The first Mercedes-Benz officially sold as an S-Class, replacing the W108/109 in 1972 with a body designed by Friedrich Geiger and styling cues (the ridged tail-lamp lenses that resist dirt build-up) borrowed from the contemporary R107 SL.[1] It was also the first Mercedes-Benz saloon offered with anti-lock brakes, added as an option across the range from 1978.
At the top of the line sat the 450 SEL 6.9, introduced in 1975: at 6.8 litres the largest engine fitted to a post-war Mercedes-Benz, matched to the full hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension that was merely optional on the rest of the range. In North America, the W116 also introduced the 300 SD, the world’s first production turbodiesel passenger car, built to help Mercedes-Benz meet the United States’ new Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules without giving up a six-figure model in the lineup entirely.
Power and torque figures in this entry are taken from the car’s first engine series (1972-1975 for most trims); the W116’s ten-year run saw two further revisions, generally trading a little peak power for lower emissions and better drivability, and each trim’s note here says so.
