Misplaced Pages

#211788

82-526: The W116's development began in 1966, which was only a year after the launch of the W108/09. This was the first Mercedes-Benz sedan to feature the brand-new corporate styling theme, which endured until 1993, when the 190 was discontinued. The design, finalized in December 1969, was a dramatic leap forward, with more masculine lines that combined to create an elegant and sporty character. The basic design concept continued

164-565: A 5.0-litre 450SLC driven by Hannu Mikkola won the Bandama Rally in Côte d'Ivoire , with others finishing 2nd, 3rd and 4th. That same year the factory had used the 450SLC '5.0' to contest the Safari Rally , only narrowly missing out on victory because of suspension breakages. Nevertheless, the car driven by Hannu Mikkola finished 2nd. Results in 1980 were worse, and the factory team was disbanded at

246-664: A 500SL painted Signal Red, built on 4 August 1989; it currently resides in the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart , Germany. North America was the key market for this Personal luxury car , and two thirds of R107 and C107 production was sold there. The R107/C107 for the North American market sported four round low-output sealed beam headlights, due to unique U.S. regulations . Sales in North America began in 1972, and cars wore

328-505: A 560SL was introduced for certain extra-European markets, notably the USA, Australia, and Japan. Also in 1985, the Bosch KE Jetronic was fitted. The KE Jetronic system varied from the earlier, all mechanical system by the introduction of a more modern engine management "computer", which controlled idle speed, fuel rate, and air/fuel mixture. The final car of the 18 years running 107 series was

410-482: A catalysator at a later date. In 1990, the power of the 560 SEL was reduced to 200 kW (272 PS; 268 bhp). For the US and Canadian markets, a new 3-litre six-cylinder inline OM603 diesel engine was introduced, replacing the five-cylinder engine with same displacement. It was the first six-cylinder passenger diesel engine by Mercedes-Benz. This new engine was available in the long wheelbase version only, 300 SDL, for

492-612: A deeper front bumper with integrated air dam. The W126 generation was replaced by the W140 in 1991. From 1973 to 1975, Mercedes-Benz designers worked on the successor to the W116 . After several design concepts were presented, the final design for the W126 was approved and frozen in 1976. The design work for the coupé began immediately after the approval and was finalised in 1977. Design patents were first filed on 3 March 1977 and later on 6 September 1977 at

574-733: A fixed roof and an optional sliding steel sunroof. It replaced the W111 Coupé in 1971 and was in turn replaced by the C126 S-class coupé in 1981. The R107 and C107 took the chassis components of the midsize 1968 Mercedes-Benz W114 model and mated them initially to the M116 and M117 V8 engines used in the W108, W109 and W111 series. The body styles for both R107 and C107 did not change materially from introduction in 1971 to their end of production in 1981 (coupé) and 1989 (soft-top) respectively. The SL (R107) variant

656-418: A fuel-injected 2.8L straight-6 as 280SL and 280SLC. In September 1977 the 450SLC 5.0 joined the line. This was a homologation version of the big coupé, featuring a new all-aluminium five-liter V8, aluminium alloy bonnet and boot lid, as well as a black rubber rear spoiler and a small front lip spoiler. These changes resulted in a reduction in weight of over 100kg when compared to the 'old' 450SLC. The '5.0'

738-555: A large S-class saloon. The SLC replaced the former saloon-based 280/300SE coupé in the Mercedes lineup, while there was no two-door version of the W116 . The SLC model run ended in 1981, much earlier than the SL. It was replaced by the considerably larger 380SEC and 500SEC , once again derived from the 1980 S-class line. Volume production of the first R107 car, the 350SL, started in April 1971 alongside

820-485: A large horizontal LCD display in the middle. The option was dropped from the W126 a few years later due to the complexity of configuring the trip computer, requiring an accompanying 18-page instruction handbook to understand its operation, and due to the frequent failure of its control panel buttons. First Series (1979–1985) At the introduction in September 1979, the 2.8-litre DOHC six-cylinder inline M110 engine from

902-462: A plusher interior, with velour or leather seats rather than the checkered cloth of the lesser models. The door cards had the velour or leather inserts. The 4.5-litre M117 V8 engines had 225 PS (165 kW) in most European and international markets, 190 hp (142 kW) for the US market, and 200 PS (147 kW) for Swedish and Australian markets. The 450 models received a plusher interior as well, with velour or leather seats rather than

SECTION 10

#1732851524212

984-486: A poor customer perception in the United States as being severely underpowered and due to mechanical issues with the single timing chain. The 380 SEL for the US market took 11 seconds to reach 60 mph (97 km/h) from standstill and had top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). The severe performance shortcoming of W126 with V8 engine was addressed by introducing more powerful 500SEL/SEC in 1984. The S-Class coupé

1066-454: A single timing chain while the M117 V8 engine had double timing chains. The frequent mechanical failure of the single timing chain in the M116 was addressed in 1982 by switching to double timing chains from the M117 V8 engine. The smaller of the two V8 engines was initially the only one offered in the US market, to help meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements. The 380 SEL received

1148-630: A ten-year period of which just 1,636 were the 450SLC-5.0 and 1,133 were the 500SLC. Both these models are sought by collectors today. With the exception of the R171 SLK 55 AMG Black Series and the SL65 AMG Black Series, the SLC remains the only fixed roof Mercedes-Benz coupé based on a roadster rather than a saloon. Following the discontinuation of the SLC in November 1981, the 107 series continued, initially as

1230-468: A top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph). Torque for the 500SL is 296 lb⋅ft (401 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm and for the 560SL 287 lb⋅ft (389 N⋅m) at 3500 rpm. Model years 1975 and 1976 for the 450SL suffered from vapor lock and hard restart because of the under-bonnet position of the catalytic converter. Starting in MY 1977, the catalytic converter was moved to replace the resonator, located just behind

1312-520: The C111 experimental vehicle, developed to help Mercedes-Benz keep from falling afoul of US Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards introduced in 1975. The 300D became a best seller and helped considerably raise Mercedes-Benzs' average fuel economy. Due to the modifications demanded by the U.S. government, U.S. models of the Mercedes-Benz W116 were described by journalists as if a "beautiful car

1394-547: The Energiekonzept ("Energy Concept") programme in reducing the fuel consumption. This programme revised the combustion chambers and piston heads with lower compression ratio in the V8 engines. This revision caused a further drop in engine performance. Second Series (1986–1991) For the second series introduced in September 1985, the engine range was extensively revised with new six-cylinder inline engines and enlarged V8 engines. Only

1476-543: The Geneva Auto Show in 1974 and produced between 1975 and 1981 in extremely limited numbers. It was billed as the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz car line and the successor to Mercedes-Benz 's original high-performance sedan, the 300SEL 6.3 . The W116 S-Class incorporated a broad variety of Mercedes-Benz safety innovations. Mercedes-Benz R107 The Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107 are sports cars which were produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1971 until 1989, being

1558-581: The K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection system, a less complicated system that proved to be much more reliable in the long run with injectors costing significantly less than those used on the D-Jetronic system. The W116 equipped with the K-Jetronic system used a cast-iron fuel distributor which can be prone to rust over time if moisture or water is present in the fuel. This was changed to an alloy fuel distributor in

1640-625: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class , and manufactured in sedan/saloon (1979–1991) as well as coupé (1981–1990) models, succeeding the company's W116 range. Mercedes-Benz introduced the 2-door C126 coupé model, marketed as the SEC, in September 1981. This generation was the first S-Class to have separate chassis codes for standard and long wheelbases (W126 and V126) and for coupé (C126). Over its 12-year production (1979–1991), 818,063 sedans/saloons and 74,060 coupés were manufactured, totaling 892,123 and making

1722-462: The 280 S/SE/SEL was carried over from the W116. The revised M116 / M117 V8 engines had a significant innovation: an aluminium block without iron sleeves as found in the competitors’ engines. Mercedes-Benz developed a special silicon coating as to harden the cylinder liners against excessive wear and tear. The V8 engines were offered in two sizes: 3.8 litres (M116) and 5 litres (M117). The M116 V8 engine had

SECTION 20

#1732851524212

1804-452: The 280SL, 380SL, and 500SL. At this time, the V8 engines were re-tuned for greater efficiency, lost a few horsepower and consumed less fuel, largely due to substantially higher (numerically lower) axle ratios that went from 3.27:1 to 2.47:1 for the 380SL and from 2.72:1 to 2.27:1 for the 500SL. From September 1985 the 280SL was replaced by a new 300SL and the 380SL by a 420SL; the 500SL continued and

1886-425: The 350SL and 350SLC for the US market in 1972, which were renamed as the 450SL and 450SLC in 1973. Mercedes-Benz introduced the 450SE and 450SEL for both US and international markets in 1973. The 4.5-litre models were available with three-speed automatic gearboxes only, while the models with smaller 3.5-litre V8 engine could be ordered with a four-speed (and later five-speed) manual gearbox. The 450SE and 450SEL received

1968-519: The 380SLC and 500SLC in March 1980. At the same time, the cars received a very mild makeover; the 3-speed automatic was replaced by a four-speed unit, returning to where the R107 started in 1971 with the optional 4 speed automatic 350SL (3.5lt). The 280SLC, 380SLC, and 500SLC were discontinued in 1981 with the introduction of the W126 series 380SEC and 500SEC coupés. A total of 62,888 SLCs had been manufactured over

2050-404: The 5-litre M117 V8 was carried over from the first series, expanding the V8 engine range to three. The revised engine range focused more on reducing pollution and fuel consumption even further. For the first time, the customers outside US and Canadian markets could choose the models with or without catalysators. The models without catalysators can be retrofitted with catalysators at later date if

2132-415: The 500 SL were made equipped with AMG tuned M 117 with 5.2 and 5.4 liter displacements. AMG options included aerodynamic and appearance elements, limited slip differentials of 3.06, 3.27, and 3.46 ratios, suspension and handling equipment, AMG steering wheels, extended range fuel tanks and rare 5 speed manual transmissions. Individual vehicles made for special clients include a 350 SLC 6.3, equipped with

2214-538: The American model range for 1984 model year to counter the grey imports while the 3.8-litre V8 engine remained in 380 SE (standard wheelbase only) and 380 SL. In 1988, an intense lobbying effort by Mercedes-Benz and other foreign manufacturers led U.S. Congress to eliminate this consumer option and revise the rules for registered importers. Two AMG -modified 500 SEC cars raced at the 1989 24 Hours of Spa . Both cars failed to finish, with one suffering gearbox issues, while

2296-575: The Bosch D Jetronic fuel injection system, an early electronic engine management system. US models sold from 1976 through 1979 used the Bosch K Jetronic system, an entirely mechanical fuel injection system. From 1974, the front and rear bumpers were dramatically lengthened, by 8 inches (203 mm) on each end, to comply with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations that mandated no damage at an impact of 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h). North American market SL and SLC models retained

2378-645: The M100 and the 450 SLC 6.9 equipped with M100 engine from the W116 450 SEL 6.9. AMG manufactured at least one convertible based on the 450 SLC. In 1978 the factory prepared two examples for the one-off Vuelta a la América del Sur, a month-long event of some 7,000 kilometres in length that took the competitors from Buenos Aires and back via Rio, Manaus, Caracas, Bogota, Lima, La Paz, Santiago and Ushuaia. The car driven by Andrew Cowan and Colin Malkin won by 20 minutes from team-mates Sobiesław Zasada and Andrzej Zembrzuski. In 1979

2460-610: The M116 was bored out to 4.2 litres from 3.8 litres for the 420 SE/SEL/SEC while the 5-litre V8 for 500 SE/SEL/SEC was carried over. A new 5.5 litre engine was introduced for the 560 SE/SEL/SEC which was accomplished by stroking the 5-litre M117 engine with a new crankshaft. The V8 engines were fitted with new electronic ignition system and Bosch KE-Jetronic electronic-mechanical fuel injection system , first appeared in W201 190E. The revised V8 engines except 5-litre version had slight performance increase. The most powerful engine ever fitted to

2542-449: The M117. Tier 1 includes: Combustion chambers and conduits of both cylinder heads were reworked and polished, two AMG camshafts. Tier 1 rose output by 19kW (26HP). Tier 2 includes all of Tier 1 and: Larger valves and camshafts with longer valve timing and more valve stroke along with higher compression combustion chambers rising output 37kW (46HP). In the first half of the 1980's a few copies of

Mercedes-Benz W116 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-447: The MSRP of $ 38,230 while the 280S and 450SE were dropped due to slow sales. The 300SD, the world’s first passenger car with a turbocharged diesel engine, was launched in the United States and Canada in 1978. The S-Class model with the turbodiesel engine was exclusive to the North American and Japanese markets until 1991. It had a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-five diesel engine developed from

2706-571: The North American and Japanese markets was the 300SD, the world's first passenger car with a turbocharged diesel engine, which was introduced in 1978. No 300SD model was offered in Europe (where diesel engines were well-received and had tax advantages) until 1991, when the W140 300SD was finally introduced in Europe and international markets. The 450SE was named the European Car of the Year in 1974, even though

2788-503: The S-Class, was introduced with 380 SEC and 500 SEC trims initially offered. It was the first time that a coupé version was derived from an S-Class chassis. However, the styling was different between the two, making it the first time that the coupé had distinct styling, later evolving into CL-Class . At the same time, the "Energiekonzept" (Energy Concept) was introduced to improve the fuel efficiency of S-Class through engine revisions. The W126

2870-465: The S/W to S/E for Economy. The topographical sensor also offers a better driving experience with cruise control by adjusting the throttle smoothly and automatically without sudden lurching or decelerating when maintaining the desired speed. The W126 carried forward the self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension of the W116 450 SEL 6.9 model. Like the W116 and W123, the rear-wheel hydropneumatic suspension system

2952-492: The SL and SLC models were also assembled in South Africa by UCDD (United Car and Diesel Distributors) for the captive domestic market from early 1977 (on a contractor basis before Daimler-Benz A.G. acquired a majority stake of UCDD in 1984). Only about 40 units per month were built. AMG offered enhancements for all R107/C107 models, while engine enhancements were not available for the 420 SL. AMG offered two upgrade tiers for

3034-455: The US. The R107 and C107 were even more focused on the American market, with specialized engines, bumper designs, headlights, and emissions management designs. The R107 and C107 sold 204,373 units in the US (68%) of 300,175 total units sold (excluding grey market sales into the US). During its production run, the SL was the only roadster offered by Mercedes-Benz. The C107/SLC was a four-seat car with

3116-637: The United States Patent Office. Compared to its predecessor, the W116, the W126 featured improved aerodynamics with a drag coefficient of Cd 0.36 for the sedan/saloon and 0.34 for the coupés. The pre-facelift model range (1979–1985 for sedan/saloon and 1982–1985 for coupé) included the 280 S/SE/SEL, 300 SD (North American market only), 380 SE/SEL/SEC, and 500 SE/SEL/SEC. The revised second series (1986–1991) with petrol engines included 260 SE, 300 SE/SEL, 420 SE/SEL/SEC, 500 SE/SEL/SEC, and 560 SE/SEL/SEC. The updated version of diesel model, 300 SDL,

3198-414: The United States and modified them to meet US FMVSS and EPA regulations. The 280 S/SE/SEL with smaller six-cylinder inline engines were also imported, offering significant savings over the V8 models. The W126 was a major part of this parallel market, with 22,000 imported in a segment that hit 66,900 cars in 1985, the biggest year for grey imports. Consequently, Mercedes-Benz added the 500 SEL/500 SEC to

3280-420: The United States had an important influence in developing the W126 for reduced emissions and increased fuel efficiency. The W126 design team, led by Mercedes-Benz's chief designer Bruno Sacco , aimed to design a more aerodynamic shape and retain the unmistakable S-Class design elements. The aerodynamic drag was reduced through lengthy wind tunnel testing and reshaping of the front end and bumper along with hiding

3362-657: The W116 range was first introduced at the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 1972. The W116 became the first production car to use an electronic four-wheel multi-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) from Bosch as an option from 1978 on. 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. In 1975,

Mercedes-Benz W116 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-624: The W116 was upgraded with a new fuel injection system to comply with revised exhaust emission standards in European markets. A slight power reduction was a result of this update. In 1978, a series of engine upgrades restored original performance levels with new fuel injection systems. The early models (1973-1974) of the W116 with the twin cam inline 6 used the D- Jetronic fuel injection system with computers and MAP sensor that are both prone to failure after more than 20 years of use. From 1975 onward they used

3526-577: The W126 S-Class was a 5.5-litre V8, putting out 221 kW (300 PS, 296 bhp). This engine, classified as ECE-Variante (German name), has a higher compression ratio of 10:1 and cannot be retrofitted with a catalysator at a later date. In September 1986, the ECE-Variante was superseded by the RÜF-Variante, which retains the same horsepower figure without catalysator and lower figure if retrofitted with

3608-540: The W126 by far the most successful generation of S-Class to date, and the longest in production. After the debut of the W116 S-Class in 1972, Mercedes-Benz began preparing for the next generation S-Class, in October 1973. The project, code-named "Project W126", aimed to provide an improved ride, better handling, and improved fuel efficiency . The oil crisis of 1973 and increasingly stringent emission and safety regulations in

3690-505: The W126 was introduced at the IAA Frankfurt in September 1979. At the introduction, S-Class was available in two wheelbase lengths (standard and long) and three petrol engine options with one six-cylinder inline engine and two V8 engines. The diesel engine option was introduced in September 1981 exclusively for the North American market. At the 1981 IAA Frankfurt , the C126, a coupé version of

3772-463: The badge 350SL, but actually had a larger 4.5L V8 with 3 speed auto (and were renamed 450SL for model year 1973); the big V8 became available on other markets with the official introduction of the 450SL/SLC on non-North American markets in March 1973. R107 and C107 cars were exported to the US with low compression 4.5 liter V8 engines to meet stringent US emissions requirements, yet still provide adequate power. US cars sold from 1972 through 1975 used

3854-449: The car by 35 mm if travelling over coarse-surfaced road (only up to 80 km/h). From 1986 to 1990, the HPF III option was available in 420 SEL, 500 SEL, 560 SE, and 560 SEL. For the final year of production, HPF III was available in longer wheelbase only (420 SEL, 500 SEL, and 560 SEL). Due to its complexity and tendency to fail catastrophically, HPF III was very difficult to service and

3936-549: The checkered cloth of the lesser models. The door cards were also of a different design, with pads being pulled up around the windows. The W116 had independent suspension and disk brakes on all four wheels. The most notable W116 model was the high-performance, limited-production 450SEL 6.9 , which was introduced in 1975. This model boasted the largest engine installed in a post-war Mercedes-Benz (and any non-American production automobile) up to that time, and it also featured self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension . Exclusive to

4018-475: The customers choose to: this retrofit method is called RÜF (Rückrüstfahrzeug — loosely translated as retrofit vehicle). The RÜF models had a mechanical switch in the engine bay to be operated by owners for running on lead or lead-free fuels, a necessary feature for driving outside Germany or in areas within Germany where the lead-free fuel wasn't widespread yet. In 1990, all engines were fitted with catalysators only and

4100-434: The engines. For 1988, the engine was revised to correct the issues and move the particulate filter further away from the engine. In 1990, the same engine was bored out to 3.5 litres as to compensate for reduced performance due to stricter emission regulations. The bored out 3.5-litre version did not have any of aforementioned issues other than some units experiencing the unexplained erosion of head gasket. The 3.5-litre version

4182-407: The extra cost automatic transmission option wasn't offered for the 260 SE and 300 SE. Customers ordering the 420 SE could choose either the 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. U.S. models had the automatic transmission as the sole transmission choice. When the W126 was introduced in the United States in September 1980, Mercedes-Benz only offered the smaller 3.8-litre V8 engine to avoid

SECTION 50

#1732851524212

4264-451: The first time. For California, the diesel engines were fitted with a diesel particulate filter , a world's first for a passenger car. The new engine had an ill-gotten reputation for higher percentage of aluminium cylinder head failure due to poor placement of the diesel particulate filter and due to the erosion of the head gasket, allowing cooling fluid to seep into the cylinders. However, they failed to perform as designed and were removed from

4346-420: The following model W126 and is not subject to corrosion. W116 was first model from Mercedes-Benz to feature the hydropneumatic suspension system. While the principle is similar to Citroën’s, Mercedes-Benz made some changes. The hydraulic pump was driven by the timing chain instead of a rubber belt for more reliability (Citroën’s system would lead to loss of hydraulic power if belt failed). Mercedes-Benz utilised

4428-431: The gas guzzler penalty under Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. However, American consumers found the 380 SEL severely underpowered with slow acceleration (0–60 mph in 11 seconds) and a lower top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). As the fear of oil crisis waned in 1982, American consumers demanded the more powerful S-Class models, and grey importers brought the S-Class with 5-litre V8 engines to

4510-413: The hard rubber dampers as temporary dampers in event of hydraulic failure. The height adjustment had a smaller range of height as compared to Citroën (5 cm versus 50 cm). Unlike Citroën, the car did not “sink” to the ground after shutting off the engine, and the driver did not have to wait for the hydraulic power to spool up and lift the car to the operating height. The full hydropneumatic suspension system

4592-421: The hydropneumatic suspension was heavily redesigned and named HPF III. The HPF III automatically lowers the chassis by 24 mm when the vehicle is travelled at least 120 km/h for improved aerodynamic flow and better high speed stability. The system adjusts the damping rate from soft to hard based on speed and road condition for extra comfort and better drivability. Additionally, the driver can select to raise

4674-514: The last of the W113 cars; the 350SLC followed in October. The early 1971 350SL are very rare and were available with an optional 4 speed fluid coupling automatic gearbox. The 1971 4sp auto were quick cars for the day with 0-60 mph in 8 seconds. In addition, the rare 1971 cars were fitted with Bosch electronic fuel injection. The 350SL and 350SLC for the European market used a 3.5 liter V8 engine. From July 1974 both SL and SLC could also be ordered with

4756-407: The mechanical switch eliminated. The new six-cylinder inline M103 engine had a single overhead camshaft and electronic-mechanical fuel injection and was available in two sizes: 2.6 and 3 litres. The carburetted engine fitted to the 280 S was eliminated, marking the end of carburetted engines for the S-Class, and replaced with fuel-injected engines for the 260 SE and 300 SE/SEL. For the V8 engines,

4838-433: The other had issues with the rear axle. The W126 series was the highest volume S-Class on record in terms of production. A limited number of W126 continued to be produced in South Africa until 1993(?), two years after the introduction of W140 S-Class. No figures were given for South African production. Nelson Mandela was given a commemorative model, a red 1990 500 SE. Three armoured 560 SEL ordered by Saddam Hussein had

4920-426: The protruding 5 mph bumpers, even after the wisdom of the law was reconsidered in 1981. The 450SL was produced until 1980. The smaller engined 380SL replaced the 450SL from 1981 to 1985. The Malaise era 380SL was the least powerful of the US market R107 roadsters. Starting in 1980, US cars were equipped with lambda control, which varied the air/fuel mixture based on feedback from an oxygen sensor. The 380SL

5002-412: The round information panel in the instrument clusters. The control panel features a series of buttons which feature haptic touch to allow the driver to feel his way around the control buttons without taking his eyes off the road. A panel occupies the gauge cluster formerly used by tachometer, which moved to the left gauge cluster, sharing with oil, fuel, and temperature gauges. The information panel contains

SECTION 60

#1732851524212

5084-417: The season's end. An Albert Pfuhl proceeded to buy all six cars, equipment, and spare parts from the works team. Pfuhl and his team built a series of cars to compete in the 1984 Paris–Dakar Rally with a white and blue "BOSS" livery. The cars finished well down the order. W126 The Mercedes-Benz W126 is a series of passenger cars made by Daimler-Benz AG . It was marketed as the second generation of

5166-645: The second longest single series ever produced by the automaker after the G-Class . They were sold under the SL (R107) and SLC (C107) model names in a variety of names indicating the displacement of the engines. The R107/SL was a two-seat convertible with a detachable roof. It replaced the W113 SL-Class in 1971 and was replaced by the R129 SL-Class in 1989. The predecessor W113 was notably successful in North America, with 19,440 units (40%) of 48,912 total units sold in

5248-520: The themes originally introduced on the R107 SL-Class roadster , especially the front and rear lights. As with the SL, the W116 received the ridged lamp covers which kept dirt accumulation at bay; this was to remain a Mercedes-Benz design theme into the 21st century. The W116 was Friedrich Geiger 's last design for Mercedes-Benz; his career had started with the Mercedes-Benz 500K in 1933. The W116

5330-464: The transmission in the exhaust system. The 380SL/SLC engine came with a single row timing chain from 1981 through 1983. These early 380SL/SLC models were plagued with chain failure problems and the problem was corrected by Mercedes-Benz, free of charge. Some vehicles escaped the retrofit and may at some point fail as a result. MYs 1984 and 1985 came with a double row timing chain from the factory to address this issue. Another problem area for late 450SLs

5412-446: The unintended acceleration when coasting downhill without the frequent braking to maintain the speed. The Second Series has a "hill-hold" feature that prevents the vehicle from rolling back suddenly when disengaging the brake and engaging the throttle pedals at the steep incline. The transmission in European models has a S/W switch to allow the start in either first (Standard) or second (Winter) gear respectively. The "Second Series" changed

5494-450: The wipers underneath the hood/bonnet for smoother flow. Reducing the weight was accomplished by extensive use of high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) sheet and polyurethane deformable material for bumpers and side claddings. The lighter alloy material was used for the heavily revised M116/M117 V8 engines for reduced weight. Both contributed to the reduction of fuel consumption by 10% as compared to its predecessor. After six years of development,

5576-414: Was a 2-seat convertible/roadster with standard soft-top, with optional winter hardtop and only rarely ordered very small rear bench-seat. The SLC (C107) derivative was a 2-door hardtop coupé, on a 36 cm (14.2 in) longer wheelbase, and with normally sized rear seats. The SLC was the first and only time that Mercedes-Benz based their S-class coupé on a stretched SL roadster platform, rather than on

5658-421: Was available in both standard and long wheelbases (350 SD and 350 SDL) for the first time in the S-Class. First Series (1979–1985) The automatic transmission had four speeds with direct drive in the fourth gear for the entire run from 1979 to 1991. The 280 S/SE/SEL had 4-speed manual transmission as standard with 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions as extra-cost options. The manual transmission

5740-523: Was beaten with the malaise ugly stick." The high-performance 450SEL 6.9 version of the S-Class was built on its own assembly line by Daimler-Benz in Sindelfingen , Germany and based on the long-wheelbase version of the W116 chassis. The model was generally referred to in the company's literature as the "6.9", to separate it from the regular 450SEL. The 450SEL 6.9 was first shown to the motoring press at

5822-411: Was built in limited numbers, only 2,769 being completed between 1977 and 1981. Maximum speed of the '5.0' was some 10km/h faster than that of the '4.5' at around 225km/h. The 450SLC 5.0 was produced in order to homologate the SLC for the 1978 World Rally Championship. Starting in 1980, the 350SLC, 450SLC, and 450SLC 5.0 models (like the 350SL and 450SL) were discontinued in 1980 with the introduction of

5904-476: Was eliminated by Congress in 1988. From 1986 to 1989, a more powerful version was available from the factory, the 560SL. It was exclusive to the USA, European, Japanese and Australian markets. Despite the larger 5.6 liter engine of the U.S. 560SL, the forbidden Euro-spec 500SL was the fastest production R107 produced (mostly because of the lack of emission reducing components). The 500SL was published by Mercedes-Benz as having 0-60 mph times of 7.4 seconds for

5986-440: Was exclusive to the North American market (the first time the S-Class with diesel engine was offered in long wheelbase) and then the 350 SD/SDL (the first diesel S-Class to be available in both wheelbase lengths). The four-speed automatic transmission had a new topographical sensor that improved the drivability by monitoring the vehicle's position (flat surface, incline, or decline) and the position of throttle pedal. This prevents

6068-399: Was fitted to the 450SEL 6.9 as standard. In 1977, the self-levelling rear suspension system was offered for 450SEL as an extra cost option outside the North American market. North America was a key market for the W116. The model range for the U.S. market at launch was 280SE, 450SE, and 450SEL. For 1975, the 280S was launched as a response to the 1973 oil crisis. The 6.9 was added in 1977 with

6150-402: Was fitted with V8 engines only for the first time. The 3-litre five-cylinder inline OM617 diesel engine was carried over from the W116 with the same performance. The diesel engines were again never offered in the markets outside United States and Canada. This discrepancy was not addressed until 1994 when the W140 S 350 Turbodiesel was introduced in Europe. In 1981, Mercedes-Benz introduced

6232-514: Was not fitted to the V8 engines during the first series. U.S. models, including the 300 SD Turbodiesel, had automatic transmission as sole transmission choice. Second Series (1985–1991) From 1986 onward, the automatic transmission was revised to include the option of selecting S (Standard) and E (Economy) shifting points. The models 260 SE and 300 SE/SEL were fitted with the standard 5-speed manual and optional extra-cost 4-speed automatic transmissions. For one year from September 1986 to June 1987,

6314-422: Was offered in W126 as an option. The updated version was called HPF II (short for Hydropneumatische Federung ) was available from 1981 to 1985 (on the 380 SEL and 500 SEL) and very briefly on the 500 SE in 1985. The self-levelling technology responds to changes in weight distribution (passengers, luggage, fuel, etc.) and was therefore less applicable in shorter wheelbase models. For the "Second Series" (1986-1991),

6396-412: Was often, at the owner's request, removed and replaced with coil springs and shock absorbers from models without hydropneumatic suspension system. At the 1983 IAA , Mercedes-Benz introduced Reiserechner ("Trip calculator"), its first trip computer option, in the W126 for the 1984 model year. The trip computer has a rectangular control panel on the centre console between the power window switches and

6478-607: Was presented in September 1972. The model range initially included two versions of the M110 engine (straight-six with 2746 cc displacement) — the 280S (using a Solex carburetor) and the 280SE (using Bosch D-Jetronic injection), plus the 350SE, powered by the M116 engine (V8 with 3499 cc displacement). After the 1973 oil crisis, a long-wheelbase 280SEL was added to the model range. The larger 4.5-litre M117 V8 engines were developed in response to US emission regulations and initially fitted to

6560-453: Was published by Mercedes-Benz as having 0-60 mph time of 9.3 seconds for a top speed of 205 km/h (127 mph). Torque for the 380SL is 232 lb⋅ft (315 N⋅m). The more powerful 500SL with a 5.0 liter engine, produced from 1980–1989, was not available in the US. This drove many customers to obtain the European specification car in the " gray market ," where the vehicles were converted to meet Federal mandates, until this option

6642-409: Was revised in 1985 for the 1986 model year. The revised "Second Series" model range was introduced at the 1985 IAA Frankfurt with new six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and the V8 petrol engines enlarged to 4.2 and 5.5 litres. The 5-litre V8 was carried over. Visual changes included smoother bumpers and side claddings, revised "Gullydeckelfelge" (German for manhole-cover wheel rim) alloy wheels, and

6724-432: Was the automatic climate control system. Based on a servo which controlled coolant flow to the heater core, as well as vacuum to actuate the vents in the interior of the car, the system proved unreliable. It was installed on 450SLs through end of production in 1980. Models produced prior to 1978 had a manual climate control system, 380SL models produced from 1981 received a more reliable automatic climate control system. Both

#211788