Finally I had the opportunity to properly test drive a 2001 S500 (W220) for a week. I hate those around the block test drives the dealer offers for new models, so usually hold for a proper demo to be offered for a decent period of time.

After careful consideration, there is no doubt about it: the W140 series (91-99 S350-S600) is definitely a much superior car than the new W220.

The W140 is the last of the big "traditional design" Benzes. The new W220 is plainly an electronic marvel overkill.

The W140 has a much better low and high speed ride (especially on rough streets or traveling above 75 m.p.h.). And, no matter what the interior dimensions say, the W140 feels much bigger and comfortable inside than the W220. Fit and finish is also an important issue, just close hard the doors and feel (and hear!) the difference.

I know that the owners of the W220 might disagree with me, but just ask anyone who has traded their old W140 for the new car: they regret it deeply! I guess this is a parallel issue like the one between the W124 and the W210 cars. Oh well... just sharing my thoughts, no offense intented.


A. Rosich
S 320, 1998
E 320 T, 1995

I agree after testing the W220 and W140, the 92-99 W140 S-class feels more solid, smooth and stable. After examining the interior the W140 the detail, quality and engineering put into it is much supirior to the "new style" interior design of the W220. The "bank vault" experiance just isn't there. Although the new one is packed with tons of tech goodies, the W140 is the last of the true Big Bodied Benzes!

I agree that the W140 interior is much more inline with what we expect from Mercedes. However, starting as early as 1995, MB was cheapening the interior bits of the W140. Look at the interior materials of the pre-95 W140's and you will see what I mean. Even the leather was better and smelled more in the earlier W140's. Remember how po'd 94 S-Class owners were when MB dropped the price dramatically, I think it was with the 95 models. There was a reason they were able to drop it so much, cheaper materials.

I own a 94 S500 and was definitely not too pleased when they dropped the price about 10 grand with the 95's. However, I must agree with you completely. The W140's are the pinnacle of MB design and engineering. The car drives like it came from the factory yesterday. . . but it's seven years old and has 105,000 miles!!! There are very few makes that can say that about their cars. . .

I actually like the body side moulding and rear lights on the pre-95 W140's much better. The 95+ look too bulky, not sleek at all.

I think a '99 S500 Grand Edition might be one of the ultimate MBs ever made. The W140s did get cheaper on the inside, but also had fewer problems as time progressed.

__________________
1988 Mercedes-Benz 260E

I personaly like the 95 face-lifted version better, they placed an extra crease line in the moldings like the newer MBs as opposed to the completely smooth moldings like the early SLs and later W124s. The SL also recieved the same type of treatment in 96. They modified the bumpers and moldings to lessen the impression of bulk and thickness to give the car a slightly sleeker profile. This was done probably since the W149 was greatly criticized for being excessivly bulky looking.

I also like the Tail lights of the facelifted one with the 97 clear turn signal lenses, although overall I dislike how the two tail lights are connected by the white reflector strip, this design is found on too many American cars. Unconected units like the 95 W124 would look a lot better.

Despite these few changes here and there, all W140 S-classes are the most solid, safe and beautifly designed MBs, and unfortunitly they may be one of the last...

The middle life facelift that the W140 went through, as stated before, had two main reasons:

1/ To lessen the bulk look of the car, and

2/ To make the production of the car cheaper.

Any M.B. fan knows that the W140, in the design development, has been the the most overbudgeted project they have had in their hands. In fact, the head manager in charge of the project was fired at the beggining of production. Once in production, the new car was so much expensive (to recover some of the expense) than the previous W126, that at one point DaimlerBenz had over 2,500 units unsold sitting iddle in one parking lot.

Of course, those units had to be sacrificed at huge discounts, making things worse for M.B. That's when the plan to cheapen the car (the '95 facelift) came in.

Although I have owned a pre'95 W140, I am extremely happy with my 98 S320. And, as said before, I would never trade for a W220 in a million years.

A. Rosich
S320, 1998
E320T, 1995

Overbudgeted, and you are RIGHT!!! LOL... W140 is probably the most expensive project(for passanger cars)MB ever started. In fact, from scratch to production took MB almost 10 years to complete. '92-'93 has the best fit/finish IMO. Canadian version of '95-early '96 S500/S600 are well finished, too as both have fully leather interior. However, if I were buying a W140 now, I would go for '99 models which is probably the most trouble-free W140s.....

And life many of you have pointed out, MB did the face-lift and "degraded" some of the materials used in order to keep price low to stay competitive.

P.S. 1992 is the most trouble-some year....

Andy Kuo

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400SE
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/W140_Side.gif

2002 Acura TL Type S
http://members.shaw.ca/AKRY/type_s_side.gif

What do you guys exactly mean when you say the 95 models have degrading matireals? And what parts or matireals did they actualy make cheaper? The S420 we have has one of the best Interiors quality wise I ever seen in a car. So visual can you see the quality differance between the pre 95 models and 95 on models?

For me the ultimate W140 would be a '99 S600 with a little touch of ///AMG

95 S420
White/Grey
Wood/Leather Steering Wheel
Wood/Leather Shift Knob
AvantGarde Grill
7123 miles

Post '95 present these changes:

1/ New bumpers and new plastic side flanks
(New design to make the car look less bulkier)

2/ New rear lenses (softer edges, and if you buy them at the parts dept.: much, much cheaper compared to pre-95 models)

3/ Deletion of rear parking assist antennas (a great design touch ommited because of high-cost and the introduction of the new "Parktronic" -extra cost feature in most markets, as opposed to the antennas that were standard everywhere-).

4/ New A/C electronic center dash panel controls (much cheaper to manufacture than the previous one).

5/ New interior door panel design. It deletes the very useful storage compartment pre-95 models had, although it addresses a problem that the armrest was too thin and people's elbows would not reach it comfortably (the new armrest is much thickier, although it reduces seat space a little). This change also ommitted several internal parts in the doors (including some electric wiring) which also saved them a lot of money.

6/ New headlight lens design (much cheaper to make, although it is said to be 30% brighter, which I would say it is!). Remember that the new Xenon lights (much more expensive) were optional in most markets

7/ Ride height was lowered an average of 1.5 inches, depending on model and extras fitted. This was done mainly to reduce bulk look and to favor airflow (read: more mpg).

8/ Mechanically many systems were changed in the engine compartment and the chassis. Bits and ends mainly to reduce costs.

9/ The infrared remote lock system was changed by a more reliable (and cheaper to manufacture) system.

10/ Some interior materials were cheapen also, the standard leather for example. But, the new more expensive and softer Nappa leather was made available.

I feel that the post-95 facelift did not significantly reduced the quality and presence of the W140, it definitely saved M.B. a lot of bucks in terms of production costs.

At the same time, 98 and 99 models made in several markets more standard equipment (to make the car more appealing in its last two years of life) available.

Also, if you ever get a chance to get a hold on a German Options List, U.S. buyers will be amazed at the myriad of extras and peculiar equipment you could order for the W140.

A. Rosich
S320, 1998
E320T, 1995

The 95s all have the back up antennas standard, it was for 96 when they deleted this feature. The Infared system seems to be the same unit, although I believe they changed it in 98. The lenses for the headlights were upgraded to a clear chrome version which could be ordered with xenon later on. I just noticed the tiny compartment of the doors and the differant armrest. Although I thought the facelifted ones looked lower I didn't realize they actually were...During the last years another thing MB could have done to reduce a little cost was to delete the standard headlight wipers from the S320...

It all goes to market specs. The rear assist antennas were deleted on '95 on all markets except in the U.S. The headlight wipers were standard only on a few selected markets (including the U.S.), everyone else had to fork additional money to get them.

The headlight change main difference can be noticed as follows: standing in front of the driver's side headlight, with all lights on, pre-95 cars would have the fog light appear as a small triangle on the left side of the unit. Low and High beams would lit combined in a big rectangle to the right. Post-95 cars would have the high beam appear on a small triangle on the left side (where the fog light used to shine before). Low Beam would lit as a small rectangle on the upper right side, and the fog light would lit as a small rectangle on the lower right side (under the low beam). The projection lens design was also changed.

You are right about the infrared system, it changed early on '97 models for all markets (excluding U.S.) and in '98 of the U.S.

Another cheap touch done in most markets addressed the rear trunk handle. First it was chromed, later models had a flat-black painted handle.

Another difference would be the odometer and daily mileage counter, pre-94/95 cars had a regular counter while post 94/95 cars had an electronic reading reading display.

Most of the early faults found in the early prodution cars were taken care of by the end of 93/early 94. 1995 models on are excellent cars, although all models are quite expensive to repair compared to other M.B. series. The problems with the 350SD engine have been widely discuss in this and other forums.


A. Rosich
S320, 1998
E320T, 1995

Today Icame across an older W140, looking for the exact differance we discused here, I noticed that the pre 95 car had a switch that could raise and lower the rear seat headrests. Our 95-on cars can only drop the rear seat headrests, then needing someone to pull them up again manually

On the 92-94 500-600 SEL/S500-600, power rear seats and headrests were standard. From 95 on, the power rear seats were made optional for the S500. Every model below (S320, S420) had the manual headrests as standard since '92. The power rear seats and headrests were always an option, though, up until the 99's.