Mercedes-Benz W116: The First Car Officially Called S-Class (1972–1980)

The Mercedes-Benz W116, built from 1972 to 1980, was the first car Mercedes officially called the S-Class. It set the pattern every S-Class has followed since: a large, comfortable sedan that introduces safety technology before the rest of the industry. The W116 is remembered for three things above all — its crash-safety engineering, the first availability of electronic anti-lock brakes (ABS) in 1978, and the outrageous 450 SEL 6.9.

W116 at a glance

Why the W116 mattered

Before 1972, Mercedes’ top sedans were known by their chassis codes or by informal nicknames. With the W116 the company formalized Sonderklasse — “special class” — as a model line, and it treated the new car as a showcase for its research into occupant safety.

That research was serious. Mercedes had been crash-testing cars since 1959 and had pioneered the rigid passenger cell with crumple zones. The W116 took the idea further with:

• A reinforced passenger cell and deformable front and rear structures.
• A fuel tank moved from behind the rear seat to above the rear axle, where it was far less likely to be ruptured in a rear-end crash.
• A padded dashboard, recessed switches and an energy-absorbing steering wheel.
• Ribbed tail lamps designed to stay visible even when covered in road dirt.

1978: the arrival of ABS

The W116’s most important contribution came late in its life. In 1978, Mercedes-Benz and Bosch introduced an electronic, four-wheel anti-lock braking system as an option on the S-Class. By pulsing the brakes faster than any human could, ABS kept the wheels from locking and let the driver steer during an emergency stop. It was expensive at first, but within two decades ABS was standard on almost every new car sold in Europe and North America.

The 450 SEL 6.9

In 1975 Mercedes added the 450 SEL 6.9, powered by a 6.9-litre V8 and riding on self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension. It was the fastest and most expensive sedan Mercedes sold, and it floated over bad roads in a way that made the rest of the range feel ordinary. Only about 7,400 were built, and today it is one of the most collectible S-Classes.

The 300 SD: a diesel for America

American fuel-economy rules of the late 1970s pushed Mercedes to offer a diesel S-Class in the U.S. The 300 SD of 1978 used a turbocharged five-cylinder diesel and became one of the first turbodiesel passenger cars sold in real numbers. It was never offered in Germany, and it helped establish the reputation of Mercedes diesels in North America for years afterward.

Driving and riding in a W116 today

By modern standards the W116 is slow in its smaller-engined versions, has no airbags and lacks the refinement of later S-Classes. But its seats, visibility and solid build still impress, and a well-kept car rides with a calm that explains its reputation. Clean examples of the 450 SEL and 6.9 have become sought-after classics.

From W116 to today

The W116 was followed in 1979 by the aerodynamic W126, which added the airbag to the S-Class story. You can follow the whole line in our S-Class history, or see the modern car we drive every day on our Mercedes-Benz S-Class page.