The W140 Mercedes was launched in 1991 with mixed reactions due to its massive size, huge weight increase and over inflated price over its well loved W126 predecessor. But soon journalists all over were pronouncing that the W140 (especially in V8 500SE and V12 600 SEL) were new benchmarks in the luxury class for massive interior space, unrivalled comfort, refinement and build quality. The 600 SEL V12 was pronounced the Best Car in the World title even though the same time it was pronounced the "Cathedral on Wheels".
Both Audi and BMW went to the drawing boards working on replacements for their V8 and E32 models to be able to take on the W140 S-class and both cases they decied not to go the route of oversizing compared to the W140, but emphasized their new models on lower weight and agile driving performance due to their smaller size. In 1994 Audi threw all their engineering and technical might at the A8 to make an aluminium wonder that would rewrite the class rulebook for light weightness (a massive 217kg lighter than the S420 in test and 34kg less than the 740i despite been the only AWD car), while in the same year the E38 7-series would upgrade its luxury and sporty driving admirations to try to outclass the Mercedes in the driving department.
This July 1994 comparison would pit the cathedral on wheels against its athletic and stylish rivals to see once and for all if it still is the king of German luxury.
Both Audi and BMW went to the drawing boards working on replacements for their V8 and E32 models to be able to take on the W140 S-class and both cases they decied not to go the route of oversizing compared to the W140, but emphasized their new models on lower weight and agile driving performance due to their smaller size. In 1994 Audi threw all their engineering and technical might at the A8 to make an aluminium wonder that would rewrite the class rulebook for light weightness (a massive 217kg lighter than the S420 in test and 34kg less than the 740i despite been the only AWD car), while in the same year the E38 7-series would upgrade its luxury and sporty driving admirations to try to outclass the Mercedes in the driving department.
This July 1994 comparison would pit the cathedral on wheels against its athletic and stylish rivals to see once and for all if it still is the king of German luxury.
