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| Manufacturer | Mercedes-Benz |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Daimler-Benz |
| Production | 1972—1980 |
| Assembly | Sindelfingen, Germany |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz W108 |
| Successor | Mercedes-Benz W126 |
| Class | Full-size luxury car |
| Body style(s) | 4-door sedan |
| Engine(s) | 2.8L I6 3.5L V8 4.5L V8 6.9L V8 3.0L I5 turbodiesel |
| Transmission(s) | 3-speed automatic 4-speed automatic 4-speed manual 5-speed manual |
- For a complete overview of all S-Class models see Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
The Mercedes-Benz W116 was a series of flagship vehicles produced from 1972 through 1980. The W116 automobiles were the first Mercedes-Benz models to be officially called S-Class, although earlier sedan models had already unofficially been designated with the letter 'S' - for Sonderklasse or "special class."
The 'new' S-class generation development began just one year after the launch of the W108/09. It was subjected to numerous studies before it was fully matured to make its debut. This was the first Mercedes saloon to feature the brand new design idiom which was to be continued until 1993 when the 190 was discontinued, its new design was a dramatic leap forward with more masculine charismatic lines which combined to create a well rounded elegant yet sporty character. The overall basic design concept was actually inspired from the R107 SL-Class roadster, especially the front and rear lights.
The most notable W116 was the high-performance, limited-production 450 SEL 6.9 which was the first production car to use a completely electronic 4-wheel multi-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS), as an option from 1978 on. This V8 model boasted the largest engine installed in a postwar Mercedes-Benz up to that time, and also featured a self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension.
The 300 SD sedan (USA and Canada only) had a turbocharged 3.0 L I5 diesel engine developed from the record breaking C111 experimental vehicle.
Production totaled 473,035 units. The W116 was succeeded by the W126 S-Class in 1979. The W116 was sold throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia.
Contents |
Models
In 1975, the W116 was upgraded with a new fuel injection system in order to comply with revised exhaust emission standards in European markets. A slight power reduction was a result of this update, but in 1978, a series of further engine upgrades restored original performance levels under the new fuel injection systems.
| Chassis code | Model Years | Model | Engine | No. built[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W116.020 | 1973–1980 | 280 S sedan | 2.8 L I6 | 122,848 |
| W116.024 | 1973–1980 | 280 SE sedan | 2.8 L I6 | 150,593 |
| W116.025 | 1974–1980 | 280 SEL sedan | 2.8 L I6 | 7,032 |
| W116.028 | 1973–1980 | 350 SE sedan | 3.5 L M116 V8 | 51,100 |
| W116.029 | 1973–1980 | 350 SEL sedan | 3.5 L M116 V8 | 4,266 |
| W116.032 | 1973–1980 | 450 SE sedan | 4.5 L M117 V8 | 41,604 |
| W116.033 | 1973–1980 | 450 SEL sedan | 4.5 L M117 V8 | 59,578 |
| W116.036 | 1975–1980 | 450 SEL 6.9 | 6.9 L M100 V8 | 7,380 |
| W116.120 | 1978–1980 | 300 SD sedan | 3.0 L OM617 I5 turbodiesel (USA and Canada only) |
28,634 |
Features
Safety
The W116 S-Class incorporated a broad variety of Mercedes-Benz safety innovations.[2]
- Anti-lock brakes were first featured on the W116 S-Class. This system, true to its name, prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The advantage of such a system is to improve steering control during hard braking situations, and to shorten brake distances.
- Strengthened body structure. The W116 featured a more stable security passenger cell with a stiffened roof frame structure. High strength roof and door pillars, along with other reinforced zones, provided enhanced vehicle occupant protection.
- Interior equipment safety features. A heavily padded dashboard, deformable switches and controls, and a four-spoke steering wheel with impact absorber and broad impact cushion aimed to reduce occupant injury during collisions.
- The fuel tank was no longer fitted at the rear end, but was now placed above rear axle for added protection.
- Wraparound turn signals made it easier to communicate with nearby drivers.
Legacy
The 450SEL was awarded European Car of the Year in 1974. In addition to its reputation as the Mercedes flagship model, the W116 had references in popular culture. For instance, the 300 SD was only available in North America with a turbocharged 5 cylinder diesel engine. The W116 has had also had an illustrious history with the silver screen, the most notable was the movie Ronin, a Milan Brown 450SEL 6.9 chasing the bad guys through parts of France. On the small screen, shows like Dallas (J.R. Ewing's silver 450SEL), Knight Rider (450SEL) and the British MI5-based show The Professionals were the mainstay of the S-Class screentime.
A silver 450SEL was driven by James Bond villain Emile Locque (played by Michael Gothard) in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only, but was left teetering on the edge of a cliff when fleeing from Bond on a Greek coastal road. Bond then kicked the car and caused it to fall off the cliff, landing onto the rocks below and killing Locque.
The vehicle in the eight-minute short film C'était un rendez-vous, a no-holds-barred romp through the streets of 1976 Paris, was commonly believed to be a Ferrari 275 GTB due to the engine sound. A recent interview with the producer, Claude Lelouch, revealed that the camera-carrying vehicle was actually an 450SEL 6.9, with sound dubbed over.
| Mercedes-Benz | 280 S (W116 V28) |
280 SE (W116 E28) |
350 SE (W116 E35) |
450 SE (W116 E45) |
450 SEL 6.9 (W116 E69) |
300 SD (W116 D30A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Produced: | 1972 - 1980 | SE: 1972 - 1980 SEL: 1974 − 1980 |
SE: 1972 - 1980 SEL: 1973 − 1980 |
1972 - 1980 | 1975 - 1980 | 1977 - 1980 |
| Engine: | 6-cylinder-inline engine (four-stroke), front-mounted | 90° 8-cylinder-V engine (four-stroke), front-mounted | 5-cylinder-inline engine (four-stroke), front-mounted | |||
| Bore x Stroke: | 86 mm x 78.8 mm | 92 mm x 65.8 mm | 92 mm x 85 mm | 107 mm x 95 mm | 90.9 mm x 92.4 mm | |
| Displacement: | 2746 cc | 3499 cc | 4517 cc | 6834 cc | 2998 cc | |
| Max. Power @ rpm: | 160 PS (120 kW; 160 hp) @ 5500 USA: 120 bhp (89 kW; 122 PS) @ 4800 |
185 PS (136 kW; 182 hp) @ 6000 USA: 142 bhp (106 kW; 144 PS) @ 5750 |
200 PS (150 kW; 200 hp) @ 5800 | 225 PS (165 kW; 222 hp) @ 5000 USA: 193 PS (142 kW; 190 hp) @ 4750 |
286 PS (210 kW; 282 hp) @ 4250 250 bhp (186 kW; 253 PS) @ 4000 |
1979: 110 bhp (82 kW; 112 PS) @ 4200 1980: 120 bhp (89 kW; 122 PS) @ 4350 |
| Max. Torque @ rpm: | 225 N·m (166 lb·ft) @ 4000 USA: 143 ft·lbf (194 N·m) |
238 N·m (176 lb·ft) @ 4500 USA: 149 ft·lbf (202 N·m) |
286 N·m (211 lb·ft) @ 4000 | 377 N·m (278 lb·ft) @ 3000 USA: 240 ft·lbf (325 N·m) |
550 N·m (410 lb·ft) @ 3000 USA: 360 ft·lbf (488 N·m) |
1979: 168 ft·lbf (228 N·m) @ 2400 1980: 170 ft·lbf (230 N·m) @ 2400 |
| Compression Ratio: | 9.0: 1 | 9.0: 1 | 9.5: 1 | 8.8: 1 | 8.8: 1 | 21.5: 1 |
| Fuel feed: | One 2-bbl Solex 4A1 | Bosch D-Jetronic, from 07/75 K-Jetronic | Bosch K-Jetronic | Bosch injection pump Garrett turbine |
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| Fuel tank capacity: | 96 L (25.4 US gal; 21.1 imp gal) | 82 L (21.7 US gal; 18.0 imp gal) | ||||
| Valvetrain: | DOHC, duplex chain | SOHC, duplex chain | ||||
| Cooling: | Water | |||||
| Gearbox: | 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic (4-speed auto on the 6cyl 280) rear wheel drive, standard axle ratio 3.92:1 or 3.69:1 (V8: 3.46:1 & 3.07:1) |
3-speed automatic rear wheel drive, standard axle ratio 3.07:1 |
3-speed automatic rear wheel drive, standard axle ratio 2.65:1 |
4-speed automatic rear wheel drive, standard axle ratio 3.69:1 |
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| Electrical system: | 12 volt | |||||
| Front suspension: | Double wishbones, coil and additional rubber springs, stabilising bar 6.9: Double wishbones, hydropneumatic damping, stabilizing torsion bar |
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| Rear suspension:: | Diagonal swing axle, trailing arms, coil springs, stabilizing torsion bar 6.9: Diagonal swing axle, hydropneumatic damping, stabilizing torsion bar |
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| Brakes: | Disc brakes (Ø 278 mm front, 279 mm rear), power assisted, from 1979 on request ABS | |||||
| Steering: | Recirculating ball steering, manual or servo-assisted | |||||
| Body structure: | Sheet steel, monocoque (unibody) construction | |||||
| Dry weight: | 1,660 kg (3,700 lb) USA: 3,770 lb (1,710 kg) |
1,665 kg (3,670 lb) SEL: 1,700 kg (3,700 lb) USA: 3,750 lb (1,700 kg) |
1,725 kg (3,800 lb) SEL: 1,760 kg (3,900 lb) |
1,790 kg (3,900 lb) SEL: 1,825 kg (4,020 lb) USA: 3,843 lb (1,743 kg) |
1,985 kg (4,380 lb) USA: 4,285 lb (1,944 kg) |
1,815 kg (4,000 lb) |
| Loaded weight: | 2,130 kg (4,700 lb) | 2,130 kg (4,700 lb) SEL: 2,165 kg (4,770 lb) |
2,195 kg (4,840 lb) SEL: 2,220 kg (4,900 lb) |
2,250 kg (5,000 lb) SEL: 2,285 kg (5,040 lb) |
2,420 kg (5,300 lb) | 2,215 kg (4,880 lb) |
| Track front/ rear: |
1,521 mm (59.9 in) / 1,505 mm (59.3 in) | |||||
| Wheelbase: | S/SE: 2,865 mm (112.8 in) SEL: 2,965 mm (116.7 in) |
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| Length: | 4,960 mm (195 in) 5,060 mm (199 in) |
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| Width: | 1,870 mm (74 in) | |||||
| Height: | 1,410 mm (56 in) − 1,430 mm (56 in) | |||||
| Tyre/Tire sizes: | 185 HR 14 | 205/70 HR 14 | 215/70 HR 14 | 185 HR 14 | ||
| Top speed: | 190 km/h (120 mph) | 200 km/h (120 mph) | 205 km/h (127 mph) | 210 km/h (130 mph) | 225 km/h (140 mph) | 165 km/h (103 mph) |
| Fuel Consumption (estimate): | 16.0 litres per 100 kilometres (17.7 mpg-imp; 14.7 mpg-US) | 19.0 litres per 100 kilometres (14.9 mpg-imp; 12.4 mpg-US) | 19.0 litres per 100 kilometres (14.9 mpg-imp; 12.4 mpg-US) | 22.0 litres per 100 kilometres (12.8 mpg-imp; 10.7 mpg-US) | 14.0 litres per 100 kilometres (20.2 mpg-imp; 16.8 mpg-US) | |
| Price at introduction, Germany USA[4]: |
DM 23,800 $ 15,057 (MY 75) |
DM 25,500 $ 19,411 (MY 77) |
DM 28,900 $ ---- |
DM 34,000 $ 13,396 (MY 73) |
DM 70,000 $ 39,377 (MY 77) |
DM ---- $ 26,265 (MY 79) |
References
- ^ Oswald, Werner (2003). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, Band 4. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. pp. 80, 86. ISBN 3-613-02131-5.
- ^ W116 S-Class enthusiasts page
- ^ Oswald, Werner (2001). Deutsche Autos 1945-1990, Band 4. Stuttgart: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02131-5.
- ^ US prices: Mike Covello: Standard Catalog of Imported Cars 1946-2002, Krause Publication, Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87341-605-8, p. 538-541
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercedes-Benz W116 |
- W116 website www.w116.org - Mercedes W116 website.
- Topklasse www.topklasse.net.au - for Mercedes W116 and W107.
| Mercedes-Benz road car timeline, 1946–1970s — next » | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Class | Type | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 4-cylinder | Sedan | W136 / W191 | W120 / W121 | W110 | W115 | W123 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roadster | R121 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6-cylinder | Sedan | W187 | W105 / W180 / W128 | W111 | W114 | W123 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | W187 | W180 / W128 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large car | Sedan | W186 / W189 | W111 | W108 / W109 | W116 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luxury | W188 | W112 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Limousine | W186 / W189 | W112 | W100 (600) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | Roadster | W198 | W113 | R107 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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