S-Class (W140) Modern classics: the S-Class Saloons of the Mercedes-Benz 140 series (1991 to 1998)


The Mercedes-Benz W140 is a series of flagship vehicles manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 1991 to 1998 in sedan/pullman (W140/VV140) and coupé (C140) body styles and two wheelbase lengths (SE and SEL). The first generation CL-Class was the sleek but hard-lined and redesigned W140-chassis (internally known as C140) coupé of 1992–1999. Succeeded by the S-Class (W220/C215). Production: April 1991 – September 1998 (sedan), October 1992 – September 1998 (coupé).
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I laugh a lot when I see the new generation of uninformed journalists aka youtubers thinking that Hyundai is a great brand because the G90 has soft close.

They like to be lost thinking that it is magical, it bores them to learn that it was invented 30 years ago and where it came from.

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Merc1 said:
1671343147982.webp


Cora’s favorite place.

M
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That's the "Get Rich or Die Trying" (few will get the reference) spec as I've once heard around here when I was admiring a similar spec W140.

Gorgeous car - I'm sure it breaks necks out there. The plate is the cherry on top.
 
sako97 said:
That's the "Get Rich or Die Trying" (few will get the reference) spec as I've once heard around here when I was admiring a similar spec W140.

Gorgeous car - I'm sure it breaks necks out there. The plate is the cherry on top.
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I get compliments on it from time to time. I’ve had a few offers to sell it but I’ve invested too much to make and keep it right to sell it now.

M
 
Very nice review, but the reviewer admitted afterwards that this is a 1994 model and not 1997 as he stated in the video.

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Clearly it's a 1994, the name change to S500 and the non FL 1995 body panels give it away. The single biggest flaw with the W140 is the suspension. It is simply not up to supporting the weight of the car long term. Controls arms wear out pretty fast. It's a heavy car that is softly sprung.

M
 
Merc1 said:
Clearly it's a 1994, the name change to S500 and the non FL 1995 body panels give it away. The single biggest flaw with the W140 is the suspension. It is simply not up to supporting the weight of the car long term. Controls arms wear out pretty fast. It's a heavy car that is softly sprung.

M
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Interesting comment you made about the suspension. The W140 models are very heavy even by todays standards. The S500 is nearly a 2.2ton car which is the same weight as the current W223 S500. When the car was introduced in 1991, it was a massive 400kg heavier than the BMW E32 and Lexus LS400 and car journalists commented that even though the suspension did a really good job to disguise that weight in tight corners the car definitely was not as agile as the 7-series and felt its weight.
 
Rolf said:
Interesting comment you made about the suspension. The W140 models are very heavy even by todays standards. The S500 is nearly a 2.2ton car which is the same weight as the current W223 S500. When the car was introduced in 1991, it was a massive 400kg heavier than the BMW E32 and Lexus LS400 and car journalists commented that even though the suspension did a really good job to disguise that weight in tight corners the car definitely was not as agile as the 7-series and felt its weight.
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Yeah I too would not describe it as agile. You pick a line in a curve that isn't too aggressive and it will hold that line, but the body roll makes you think twice at speed. The grips there, but the body keeling over if you over do it.

M
 
This is a really informative video about the features on the W140. It truly was an over engineered car, I am sure some of its features are not even on some of todays cars.

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Do any of the buttons in your W140 stick or peeled off after all these years? That's one common thing with German cars, they all have sticky and peeling buttons in their interiors.
 
empower77 said:
No parking sensors? Were they an option on the S500? If not I don’t see the parking antennas on the rear panels
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Nope. I guess it was an option my car didn’t have. The parking antennas were removed a few years into the W140’s production run. Mine is 1999, the last model year so it is vastly de-contented compared to an early year 500SEL.

M
 
Yaz said:
Do any of the buttons in your W140 stick or peeled off after all these years? That's one common thing with German cars, they all have sticky and peeling buttons in their interiors.
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Nope. It’s was a California car so it was very well kept.

M
 
^ it’s interesting to see, that in the heydays of W140 a light grey interior was quite comon. The next two (221 and 222) I‘ve hardly ever seen in that colour. And now, W223 era, it’s only available if you order the most expensive interior specification.
 
Mick Briesgau said:
^ it’s interesting to see, that in the heydays of W140 a light grey interior was quite comon. The next two (221 and 222) I‘ve hardly ever seen in that colour. And now, W223 era, it’s only available if you order the most expensive interior specification.
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A beautiful interior spec that also beat the test of time very well, I remember it in the contemporary 7 series E32 too, it is normal that they change to other combinations and stop offering it for a while so that when launching the new models it "hits" the senses of customers
 

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Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Group AG is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Established in 1926, Mercedes-Benz Group produces consumer luxury vehicles and light commercial vehicles badged as Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, and Mercedes-Maybach. Its origin lies in Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft's 1901 Mercedes and Carl Benz's 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first internal combustion engine in a self-propelled automobile. The slogan for the brand is "the best or nothing".
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