What did the start-up process look like? Although the name ‘S-class’ was only used for the first time in 1972, the history of Mercedes’ top-class models goes back much further in time, even well before the Second World War. S-class is the abbreviation of ‘Sonderklasse’, with which the manufacturer wants to make it clear that you are really dealing with something extraordinary. Not an empty promise, because all generations of the S are special. Mercedes-Benz invariably uses its luxury sedan as a showcase for the latest technology before other models of the brand take advantage of it. When a new S-class is introduced, the competition watches with fear and trembling which leading inventions Mercedes introduces next. ABS, airbags, ESP, belt tensioners, brake assist, Pre-Safe, xenon lighting, a rain sensor, adaptive cruise control: these are all innovations that were first applied to the S-class. Mercedes-Benz S-class sketches by Steve Mattin from 1992. the W140 predecessor was one year old at the time. Mercedes-Benz S-class In 1992, a year after the introduction of the W140 generation, popularly known as ‘Cathedral’, development of the W220 started. Comfort and safety had to be taken to an even higher level, but lower weight and lower fuel consumption were also on the list of priorities. The elegant, streamlined design of the W220 was created by the British Steve Mattin, who later became chief designer at Volvo. With the study model F 200 Imagination, Mercedes already showed in 1996 what could be expected from the new S-class, which was unveiled in 1998 at the Paris Motor Show. Clay model of the Mercedes-Benz S-class. Just how revolutionary was the 1998 S-Class? Compared to its predecessor, the new S-Class was state-of-the-art. Perhaps this car can even be called the most innovative S-class ever. Mercedes integrated more than thirty technological innovations into the W220, giving Das Haus a total of 340 new patents. One of the most important innovations was Distronic, the world’s first radar-based adaptive cruise control. Today, even the Toyota Aygo X comes with such a system. Mercedes-Benz was proud of Distronic, also note that BMW 7 series in the left lane, could that be a coincidence? The Comand system of the S-class, which bundled navigation, audio, CD changer, on-board TV and car telephone, also served as an example for the entire automotive industry. Although a fairly primitive system by today’s standards, Comand could be considered the first multifunctional infotainment system. Another first: the S-Class not only had front and side airbags, but also came with curtain airbags. With its first and only facelift in 2002, the S-Class also received Pre-Safe as standard. This system anticipated imminent accidents, for example in the event of an emergency braking or when the car skidded. In the time between the driver’s initial counter-reaction to an eventual collision, the seat belts were tightened, the seats reclined and the sunroof retracted. Once the danger had passed, the belts, seats and sunroof were returned to their original position. This system has since been copied by many other car brands. What were the choices during the market launch? Like its predecessors, the W220 was also offered in two length variants. The difference between the two versions had to be found in the back. With its wheelbase of 3,015 meters, you were not short of space in the normal S-class, but in the Lang version you could stretch your legs thanks to the 9.7 cm extra length in the back. In the new S-class, Mercedes had abandoned the old six-cylinder in-line engines. It was replaced by a completely newly developed V6 petrol engine, with a choice of 2.8 (204 hp) or 3.2 liters (224 hp). In the facelift in 2002, the 3.2-liter was increased to 3.7 liters. In the S350 it delivered 245 hp. The eight-cylinder of the W220 was also farm-fresh. The V8 was offered in 4.3 or 5.0 liter capacities. The S430 had 279 hp, the S500 came in at 306 hp. The S600 L followed in 1999, with a new 5.8-liter V12 with 367 hp. In the facelift, this engine was replaced by the 5.5-liter biturbo V12 from the Maybach, which was reduced to 500 hp. There were also diesels: the six-cylinder S320 CDI (197 hp) and the eight-cylinder S400 CDI (250 hp). The AMG designation appeared in 2001 on the S55, which was powered by a 5.4-liter V8 with mechanical compressor. Good for 360 hp and a zero-to-hundred sprint in 6.0 seconds. How was the Mercedes S-class W220 received? “It doesn’t get any better than a Mercedes S – until a new S comes along.” With those words we opened our 1999 test of the short wheelbase 224 hp Mercedes S320. There is hardly a critical note in the report, unless it concerns the trunk and the load capacity, which had shrunk slightly compared to the W140. We still labeled the abundance of electronic assistance systems as excess, ‘adaptive damping’ was still written in quotes, that was how innovative it all was 25 years ago. Incidentally, other car magazines shared our opinion of the new S-class. Even the comparison with Rolls-Royce and Bentley was regularly cited, with the S-class invariably coming out as the best car. With the W140, Mercedes had a market share of about forty percent in the top class, with the W220 fifty percent became the target. The Dutch importer expected to be able to sell about 750 copies in the year 2000, but that number turned out to be no fewer than 969. Fewer Audi A4s were registered in 2022 … The S-class would not run a better year after that. Every year, the importer saw sales of the S-class decline, in 2005 – the last year of production – 235 W220s were sold. What were its competitors? ‘The usual suspects’ and a ‘new kid on the block’. Naturally, the BMW 7 Series was the main competitor of the Mercedes-Benz S Class. When the W220 was introduced in 1998, the 7 Series (E38) had been in production for four years. He was therefore no match for the innovative violence of the new S. Something that also applied to the Audi A8, which, like the BMW, was unveiled in 1994. Despite its beautiful aluminum body, the A8 was nowhere near the technological top level of the S-class. Outsider in the top segment was the Jaguar XJ, for the owner who liked to take the wheel himself. This model also dates from 1994. There was a variant with a six-liter V12 and the price list also mentioned a version with an extended wheelbase. The Lexus LS was too emphatically intended for North America and, despite its excellent build quality, never posed a serious threat to the European establishment. That kite also went for the Volkswagen Phaeton, the ‘new kid’ that came to shake up the top class in 2001. A car where perfectionism became almost creepy. At Volkswagen they were convinced that such a good car could cost quite a bit, but the buyer thought very differently. Meanwhile, the BMW 7-series and the Audi A8 had also switched generations, trying to catch up with the technological lead of the S-class. How was this S-class received by consumers? With the new S-class, Mercedes wanted to increase its global market share in the top class from forty to fifty percent. An ambitious plan, because the W220 operated in a very conservative segment. However, in 2000, the best sales year of the W220, Mercedes in the Netherlands achieved this goal with flying colors: with 969 registrations, the S-class was miles ahead of the competition in the sales lists. 286 of the BMW 7 Series were sold, Jaguar delivered 273 XJs and Audi welcomed 247 new A8 buyers. The Lexus LS was no match for the S: only seventeen cars were shipped from Japan to the Netherlands… In 2004, the last full production year of the W220, Audi, BMW and Jaguar had caught up with the then six-year-old S-class , both technologically and commercially. In the Netherlands, Audi had (narrowly) taken over the lead in the top class from Mercedes, with 278 A8s compared to 244 S-classes. The BMW 7-series (E65) followed at a respectable distance with 178 units and the Jaguar XJ (X350) with 184 buyers. Only 40 copies of the Volkswagen Phaeton found a buyer in 2004 and only 34 of the Lexus LS. Mercedes-Benz S-class after the facelift in 2002. Any details during its life? From 1999, Mercedes delivered an armored S-class to order especially for prominent politicians and dignitaries who were not entirely sure of their lives in their own country. Depending on the protection you deemed necessary for your own life, the car was fitted with bullet-resistant glass and reinforced sheet steel with special Kevlar mats that caught flying bullets. Mercedes also supplied an extra long and extra luxurious Pullman version of the armored S500 and S600. Compared to the extended Lang, the wheelbase of this state limousine was stretched by another meter, to 4,085 meters. A luxurious coupé also appeared on the basis of the W220. The new Mercedes CL (C215) was presented in 1999 at the Geneva Motor Show. It came as CL 500 and CL 600. Those who wanted a little more sportiness could choose from the CL 55 AMG (360 hp) and CL 63 AMG (from 2001, with an output of 444 hp). Which version appeals the most to the imagination? In an unbounded fantasy, the ultimate S-class is obviously the armored S600 Pullman Guard. Nevertheless, in everyday life we would also be very satisfied with an S500, executed in a tasteful combination of lacquer and leather color. The S500 has everything our car heart desires: a powerful V8 engine, ultimate luxury and all kinds of electronic games. The condition is that the car is free of rust and that the complex electronics are thoroughly measured before purchase in order to uncover latent faults. After all, such problems are not unfamiliar to the W220 … What has been the impact of the w220? It is not only the competition that has drawn on the W220, the new S-class also served as an example for Mercedes’ completely new model generation. From A-Class to SL, S-Class influences can be found in every model, both in terms of design and technology. The W220 was developed at a time when Mercedes was cutting back on production costs. This turned out to have been seriously detrimental to the build quality. Rust problems were not unknown to the W220 and the electronics sometimes took on a life of their own. This had costly consequences for the owner and the rock-solid reputation that Mercedes had carefully built up over decades. Thanks to the W220, the manufacturer came to the realization that economizing ultimately pays dearly. However, at the time of the facelift in 2002, most of the teething problems had been remedied. How many are still around? Between 1998 and 2005, Mercedes-Benz built 484,693 units of the W220. By far the most popular model was the S500 Lang, with a total of 108,823 cars. Almost 4,000 copies of the W220 were sold in the Netherlands. According to Vinacles, there are still 1,501 registered in the Netherlands with an active license plate. In recent years, many copies have also been imported from abroad as fiscally attractive youngtimers. So many copies of the Mercedes W220 are now registered in the Netherlands. Model years 1998 to 2005 Model NumberS280 4S320 378 S320 CDI 220 S350* 160 S400 CDI 53 S430* 112 S430 L 1 S500 381 S500 L 6 S55/S55 AMG 61 S600 120 S600 L 3 S63 AMG 1 Total 1 S65 AMG 1 * 1 AMG. 4-Matic source: vinacles