Mercedes-Benz S-Class First generation
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (First generation) was built from 1972 to 1980. Powertrain: 2.8 L M110 I6; 3.5 L M116 V8; 4.5 L M117 V8; 6.8 L M100 V8; 3.0 L OM617 I5 turbodiesel. Layout: FR layout.
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: OSX, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.
Overview
In 1972, Mercedes-Benz introduced the W116 line, the first to be officially called the S-Class. Produced from 1972 through 1980, the W116 series featured four-wheel independent suspension and disc brakes. The 280, 350, and 450 (4.5L version) models featured SE and SEL versions. Production of the W116 totaled 473,035 units. This was a groundbreaking sedan for Mercedes-Benz, and for the first time in the company history, the car had an obvious, blatant and outward emphasis on safety placed above a pure styling viewpoint. The overall design incorporated numerous safety features developed from the "safety research vehicles" in the mid-to-late 1960s to the very early 1970s.
Engines
With the W116 models, the V8-engines of the 350/450 SE/SEL models were now regular options. Due to the oil crisis, fuel efficiency was a major concern for engineers, yet they still added the high-performance, limited-production 450 SEL 6.9. This 8-cylinder model, affectionately referred to as simply "the 6.9", boasted the largest engine installed in a postwar Mercedes-Benz up to that time. Every 450 SEL 6.9 featured a self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, and offered the ABS anti-lock braking system as an option from 1978 onwards.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Check before you buy
- Check the emissions equipment (particulate filter, NOx treatment) and the destination country's emissions rules; some markets restrict used diesels.
- Ask for service records: turbocharged engines are sensitive to oil changes and cool-down habits.
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
Other generations of the S-Class
- W180 · 1954-1959 (W180)
- W111, W112 · 1959-1968 (sedan); 1961-1971 (coupe and cabriolet)
- W108, W109 · 1965-1972
- Second generation · 1979 - 1992
- Third generation · 1991 - 1999
- Fourth generation · 1998 - 2005
- Fifth generation · 2005 - 2013
- Sixth generation · 2013-2020 (W222); 2014-2020 (C217/A217)
- Seventh generation · 2020-present
More from Mercedes-Benz · all Mercedes-Benz models
- C-Class (Battery electric) · 2026-present
- GLB (Second generation) · 2026 - present
- CLA (Third generation) · 2025 - present
- G-Class (Mercedes-Benz G-Class (W465)) · 2024-present
- Mercedes-AMG GT (Second generation (C192)) · 2023-present
- GLC (Second generation) · 2022-present
Can I import a Mercedes-Benz S-Class (First generation) from Japan?
By production year alone, Mercedes-Benz S-Class (First generation) is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (First generation)?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 2.8 L M110 I6; 3.5 L M116 V8; 4.5 L M117 V8; 6.8 L M100 V8; 3.0 L OM617 I5 turbodiesel.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
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