Mercedes-Benz S-Class Second generation
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (Second generation) was built from 1979 to 1992. Powertrain: 2.6 L I6; 2.8 L I6; 3.0 L I6; 3.8 L V8; 4.2 L V8; 5.0 L V8; 5.6 L V8; 3.0 L 5-cylinder turbodiesel; 3.0 L 6-cylinder turbodiesel; 3.5 L 6-c…. 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
The W126 series premiered in September 1979, launching in March 1980 as a 1980 model and late 1980 as a 1981 model in the US and Australia replacing the W116 line. The W126 line featured improved aerodynamics and enlarged aluminum engine blocks. In Australia in 1981, the W126 S-Class won Wheels magazine's Car of the Year award. The W126 was manufactured from 1979 through 1991 with a mid-cycle update. Coupé models based on the S-Class were reintroduced with the W126 (380/500 SEC). Total sales of the W126 S-Class sedans reached 818,036 units, with an additional 74,060 coupes sold.
Engines
The power plants on the W126 S-Class included straight-6 and V8 engines. Most sales came from the diesel model in Europe and straight-six models in the United States, although the V8 models were praised by contemporary journalists. The US initially received only the smaller of the two V8 engines, the 3.8 litre, which turned out to be a disaster, both due to timing chain repair issues, and to being severely underpowered, with 0-60 mph acceleration in a leisurely 11 seconds and a modest top speed of 117 mi/h. The 5.0 litre engine was far more capable, with 0-60 mph acceleration in 7.
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
- First generation · 1972-1980
- 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 (Second generation) from Japan?
By production year alone, Mercedes-Benz S-Class (Second 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 (Second generation)?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 2.6 L I6; 2.8 L I6; 3.0 L I6; 3.8 L V8; 4.2 L V8; 5.0 L V8; 5.6 L V8; 3.0 L 5-cylinder turbodiesel; 3.0 L 6-cylinder turbodiesel; 3.5 L 6-cylinder 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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