Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class generations at a glance

By our calculation, the W126 was the best-selling generation in the table, with more than twice the output of the W140 that replaced it.

Where the name comes from

"S" stands for Sonderklasse, German for "special class". Mercedes had used an S suffix on bigger saloons since the 170 S of 1949, and the line ran through the Ponton W180, the "Fintail" W111/W112 and the W108/W109, whose 300 SEL 6.3 borrowed the 6.3-litre V8 from the 600 limousine. Only in 1972 did the top Mercedes-Benz saloon get its own series name, and the W116 is counted as the first S-Class.

W116 (1972–1980): the first S-Class

The W116 set the pattern of a large, safe, technically ambitious saloon. The 450 SE was voted European Car of the Year for 1974. Its flagship, the 450 SEL 6.9, used a 6.8-litre V8, then the largest post-war Mercedes engine, with hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension. From 1978 the W116 could be ordered with ABS, developed with Bosch, and the 300 SD became the first series-production car with a turbodiesel engine.

W126 (1979–1991): the long-running favourite

The W126 stayed in production for twelve years and sold 818,036 saloons and 74,060 SEC coupés. Its engines ranged from straight-sixes and diesels to V8s of 3.8 to 5.6 litres. In December 1980 it became one of the first production cars with a driver's airbag, and a passenger airbag followed in 1988. Traction control was also added during its run. The SEC coupé arrived in 1981. Few luxury cars have stayed current for so long without looking dated.

W140 (1991–1998): the engineering peak

The third generation was larger, heavier and more expensive than the W126, and it introduced the brand's first passenger-car V12 with up to 300 kW. It also brought double glazing, ESP in 1995 and Brake Assist in 1996. In June 1993 the "SEL"-style names gave way to S 320, S 500 and S 600. The full story, engines and buying advice are on our Mercedes-Benz W140 page.

W220 (1998–2005): air suspension and radar cruise control

The W220 was presented in July 1998. It brought Airmatic air suspension, the COMAND system and Distronic radar cruise control and, from 2002, PRE-SAFE, which tightens the seat belts and closes the windows and sunroof when it senses an imminent crash. 4MATIC all-wheel drive appeared for the first time in an S-Class. The S 600 used a 5.5-litre V12 biturbo with 368 kW, and the S 65 AMG of 2003 a 6.0-litre V12 biturbo with 450 kW and about 1,000 Nm. About 485,000 were built, but early cars earned poor reliability ratings, a reputation that still affects their used value.

W221 (2005–2013): the technology flagship

Launched in autumn 2005, the W221 added Night View Assist with infrared cameras, Brake Assist Plus and a version of Distronic Plus that could bring the car to a full stop in traffic. The S 600 gave 380 kW, the later S 63 AMG 400 kW from a 5.5-litre biturbo V8 and the S 65 AMG 463 kW from its V12. Roughly 516,000 were built. A W221 is today the most affordable way into a modern S-Class, provided the air suspension and electronics have been looked after.

W222 (2013–2020): hybrids and Magic Body Control

The W222 was unveiled in May 2013. Its Magic Body Control used a stereo camera to read the road ahead and adjust the suspension before the wheels reached a bump. The S 400 Hybrid combined a 228 kW V6 with a 20 kW electric motor, and the S 500 Plug-in Hybrid paired a 245 kW V6 with an 80 kW motor and about 30 km of electric range. A long Pullman version (V222) and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class sat above the regular saloon; the Mercedes-Maybach S600 page covers that branch.

The 2017 facelift brought new six-cylinder and V8 engines. The S 450 had a 270 kW turbo V6 and the S 560 a 345 kW biturbo V8 with 700 Nm, while the six-cylinder diesels gave 183 kW (249 PS) in the S 350 d and 250 kW (340 PS) in the S 400 d. A nine-speed automatic was fitted across the range. The C217 coupé (2014–2020) and A217 cabriolet (2015–2021) were the last two-door S-Class models; Mercedes has said no successors are planned.

W223 (since 2020): the current S-Class

The seventh generation was unveiled on 2 September 2020 and is built at Sindelfingen. It rides on the MRA platform, has a drag coefficient of 0.22 and offers rear-axle steering of up to 10 degrees, which cuts the turning circle from 13.1 m to 11.2 m. From the second half of 2021, German buyers could order Drive Pilot, a Level 3 system that lets the driver hand over control in heavy motorway traffic. Rear-seat airbags were a world first.

The standard car is 5,179 mm long on a 3,106 mm wheelbase; the long version adds 110 mm to both. A facelift revealed on 29 January 2026 renewed more than 2,700 parts, about half the car. It brought a larger illuminated grille, a lit star on the bonnet, the MBUX Superscreen and a new MB.OS computer, with more power for every engine. Production started in March 2026.

Safety firsts by generation

The S-Class and its rivals

The S-Class has always been measured against the BMW 7 Series and, since 1989, the Lexus LS. Our pages on the BMW 7 Series G11/G12 and the Lexus LS cover the closest rivals of recent S-Class generations. Other Mercedes-Benz models are listed in the Mercedes-Benz catalogue, and the car comparison tool puts any two of them head to head.