1996 Mercedes-Benz S600 L – Today’s Luxo Bargain Tempter

By: James Robinson, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 05.06.2017

Feel like a king… for the price of a Camry

The Mercedes-Benz S-class has long been the pinnacle of big, German luxury limousines, and has been the chariot of choice for dignitaries, oligarchs and dictators for decades.

Much of its reputation has relied on the S-class being at the forefront of not only luxury, but innovation. Want to know what sort of technology your everyday car is going to have ten years from now? Just look at a current day-S-class.

The W140 is the third iteration of Benz flagship and was produced from 1991-1999. It featured a raft of changes over its predecessor, the W126, which included larger proportions, a choice of two wheel bases (regular and long) and a 25 per cent hike in price.

Features and technical innovations for the W140 were extensive to say the least, and included double-paned soundproof glass, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, heated exterior mirrors, four-zone climate control, soft-close doors, self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension and reclining and heated rear seats.

This example is the range-topping S600 L (L denotes ‘long wheelbase’), and is opulent beyond belief. It also means that this two-and-a-bit tonne giant packs the herculean ‘M120’ 6.0lt V12 that pushes out 309kW and a whopping 570Nm. This legend of an engine is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

It has travelled a low 167,437 kilometres according to the seller.

It’s hard talking about cars like these without mentioning how much they were brand new, just to drive home how much of a bargain these cars are at the moment. So, when new in 1996, the S600 L cost… $353,600!

It’s also worth mentioning that these things were made before the bean counters at Mercedes got too involved in things like production costs, so subsequently it’s built like Panzer tank.

The seller is asking $36,888 for the S-class, so essentially a tenth of its original price tag and anyone keen on driving like royalty can view the full listing here. 

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