In 1991, Mercedes changed the W126 S-Class with the W140. The first actual W140 rolled off the meeting line on August 6, 1991. It additionally acquired derision for its excessive price, and for its styling, size, reliability, and weight.
Production totalled 406,532 units, the decreased overall reflecting the inroads made with the aid of using Lexus into the important thing US export market.
Design and engineering
As with its predecessor the W140 become the primary of the "subsequent technology" of Mercedes-Benz fashions to characteristic the agency's new layout theme. The vehicle become greater aggressive, smoother and angular in look than its predecessor, however the layout additionally featured slab contourless facets additionally visible on the primary technology Toyota Avalon.
The new styling did now no longer acquire plenty reward from the motoring press, claiming that the simplest actual achievement of the layout become to cover the scale of the automobile, which become plenty large than its predecessor.
For information like this, the W140 is frequently referred to as the final Mercedes to be "overengineered", a Mercedes trait that become costing the agency in product delays and overbudgeting. For the consumer, the W140 price a significant 25% greater than its predecessor, the W126. In addition, the acute stress from Infiniti and Lexus caused including greater functions and alternatives as to set the W140 other than the relaxation and to justify the better price.
The W140 become to characteristic air-suspension as an alternative however Mercedes become nonetheless perfecting the era and selected to lauch air-suspension withinside the subsequent technology S-Class, due out in 2000.
This W140 become the primary Mercedes-Benz withinside the USA to contain the headlamps with 'bow-tie' ECE lens albeit a minor extrade to the bulb protect and inclusion of hieroglyphs for SAE/DOT and bulb kind at the lens. In addition, the headlamps on W140 were redesigned 3 instances for the duration of its version cycle. The first become a 'bow-tie' ECE headlamps with dipped and foremost beam H4 (HB2 in USA) bulb. The headlamp layout modified in 1997 to encompass the separate reflectors for HID and halogen bulbs. Bi-Xenon HID structures were not brought till plenty later in C215 CL-Class. The 0.33 headlamp layout become just like the primary one however with tighter lens flutes and narrower 'bow-tie' pattern. The latter one is for fashions with out HID gadget. It become stated to save you the aftermarket groups from supplying the ill-designed and poor-built HID bulb retrofit kit.
Along with W140 coupé, W140 become geared up with digital balance programme following the mid-yr facelift in 1997.
Like its predecessor, the automobile become to be had in wheelbase lengths at the side of shorter-wheelbased W140 coupé.
A new 6-litre 408-horsepower V12 engine joined the lineup for the primary time with the 600SE, 600SEL, and 600SEC. The V12 designation become affixed to the C-pillar. In 1997, the grille had greater horizontal traces as to distinquish itself from immediately six and V8 motors.
In 1994, the 408-horsepower V12 motor become barely detuned to 389 horsepowers, following the tighter emission manipulate rules in US and Europe.
Following the brand new Mercedes-Benz way of life of mid-existence facelift (beginning with W126 in 1986), the W140 become mildly facelifted in 1997. The clean flip sign indicator lenses at the the front and rear had been the maximum apparent changes. The new headlamps with separate low and excessive beam reflectors stacking atop every different become different outstanding extrade. That separate reflectors had been for dipped-beam HID bulb and foremost-beam halogen bulb. Interior layout wasn't modified plenty.
The W140 S-Class become provided in 3 wheelbase lengths:
+ 3040 mm (119.7 in) SE sedans+ 3139 mm (123.6 in) SEL sedans+ 2944 mm (115.nine in) SEC coupes
In 1994 all Mercedes-Benz version names had been rationalized, with the SE/SEL/SEC vehicles turning into the S-Class, losing the E (gas injection) and L (wheelbase). The alphanumerical designations had been inverted: for instance the each 500SE and 500SEL have become S500 no matter wheelbase length. It is stated that a few income substances and order paperwork encompass V and W for wheelbase length. To confuse matters further, 500SEC additionally have become S500 till it become renamed once more to CL-Class in 1998 to mirror its person better.
The V-12 model W140 (S600) become equip with real leather-based dashboard, indoors door panels, and a actual suede headliner, in contrast to the V8 and inline 6 versions. In 1999, there had been simplest 14 S600s and 15 CL600s on the market withinside the United States. It is taken into consideration one of the maximum uncommon Mercedes-Benz vehicles ever produced, despite the fact that the 1999s had been definitely simplest 1998 left-overs.
