and 190Dc, and the 300 SE (W112]]), a short time predecessor of the "Großer Mercedes" 300/300b/300c/300d. As the German economy grew, Mercedes-Benz saw the opportunity to build much larger vehicles, including the limited volume 1964 600 limousine, which would then take the title of the "Großer Mercedes".

The W111 line continued in 1965 with the 230S sedan (still W111) along the new larger (W108/W109). The 300 SE was available in the W108 and in the W109 (LWB 300SEL) line. These larger vehicles established the S-Class reputation that continues through to today.

The 1973 W116 saw the introduction of passive safety built into the design and the 1980 W126 brought aerodynamics to the previously brick shaped cars. The W140 saw the car grow dramatically in its proportions, while the W220 saw a renewed focus on elegance.

All S-Classes are currently built in Sindelfingen, Germany.

S-Class Chronology

1956 Mercedes-Benz W180
1958 Mercedes-Benz W128
1959 Mercedes-Benz W111
1961 Mercedes-Benz W112
1965 Mercedes-Benz W108
1973 Mercedes-Benz W116
1980 Mercedes-Benz W126
1991 Mercedes-Benz W140
1999 Mercedes-Benz W220
2006 Mercedes-Benz W221

Naming Convention

As is typical for Mercedes, the name of the car consists of a small series of numbers and letters, often carried over from one bodystyle to the next.

For example, 500SEL denotes an S-Class car with an engine size of about 5,000ccm, with fuel injection (Einspritz) and long wheelbase (Lang). Note that the "S" in "SEL" is not the same as the "S" in "SL" (Sports Leicht) - the SL roadsters are not S-Class vehicles.

Currently, the S-Class is available in seven trim levels - the numbers are given in ascending order to denote more upscale models.

In 1994, the traditional naming convention (numbers, then letters) was reversed.

Role of Autobahn

Germany has superhighways with no speed limit, known as the Autobahn. Driving very quickly for hours produces much more strain on the vehicle and requires careful engineering. As the most prestigious manufacturer in the home country of the Autobahn, Mercedes-Benz has been able to engineer vehicles suitable to this unique environment, often without regard to cost. The company in turn has been able to exploit this breeding as a marketing tool.

Vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 and Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 barely make sense outside of this context. The owner can't really impress onlookers with a remarkable bodystyle (like a Ferrari}, since these cars look deceptively like lesser models, yet are capable of some of the highest sustained speeds of any passenger vehicles of their era.

1959 Fintail

The W111 "Fintail" series debuted in 1959. Initially powered by a line of straight-6 engines (the M180 and M127), it set a new standard for luxury. The series was augmented with a line of 3.0 L cars in 1961, the W112.

A smaller Fintail line, the W110, was also produced at that time and became the predecessor to today's E-Class.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Mercedes-Benz S-Class ]

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