Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan · S-Class

W140

The double-pane W140 — engineering without compromise.

Production
1991–1998
Built
406,710
Body
Sedan
Chassis
W140
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan (W140)

The W140 S-Class was Mercedes-Benz at its most imposing — a flagship of extraordinary scale, weight, and engineering depth that arrived in the early 1990s as the ultimate expression of the traditional German luxury saloon.

Double-glazed windows, hydraulically damped closing aids, short and long wheelbases, and engines from a 2.8-liter six through 4.2- and 5.0-liter V8s to the company’s first passenger-car V12 made the W140 the most comprehensively equipped S-Class yet. In June 1993 the whole range was renamed — 300 SE became S 320, 500 SEL became S 500 lang — and the SEC coupé on C140 shared the platform in two-door form. Critics called it excessive; owners called it exactly right.

Mercedes-Benz built 406,710 saloons between 1991 and 1998; with the 26,022 C140 coupés, the 140 series came to 432,732 cars.

W140 interior
Cabin details of the W140, as preserved in period photography.

Every model.

21 model designations across 1991–1998 — short and long wheelbase, petrol and diesel, with the June 1993 renaming that turned every SE and SEL into an S.

ModelModel yearsChassisEngineTransmissionTotal
300 SE 2.81992–1993140.028104.944717.4 · 722.3 · 722.522,784
S 2801993–1998140.028104.944717.4 · 722.3 · 722.5 · 722.6included above
300 SE1991–1993140.032104.990717.4 · 722.3 · 722.598,095
S 3201993–1998140.032104.994722.5 · 722.6included above
300 SEL1991–1993140.033104.990717.4 · 722.3 · 722.585,346
S 320 lang1993–1998140.033104.994722.5 · 722.6included above
400 SE1991–1993140.042119.971722.314,277
S 4201993–1998140.042119.971 / 119.981722.3 · 722.6included above
400 SEL1991–1993140.043119.971722.335,191
S 420 lang1993–1998140.043119.971 / 119.981722.3 · 722.6included above
500 SE1991–1993140.050119.970722.321,942
S 5001993–1998140.050119.970 / 119.980722.3 · 722.6included above
500 SEL1991–1993140.051119.970722.365,065
S 500 lang1993–1998140.051119.970 / 119.980722.3 · 722.6included above
600 SE1991–1993140.056120.980722.33,399
S 6001993–1998140.056120.980 / 120.982722.3 · 722.6included above
600 SEL1991–1993140.057120.980722.332,517
S 600 lang1993–1998140.057120.980 / 120.982722.3 · 722.6included above
300 SD Turbodiesel1991–1993140.134603.971722.320,518
S 350 Turbodiesel1993–1996140.134603.971722.3included above
S 300 Turbodiesel1996–1998140.135606.960722.67,583

* The published production figure covers every series of that model; the source does not break it down further.

717.4x 5-speed manual — six-cylinder petrol only722.3x 4-speed automatic, to May 1996722.5x 5-speed automatic, six-cylinder petrol722.6x 5-speed electronic automatic, from June 1996
W140 side profile
Studio profile of the W140 — the proportions that defined this chassis.

Year by year.

From the Geneva debut in March 1991 to the last car in September 1998.

  1. 1991
    • Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March; sales began in April, North American launch on 6 August.
    • Launch range: 300 SE and 300 SEL sixes, 400 SE/SEL and 500 SE/SEL V8s, and the 600 SE/SEL with the M120 — the first passenger-car V12 from Mercedes-Benz.
    • Double-paned soundproof glass, soft-closing doors and boot, folding mirrors, parameter steering and extending rear parking guide rods.
    • Hydropneumatic Adaptive Damping System (ADS) standard on the V12s, optional on the V8s.
  2. 1992
    • The 300 SE 2.8 joined below the 300 SE, using the 2.8-liter M104.
    • The 300 SD Turbodiesel arrived for North America with the two-valve 3.5-liter OM603.
    • From September the V8s and V12 were detuned for emissions: 400 SE to 279 PS, 500 SE to 320 PS, 600 SE to 394 PS.
  3. 1993
    • June: the corporate renaming. 300 SE 2.8 became S 280, 300 SE became S 320, 400 SE became S 420, 500 SE became S 500, 600 SE became S 600, and long-wheelbase cars took the "lang" suffix.
    • The 300 SD Turbodiesel became the S 350 Turbodiesel; diesels wore a TURBODIESEL boot badge.
    • The 3.2-liter six switched from LH-Jetronic to hot-film air-mass metering as the 104.994, gaining 315 N⋅m at 3,750 rpm.
  4. 1994
    • March: facelift shown at the Geneva Salon, on sale in April — reworked bumpers, side skirts and boot lid.
    • The five-speed automatic became available on the six-cylinder cars.
  5. 1995
    • Two-tone paint gave way to monotone bodywork; rear indicator lenses became clear.
    • Xenon low-beam headlamps introduced.
    • Electronic Stability Program (ESP) debuted on the S 600 Coupé — a world first.
    • Sonar-based Parktronic replaced the extending parking guide rods.
  6. 1996
    • Brake Assist (BAS) added, boosting braking to maximum in emergency stops.
    • Door-mounted side airbags with seat-occupancy sensing, and rain-sensing wipers.
    • The S 300 Turbodiesel replaced the S 350, bringing the 24-valve intercooled OM606 — the first four-valve diesel in a Mercedes-Benz.
    • From June the five-speed electronic automatic became the only automatic across the range; Linguatronic voice control introduced.
  7. 1997
    • TELEAID emergency call and tracking introduced in the United States.
    • A one-off S 500 lang Landaulet was built for Pope John Paul II.
  8. 1998
    • Production ended in September after 406,710 saloons.
    • Succeeded by the W220 S-Class; the coupé line continued as the C215 CL-Class.
W140 rear three-quarter view
Rear three-quarter view of the W140.

Engines.

The M104 six, the M119 V8, the M120 V12 and the OM603 and OM606 diesels as fitted to the W140.

M104

I6
  • 104.9442.8 L · 2,799 cc

    193 PS

    142 kW · 190 hp at 5,500 rpm

    270 N·m

    199 lb·ft at 3,750 rpm

  • 104.9903.2 L · 3,199 cc

    231 PS

    170 kW · 228 hp at 5,800 rpm

    310 N·m

    229 lb·ft at 4,100 rpm

  • 104.9943.2 L · 3,199 cc

    231 PS

    170 kW · 228 hp at 5,600 rpm

    315 N·m

    232 lb·ft at 3,750 rpm

M119

V8
  • 119.9714.2 L · 4,196 cc

    286 PS

    210 kW · 282 hp at 5,700 rpm

    410 N·m

    302 lb·ft at 3,900 rpm

  • 119.9814.2 L · 4,196 cc

    279 PS

    205 kW · 275 hp at 5,700 rpm

    400 N·m

    295 lb·ft at 3,900 rpm

  • 119.9705.0 L · 4,973 cc

    326 PS

    240 kW · 322 hp at 5,700 rpm

    480 N·m

    354 lb·ft at 3,900 rpm

  • 119.9805.0 L · 4,973 cc

    320 PS

    235 kW · 315 hp at 5,600 rpm

    470 N·m

    347 lb·ft at 3,900 rpm

M120

V12
  • 120.9806.0 L · 5,987 cc

    408 PS

    300 kW · 402 hp at 5,200 rpm

    580 N·m

    428 lb·ft at 3,800 rpm

  • 120.9826.0 L · 5,987 cc

    394 PS

    290 kW · 389 hp at 5,200 rpm

    570 N·m

    420 lb·ft at 3,800 rpm

OM603

Turbodiesel I6
  • 603.9713.4 L · 3,449 cc

    150 PS

    110 kW · 148 hp at 4,000 rpm

    310 N·m

    229 lb·ft at 2,000 rpm

OM606

Turbodiesel I6
  • 606.9603.0 L · 2,996 cc

    177 PS

    130 kW · 174 hp at 4,400 rpm

    330 N·m

    243 lb·ft at 1,600 rpm