The Big Story
M-B S-Class (W126)
‘It could out-point a Rolls Corniche’
While it has morphed through numerous generations, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class rightly remains a popular choice for those seeking out a powerful, comfortable saloon that wants for little and rewards with great build quality, reliable engineering and a host of specialists ready and willing to look after this ever-popular model.
In classic terms, it’s the first three generations that deserve that term, beginning with the W116 (19721980), followed by the W126 (19801991) and then the W140, which was built from 1991-1998 and introduced a V12-engined S600 derivative.
As with all Mercedes-Benz models there’s a bewildering choice of engines, while the W126 and W140 were offered in short- and longwheelbase form, the bigger cars being almost indistinguishable from their slightly more compact siblings.
All three generations were popular with British buyers, and that means S-Classes crop up regularly in classic sales. The later W140 model is being seen more frequently, the W126 is an auction stalwart, but the firstgeneration W116 is less common.
For anyone seeking out a W116, Historics is offering a 1974 350SE in its sale this coming Saturday (22 September). In the highly popular (when new) combination of metallic silver with a blue interior and coming with receipts pointing to restoration work between 1998 and 2000, this Jaguar XJ6 rival is offered without reserve.
The same sale also features a 1998 CL 600 W140, and for enthusiasts who appreciate engineering over image, this six-litre V12 (which was around £100,000 when new) is perhaps the last car Mercedes-Benz built before cost-slashing ushered in poorer build quality.
While the W140 in all its forms was seen as a technical tour-de-force, its appearance is not to everyone’s taste, whereas its W126 SEC predecessor remains possibly one of the most handsome big cars of the greed-is-good era. In 500 and 560 forms, it would outpoint a Corniche not only on a
motorway but on fast A- and B-roads, while its build quality is peerless.
Brightwells’ next sale (26 September) features a 560SEC owned new by Formula 1 driver James Hunt, who also owned a W116 450SEL 6.9.
The auctioneer says that this Blue Black metallic example has received sympathetic refurbishment in the past two years, including a full service and new windscreen while the leather Mushroom seats have been thoroughly cleaned and re-Connolised.
Estimated at £12,000-15,000, it ticks all the right boxes for ‘Benz fans. Mercedes 450SEL 6.9 tested, p65