About the Mercedes-Benz W140

Introduced in 1993, The W140 had large boots to fill – it replaced the W126 S Class, a car firmly cemented as one of Stuttgart’s all time greats.

For automotive context, the W140 S Class would compete in the luxury car sector with Jaguar’s XJ40 and BMW’s E32 7 Series, and it did more than just compete – it stood head and shoulders above the rest.

The W140 is well known for an impressive CV of automotive firsts, including seat heaters in all four seats, separate temperature controls for driver and passenger, an activated carbon filter that would remove pollutants from the cabin and double pane glazing. Mercedes-Benz used the W140 S Class for a number of firsts, introducing technology that we now accept as commonplace – Did you know the 1995 S600 Coupe was the first production road car to feature Electronic Stability Control (ESP)?

Production and development of the W140 was an expensive exercise for Mercedes-Benz, with the end result being a fabulously over-engineered and ultimately expensive saloon car. Despite the cost, the W140 S Class was once voted ‘The Best Car In The World’

The big Benz could be ordered with a 2.8, 3.2, 4.2, 5.0 or 6.0 litre engine, ranging from £40,000 to £100,000 depending on specification – by comparison the Jaguar XJ40 would be significantly more affordable!

For the politician, diplomat, director or dictator, a long wheel base V8 S Class was the car of choice. Thanks to careful owners and bulletproof reliability, many examples went on to reach astronomical mileage.

From a values point of view, the W140 has certainly out performed it’s contemporary rivals. While the Jaguar XJ40 and BMW E32 can still be found for pocket money, the W140 S class is already well established in the classic car hall of fame.

Here’s one for sale in our showroom:

This exceptional 5.0 litre long wheel base model boasts the wonderful combination of 2-tone Anthracite Grey with Mushroom Leather interior.

To call it a ‘garage queen’ would not be incorrect – this immaculate S Class has covered just 38,000 miles with one owner.

Between 1993 and 2000 it was cared for by supplying Mercedes-Benz dealership Lancaster Europe Limited in Sheffield. From 2000 onwards, the car was looked after by a high end specialist in Pontefract until 2016. From 2009 to 2016 the car was SORNed, coming to The SL Shop as a 1 owner car in 2018.

Interior specification includes fully electric seats with lumbar support, sunroof, air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows front and rear, and the fully operational soft door close system including the boot. The original Radio is fully functional, and the car still wears the original eight hole wheels to maintain its factory look. The tool kit, jack, first aid kit and warning triangle are all present. Also accompanying the car is the original leather wallet, service book, manuals, and the special supplying Black spare key box. There are three metal keys and two plastic remote units. This original cassette is mounted in the glove box containing an audio record of how to use the various controls – a neat touch by any stretch.

It should be noted that being an early car, this example features orange indicator lenses, items that are notoriously difficult to locate.

This has to be one of the finest examples of a superb classic Mercedes-Benz. With it’s stylish and timeless colour combination, this S Class is ready to be enjoyed whether at shows or touring the continent.

We occasionally stock the W140 in our showroom, please sign up to receive updates on our new stock or visit our coming soon page.

Own an S Class in need of a service, or looking to buy one? Contact our team to discuss the options.