Question on type of M119 ignition systems...

[suginami]

I know on W124's with the M119 engines, they all have two distributors, one for each bank of cylinders.

On the W210 1997 E420, I believe it had a different ignition system, doing away with the distributor, and using a coil pack with each plug having its own coil wire, like on M104's.

Did the M119's on W140's have a similar evolution, and if so, does anyone know when the break appeared?

One would think that not having the expensive of buying new distributors and spark plug wires every 30,000 miles or so would be a huge savings in maintenance costs.

Also, what are the advantages of the "coil pack" system (for lack of a better word), over the old traditional distributor-type ignition system?