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  • Mercedes W126 (1979-1993)

 Mercedes-Benz S Class W126

 1979 to 1993
Mercedes-Benz w126 motor car history
Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz (Daimler-Benz)
Production December 1979–April 1993 (sedan) September 1981–October 1991 (coupé)
Assembly Germany: Sindelfingen South Africa: East London
Predecessor Mercedes-Benz W116 (sedan) Mercedes-Benz C107 (coupé)
Successor Mercedes-Benz W140
Class Full-size luxury car Grand tourer
Body style 2-door coupé 4-door sedan
Layout FR layout
Engine Straight-5 3.0 L OM617 diesel Straight-6 2.6 L M103 2.8 L M110 3.0 L M103 3.0 L OM603 diesel 3.5 L OM603 diesel V8 3.8 L M116 4.2 L M116 5.0 L M117 5.6 L M117
Transmission 4-speed automatic 4-speed manual 5-speed manual
Wheelbase Sedan (SWB): 121.1 in (3,076 mm) Sedan (LWB): 120.9 in (3,071 mm) Coupe: 112.2 in (2,850 mm)
Length Sedan: 208.1 in (5,286 mm) Coupe: 199.2 in (5,060 mm)
Width Sedan: 71.7 in (1,821 mm) Coupe: 72.0 in (1,829 mm)
Height Sedan: 56.7 in (1,440 mm) Coupe: 55.0 in (1,397 mm)
Designer(s) Bruno Sacco (1976)

 

 The Mercedes-Benz W126 is a series of flagship vehicles manufactured by German automotive marque Mercedes-Benz. Premiering in September 1979 as the successor to the earlier W116 line, the W126 was the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz flagship to officially bear the S-Class name referring to Sonderklasse or "special class." The W126 was initially offered in straight-6, V8, and turbo diesel sedan models. In September 1981, 2-door coupé versions of the W126 were introduced. Compared to its predecessor, the W126 was more aerodynamic, fuel efficient, capacious, and powerful. The W126 S-Class debuted a new Mercedes-Benz design style which was subsequently used on other vehicles in the company's lineup. The W126 line also introduced many Mercedes-Benz safety innovations, including the first airbag supplemental restraint systems, seatbelt pretensioners, and traction control

The W126 had a twelve-year production run between 1979 and 1991, the longest of any S-Class generation since the flagship models were first built in the mid-1950s.

History

Following the debut of the 1970s generation W116 (which also included the flagship Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9), Mercedes-Benz began plans for the next-generation S-Class model in October 1973. Codenamed "project W126,"the project had specific goals: an improved ride, better handling, and improved fuel efficiency. These improvements were aimed at helping retain the S-Class' market leadership as the world's best-selling prestige luxury sedan. Following the 1970s oil crisis, Mercedes-Benz had made fuel efficiency an especially pertinent goal (named "Energy Program"), even in the large V8 engined versions of the S-Class.

In terms of the body design, the objective of the W126 design team, led by Mercedes-Benz's Bruno Sacco, was to produce a car that was sleeker and more aerodynamic than the previous model. The application of lighter materials and alloys combined with thorough wind tunnel testing to reduce overall drag meant the car consumed about 10% less fuel than its predecessor.The maximum speed was also increased (250 km/h in the most powerful model).

After six years of development, the W126 was formally introduced at the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (International Motor Show, or IAA) in Frankfurt on September 1979. The initial lineup featured seven models in standard (SE, SD) and long (SEL, SDL) wheelbase sedan body styles: the 280 SE/SEL, 380 SE/SEL, 500 SE/SEL and 300 SD. Technically, the long-wheelbase (SEL) variants were codenamed V126, but this was not popularly knownIn 1981, the coupé version (SEC) of the W126 S-Class premiered at the IAA with the 500 SEC model. In 1981, Wheels Magazine selected the W126 model 380 SE as its Car of the Year.

Four years after the introduction of the fuel-efficiency "Energy Program," the model range had been reworked completely. In September 1985, again at the IAA in Frankfurt, the reworked model range was reintroduced. Apart from visual changes to the bumpers, side covers and alloys, the changes made to the available collection of engine variants was most visible. Two newly constructed 6-cylinder engines and new 4.2 and 5.6 litre V8's were added, and other engines were further upgraded.

The W126 generation was replaced by the W140 in 1991, although a satellite factory in South Africa is known to have continued production until 1994. The different body styles of the W126 S-Class achieved a combined sales total of 892,123 units (818,063 sedans and 74,060 coupés), making the W126 the most popular S-Class ever produced.

Styling

In 1976, after several design concepts being presented, the design for the W126 S-Class was frozen. Design work on the coupe began immediately afterward. It premiered the next generation of Mercedes-Benz car styling, which came to dominate the lineup in the 1980s. Compared to its predecessor, the W116, the new model had more aerodynamic qualities than before, with a (drag coefficient of Cd 0.36 for the sedans, 0.34 for the coupés). For the first time, a Mercedes-Benz sedan was not equipped with traditional chrome bumpers; polyurethane deformable bumpers were used, and visually aligned with body panels

The interior featured pleated leather on the doors on later cars and woodgrain trim on the center console and across the dash, and a simplified layout with symmetrically placed buttons. Both zebrano and burled walnut were used on low/mid and high-end cars, respectively.

Models

The W126 series (named in accordance to their engine size) initially included the 280, 300, 380, and 500 series models. Following the first S-Class mid-cycle refresh, the W126 series included 260, 300, 350, 420, 500, and 560 models. Variants included SE (standard wheelbase), SEL (long-wheelbase), SEC (coupé), and diesel models (SD / SDL).

  Features

Novel luxury features/options included the following safety, comfort, and technological features. Whilst almost all of these features are available on modern luxury cars today, each in its own right was considered very significant in the 1980s. The harmonious and "matter-of-fact" way which these were combined, as well as their renowned durability, has added to the appeal of W126.

 Comfort and convenience

  • Courtesy lights on the underside of the doors, to enable the occupant to see the ground when exiting the vehicle in the dark. And on sedan models, individual, rear cabin reading lamps aimed at the rear-seat occupants' laps so as to avoid distracting the driver at night.
  • Eight-way powered, dual stage heated front seats, with two setting memory functions for both front occupants to retain positions of power adjustable steering column and seat position for driver; and seat position for front passenger. The seat heaters were standard on the 560 SEL/SEC, and an option on other models. Later-production (post-facelift) models so equipped had higher wattage heated seats, as compared to earlier models.
  • Two-way powered, dual stage heated rear "Chesterfield" bench seat (pre-1990 SELs) with four-way manually adjustable rear headrests that was standard on flagship 500 SEL and 560 SEL models.
  • As an option on the 500 SEL and 560 SEL, individual, power adjustable rear seats were provided with a burl walnut grained centre console that replaced the centre seat to allow for a 2 + 2 seating format.
  • A optional fully automatic climate control system that used an interior temperature sensor to more accurately climatize the cabin. This sensor was mounted overhead (near the sunroof switch) so that when the roof was open, the sensor would detect cool air-flow and call upon the system to adjust heat flow accordingly.
  • Exterior temperature sensor with LCD display set in main instrument console below the speedometer to inform the driver of exterior conditions. This was delineated in Fahrenheit for US-market cars, and in Celsius for the rest of the world.

Drivetrain technologies

  • Four-speed automatic transmission with a topographical sensor that monitored the vehicle's position (whether on an incline or decline) and gas pedal position. The result was an extraordinary capacity to "hold back" acceleration when coasting downhill and to maintain the S-Class' position without using the brake pedal after coming to a complete stop on a steep incline. The transmission also featured a "limp home mode" in case of electronic failure and was programmed to start in second gear so as to permit smooth, wheel spin free launches. Second gear start could be switched on and off in European models with a S/W switch to allow more performance orientated driving versus winter driving.
  • The W126 carried forward the self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension of the W116 450 SEL 6.9 model. There were two versions of the self-leveling suspension for the sedan: a rear only hydraulic suspension using two nitrogen ballasts to automatically level the car, and a four-wheel hydraulic leveling system that could be set in three positions. The coupés were only available with the rear-leveling from the factory. In the US, rear-leveling was standard on both the 560 SEC and the 560 SEL, and optional on the 500 SEC and SEL. The four-wheel hydraulic leveling system was never made available for North American-market cars.
  • Cruise control that used the transmission's topographical sensor to appropriately add and cut back the throttle fluidly as needed in order to maintain the desired set speed. The result was a cruise control that was free of the sudden throttle inputs and undesired downhill excess speed that plagued many contemporary cruise control systems.

 Engines

In September 1985, two newly constructed six-cylinder SOHC engines, M103 (already used in the new mid-sized Mercedes-Benz W124 series), replaced the 2.8-litre DOHC M110 engines. The carburetted version was replaced by a 2.6-litre fuel injection engine, while the 3.0-litre version replaced the fuel injected M110. Also new was a 4.2-litre V8 engine, designed to replace the 3.8 litre version used in the W126 sedans, coupés, and the SL-Class. The 5.0-litre engine was modified to receive electronic ignition and electronic-mechanical fuel injection in form of the Bosch KE-jetronic system. Performance was increased to 245 hp (183 kW). An ECE version of the 5.0-litre M117 V8 engine was also available from September 1987 with a power output of 265 hp (198 kW)

The largest new engine was the 5.6-litre V8 that was a further development from the 5 litre version. An increased stroke meant it could turn out a hefty 272 hp (203 kW). There was a higher compression version available, if required, that produced 300 hp (220 kW). This version was only available without catalytic converter. But even without the catalytic converter this ECE version, as it was known, would meet the emission requirements of the European community.

A 3.0-litre inline-five cylinder turbo diesel was offered from 1981–1985 in North America. In 1986, the 300SD was replaced with the 300SDL. It was part of the second generation of W126 model lineup. The five-cylinder engine was replaced with the new inline six-cylinder engine and the engine was only offered in long-wheelbase. The new engine had 148 hp (110 kW) compared to 125 hp (93 kW) of the previous version. California specification 1986 and all 1987 cars were the first diesel cars to have a diesel particulate filter. This early implementation did not hold up under normal use, and was replaced by a standard diesel oxidization catalyst in the course of a recall.


Popular tuners Special variants

  • AMG offered body kits for all W126 models, as well as a widebody kit for the coupé. AMG also offered many levels of engine tuning, but was most famous for the DOHC 6.0 litre engine, based on the original 117.968 engine. Also offered was a Gleason Torsen differential in varying ratios, manual transmission (extremely rare), and various TV/radio consoles.
  • Brabus Offered body kits similar to the AMG package and engine tuning.
  • Lorinser Offered body kits similar to the AMG package and minor engine tuning.
  • Koenig Specials offered a famous widebody kit, a supercharger, and twin-turbo kits.
  • MKB offered various engine kits
  • RennTech offered most of the AMG engine tuning packages except for the DOHC engine.
  • Carat-body kits, wooden seatback trays, wood trim, AMG installer/dealer.
  • Transco Bremen offered a stretch limousine version called the "1000 SEL".

Armored models

Like the current model S-Guard, specially modified W126 S-Class models were produced for the transport of dignitaries and world leaders. Among the modifications made included a wheelbase stretch, bulletproof glass, and armored body panels.

Legacy

The W126 S-Class's twelve-year production run was longer than any S-Class before or since, and following the debut of the W140 S-Class in 1991, the additional two years of production in South Africa was a testament to the W126's popularity in the export market. Many W126s have been prominently featured in films long after production ended.

 Tomorrow Never Dies Mercedes W126 007
In the James Bond Film Tomorrow Never Dies 2 Mercedes W126s of Elliot Carver's henchmen  
 
,Mercedes-Benz 500 SE [W126] in GoldenEye,

Mercedes-Benz 500 SE [W126] in GoldenEye 

1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL [W126] in K-9, Movie
1984 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL [W126] in K-9, Movie 1989
 
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Mercedes-Benz W126 car range from 1979 to 1993

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Technical

  •  
    Years Model Chassis Engine Market Built
    1979–1985 280 S W126.021 M110.924 2.8L I6 carburetor N/A in US 42,996
    1979–1985 280 SE W126.022 M110.987 2.8L I6 N/A in US 133,955
    1979–1985 380 SE W126.032 M116.963 3.8L V8   58,239
    1979–1985 500 SE W126.036 M117.963 5.0L V8 N/A in US & AU 33,418 (79-91)
    1980–1985 280 SEL W126.023 M110.987 2.8L I6 N/A in US 20,655
    1980–1985 300 SD W126.120 OM617.951 3.0L I5 US & CA only 78,725
    1980–1985 380 SEL W126.033 M116.963 3.8L V8   27,014
    1980–1985 500 SEL W126.037 M117.963 5.0L V8   72,733 (80-91)
    1980–1985 500 SEC W126.044 M117.963 5.0L V8   30,184 (80-91)
    1981–1985 380 SEC W126.043 M116.963 3.8L V8   11,267
     
    1985–1991 260 SE W126.020 M103.941 2.6L I6 N/A in US & AU 20,836
    1985–1991 300 SE W126.024 M103.981 3.0L I6   105,422
    1985–1991 420 SE W126.034 M116.965 4.2L V8 N/A in US 13,996
    1985–1991 420 SEL W126.035 M116.965 4.2L V8   74,017
    1985–1991 420 SEC W126.046 M116.965 4.2L V8 N/A in US 3,680
    1985–1991 500 SE W126.036 M117.965 5.0L V8 N/A in US  
    1985–1991 500 SEL W126.037 M117.965 5.0L V8 N/A in US  
    1985–1991 500 SEC W126.044 M117.965 5.0L V8 N/A in US  
    1985–1991 560 SEL W126.039 M117.968 5.6L V8   75,071
    1985–1991 560 SEC W126.045 M117.968 5.6L V8   28,929
    1985–1993 300 SEL W126.025 M103.981 3.0L I6   40,956
    1986–1987 300 SDL W126.125 OM603.961 3.0L I6 US & CA Only 13,830
    1988–1991 560 SE W126.038 M117.968 5.6L V8 N/A in US & AU 1,251
    1991 350 SD W126.134 OM603.97 3.5L I6 US & CA Only 2,066
    1990–1991 350 SDL W126.135 OM603.97 3.5L I6 US & CA Only 2,925
    Saloon Total 818,105
    Coupe Total 74,060

    Dimensions and weight

    Body style Wheelbase Length Width Height Curb weight
    Sedan (short-wheelbase) 2,935 mm (115.6 in) 5,020 mm (197.6 in) 1,820 mm (71.7 in) 1,437 mm (56.6 in) 1,640 kg (3,616 lb)
    Sedan (long-wheelbase) 3,070 mm (120.9 in) 5,160 mm (203.1 in) 1,820 mm (71.7 in) 1,441 mm (56.7 in) 1,670 kg (3,682 lb)
    Coupe 2,850 mm (112.2 in) 4,910 mm (193.3 in) 1,828 mm (72.0 in) 1,406 mm (55.4 in) 1,610 kg (3,549 lb)
     

    Engines

    Engine Cyl. Power Torque 0–100 km/h Maximum speed Notes
    Gasoline
    2.6 12V I6 166 PS (122 kW; 164 hp) 228 N·m (168 lb·ft)   205 km/h (127 mph) From MY 1986
    2.6 12V* I6 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp) 220 N·m (162 lb·ft)   205 km/h (127 mph) From MY 1986
    2.8 12V carb. I6 156 PS (115 kW; 154 hp) 223 N·m (164 lb·ft) 11.0s 200 km/h (124 mph) MY 1980–1985
    2.8 12V inj. I6 185 PS (136 kW; 182 hp) 240 N·m (177 lb·ft) 10.0s 210 km/h (130 mph) MY 1980–1985
    3.0 12V* I6 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) 255 N·m (188 lb·ft)   210 km/h (130 mph) From MY 1986
    3.0 12V I6 188 PS (138 kW; 185 hp) 260 N·m (192 lb·ft)   210 km/h (130 mph) From MY 1986
    3.8 16V V8 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) 299 N·m (221 lb·ft)   215 km/h (134 mph) MY 1980–1981
    3.8 16V V8 204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp) 315 N·m (232 lb·ft) 9.3s 205 km/h (127 mph) MY 1982–1985
    4.2 16V* V8 204 PS (150 kW; 201 hp) 310 N·m (229 lb·ft)   210 km/h (130 mph) MY 1986
    4.2 16V V8 218 PS (160 kW; 215 hp) 330 N·m (243 lb·ft) 9.0s 218 km/h (135 mph) MY 1986
    4.2 16V* V8 224 PS (165 kW; 221 hp) 325 N·m (240 lb·ft) 8.3s 218 km/h (135 mph) From MY 1987
    4.2 16V V8 231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp) 335 N·m (247 lb·ft) 8.1s 222 km/h (138 mph) From MY 1987
    5.0 16V V8 223 PS (164 kW; 220 hp) 365 N·m (269 lb·ft) 8.0s 220 km/h (137 mph) From MY 1986
    5.0 16V V8 240 PS (177 kW; 237 hp) 402 N·m (296 lb·ft)   225 km/h (140 mph) MY 1980–1981
    5.0 16V V8 231 PS (170 kW; 228 hp) 405 N·m (299 lb·ft) 8.1s 220 km/h (137 mph) MY 1982–1985
    5.0 16V V8 245 PS (180 kW; 242 hp) 400 N·m (295 lb·ft) 7.6s 230 km/h (143 mph) MY 1986
    5.0 16V* V8 223 PS (164 kW; 220 hp) 358 N·m (264 lb·ft)   220 km/h (137 mph) MY 1986
    5.0 16V* V8 252 PS (185 kW; 249 hp) 390 N·m (288 lb·ft) 7.5s 230 km/h (143 mph) From MY 1987
    5.0 16V V8 265 PS (195 kW; 261 hp) 405 N·m (299 lb·ft) 7.3s 235 km/h (146 mph) From MY 1987
    5.6 16V* V8 242 PS (178 kW; 239 hp) 390 N·m (288 lb·ft) 7.6s 228 km/h (142 mph) MY 1986
    5.6 16V* V8 279 PS (205 kW; 275 hp) 430 N·m (317 lb·ft) 7.2s 240 km/h (149 mph) From MY 1987
    5.6 16V V8 272 PS (200 kW; 268 hp) 421 N·m (311 lb·ft)   250 km/h (155 mph) MY 1986
    5.6 16V RÜF V8 299 PS (220 kW; 295 hp) 456 N·m (336 lb·ft)   250 km/h (155 mph) From MY 1987
    5.6 16V ECE V8 299 PS (220 kW; 295 hp) 455 N·m (336 lb·ft) 6.9s 250 km/h (155 mph) MY 1986/87
    Diesel
    3.0 TD I5 125 PS (92 kW; 123 hp) 250 N·m (184 lb·ft) 15.2s 175 km/h (109 mph) MY 1980–1985
    3.0 TD I6 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) 273 N·m (201 lb·ft) 12.5s 195 km/h (121 mph) MY 1986/87
    3.5 TD I6 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) 310 N·m (229 lb·ft) 13.0s 175 km/h (109 mph) MY 1990/91
    * = Catalyst version

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