With a 40-year-old legacy, the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class sedan is one of the most sought-after Mercedes to date. And it will only go up from here.
For many years, the S-Class has been Mercedes-Benz‘ most important model. The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class sedan was so groundbreaking that during the economic crisis, it was much cheaper to maintain than the competition. This car has become a legend over the years, synonymous with luxury and serving as a role model.
When BMW introduced the first generation of the 7 Series, Mercedes was preparing to show the second generation of its S-Class. For years, it has set trends in design, technology, safety, and comfort. It is impossible to undermine the cult of the W126 S-Class because it is very likely that it is the most recognizable model in the history of Mercedes.
The second generation of the S-Class, with the designation W126, is a breakthrough. The body itself was developed for as many as 8 years so that the results were satisfactory. The W126 S-Class was significantly different from its predecessor (the W116), and the list of changes includes many items.
Mainly, the line of the body has changed, and the trim had appeared on the doors, bumpers, and fenders. Compared to its predecessor, the Mercedes S-Class W126 was distinguished primarily by much better aerodynamics, which later translated into performance and economy. All of these factors and more have made this Merc a highly sought-after icon among modern classic cars.
Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class Is A Respectable Classic
The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class has always been respected and willingly chosen by the most important people. At the time of its production, it won popularity against cars such as Bentley or Rolls-Royce, and although these cars presented a higher class, it was the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class that served as a limousine for heads of state.
Very often the car was used in movies, and at one time it was converted into a Popemobile and served in the Vatican. One German Chancellor used his Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class for about 300,000 miles and regretfully decided to replace the car after that mileage.
This shows how respectable and reliable the second-generation S-Class was. Among other famous people who drove the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class are the Austrian F1 driver Niki Lauda and British F1 driver Nigel Mansell. Many innovations from the W126 S-Class have been passed down to later generations.
Now Is The Best Time To Buy A W126 S-Class
Nowadays, the W126 is starting to appreciate in value and, unlike the W124, has rarely been used as a taxi. This does not change the fact that it can be hard to get a good model at a low price. After all, the Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class’ prices will no longer fall but rather rise from its current average price of $22,000.
The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class was continuously developed, so it is said that the W126 was produced in two series. The first is cars manufactured until 1985, and the second is cars from 1985 to 1991. The design work on the body lasted as long as 8 years. The priority was to ensure the maximum level of passenger protection. It was the first Mercedes vehicle designed with the most common road accident scenario in mind—an asymmetrical frontal collision (with the so-called offset)—in mind, among many other innovations.
The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class, like its predecessor, also decided to offer the W126 with diesel engines. Under the hood of the prestigious limousine, in-line five (OM617, 121 hp) and six-cylinder (OM603, 136–150 hp) turbocharged engines were offered in Canada and the USA.
Mercedes-Benz W126 Is An Innovative And Reliable Classic S-Class
The drag coefficient for the W126 S-Class was C x = 0.37, which was a perfect result for those times. The W126 500 SE variant burns 30% less fuel than the W116 450 SE. The 6.9-liter V8 engine was abandoned because not only was the unit heavy, but it also burned huge amounts of fuel. In addition, between the individual versions, 130-600 lbs of weight was saved, which translated into much better handling of the car. This also allowed theoretically weaker cars to offer the performance of the more powerful variants of the W116 series. Much of this weight gain was due to the use of lighter materials, with some parts made from a steel-titanium alloy.
In September 1985, quite a large facelift of the model was carried out. The visual changes included new bumpers and side skirts, and this change was intended to improve the vehicle’s stability at higher speeds. There are also new 15-inch rims. Inside, the layout of the buttons for operating the electric windows or heated seats has been improved, and the dials of the clocks have been changed. Interestingly, these buttons came after the facelift of the Mercedes W124. Two driving modes appeared on vehicles with automatic transmissions, although not all markets had this option.
Luxury and safety are two essential elements of the S-Class, which is why in 1981 a driver’s airbag was available as an option along with a seat belt pre-tensioner. This solution was later adapted to more vehicles. In 1984, the electric headrest adjustment was combined with the electric seat adjustment as a single trim option. Automatic air conditioning has been available since 1981, allowing the removal of the traditional temperature control knob. Among the equipment options, an onboard computer was available.
The W126 turned out to be a real sales hit. Between 1979 and 1991, as many as 818,036 sedans were delivered to buyers. The limousine with the 2.8-liter M110 in-line engine was the most popular with buyers. For comparison, the total production of the predecessor, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W116, closed with a result of 473,035 units.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
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