Mercedes-Benz S-Class Third generation
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (Third generation) was built from 1991 to 1999. Powertrain: 2.8 L 197 PS I6; 3.2 L 231 PS I6; 4.2 L 279 PS V8; 5.0 L 326 PS V8; 6.0 L 408 PS V12 M120 (1991–1993); 6.0 L 394 PS V12 M120 (1993–1998); 3…. Layout: FR layout.
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: IFCAR, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.
Overview
The W140 cost 25% more than the W126 that it replaced and featured double-pane window glazing, self-closing boot lid and doors, electric windows with a jam-protection feature (lowering when encountering an obstruction), rear-parking markers in the US (which appeared on the rear wings when in reverse), and a heating system which emitted warm air while residual energy was available after the engine was turned off. In 1993, Mercedes-Benz model nomenclature was rationalized, with the SE/SEL/SEC cars becoming the S-Class and alphanumerical designations inverted (e.g. both the 500SE and 500SEL became S500 regardless of wheelbase length).
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
- Second generation · 1979 - 1992
- 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 (Third generation) from Japan?
By production year alone, Mercedes-Benz S-Class (Third 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 (Third generation)?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 2.8 L 197 PS I6; 3.2 L 231 PS I6; 4.2 L 279 PS V8; 5.0 L 326 PS V8; 6.0 L 408 PS V12 M120 (1991–1993); 6.0 L 394 PS V12 M120 (1993–1998); 3.0 L Turbodiesel 177 PS I6; 3.5 L Turbodiesel 150 PS I6.
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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