Mercedes-Benz W116

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Mercedes-Benz W116
Manufacturer	Mercedes-Benz
Production	1972—1980
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz W108
Successor	Mercedes-Benz W126
Class	Full-size Luxury car
Body style(s)	4-door sedan
Engine(s)	2.8L straight-6 3.5L V8 4.5L V8 6.9L V8 3.0L I5 turbodiesel
Transmission(s)	3-speed automatic 4-speed automatic 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."

They were large luxury sedans, which replaced the W108/W109. The new car was larger on the outside its predecessor, but it had a similar interior capacity, as the additional bulk was driven by new theories on car safety regarding occupant protection in case of a crash. It was one of the first cars to be available with the anti-lock braking system, hydropneumatic suspensions or a turbodiesel engine. Also, the "6.9" performed so highly that it was introduced despite the 1973 oil crisis.

Production totalled 473,035 units. The W116 was succeeded by the W126 S-Class in 1979. The W116 was sold throughout Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia.

Contents 1 Models 2 Features 2.1 Safety 3 Engines 4 Legacy 5 References 6 External links

[edit] 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	Years	Model	Engine	No. built[1]
W116.02	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	1973–1980	350 SE sedan	3.5 L V8	51,100
W116	1973–1980	350 SEL sedan	3.5 L V8	4,266
W116.032	1973–1980	450 SE sedan	4.5 L V8	41,604
W116.033	1973–1980	450 SEL sedan	4.5 L V8	59,578
W116.036	1975–1980	450 SEL 6.9	6.9 L V8	7,380
W116.12	1978–1980	300 SD sedan	3.0 L I5 turbodiesel (USA and Canada only)	28,634

[edit] Features

[edit] 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.

[edit] Engines

See also: Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

The most notable W116 was the high-performance, limited-production 450 SEL 6.9. This 8-cylinder model boasted the largest engine installed in a postwar Mercedes-Benz up to that time. Every 450 SEL 6.9 featured a self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, and offered the ABS anti-lock braking system as an option from 1978 onwards.

[edit] 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-green 280SE), Knight Rider (450SEL) and the British MI5-based show The Professionals were the mainstay of the S-Class screentime.

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 a 6.9L 450SEL 6.9, with sound dubbed over.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Mercedes W116 Enthusiasts Forum
• W116 notes

v • d • e Mercedes-Benz road car timeline, 1946–1970s — next »
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

v • d • e Mercedes-Benz S-Class lineage, 1950s–present W180 (1955) · W128 (1958) · W111 (1959) · W112 (1961) · W108 (1965) · W116 (1972) · W126 (1979) · W140 (1991) · W220 (1999) · W221 (2006)