1994 Mercedes-Benz S500 Coupe

Description

Arguably the most technically advanced car of its era, the W140 generation S-Class Mercedes-Benz introduced at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show was a radical new flagship for the German marque.  Packed with safety features like the Electronic Stability Program, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, side airbags and automatic rain-sensing wipers, the W140 also pioneered innovative technology like double glazed glass.  Styled under the direction of Bruno Sacco’s team, the W140 carried on the tradition of previous S-Class models, with two sedans on short and longer wheelbases and a two-door pillarless coupe.  Powered by the in-line six or V8 engines carried over from the previous W126 model, Mercedes added a V12 option in response to BMW’s flagship 750 model.  The W140 featured a new front axle with double wishbone suspension and a multi-link set-up at the rear, along with an Adaptive Damping System that was optional on the V8 range and standard with the V12.  The 235kW M119 5-litre V8 remained the most popular powertrain choice, mated to either the 4-speed 4G-Tronic transmission or new 5-speed box introduced across the model range in 1996.  Mercedes nomenclature for the W140 series was somewhat confusing – launched as the 500SE/SEL in 1991, the model was rebadged the S500 in June 1993 and remained thus until 1998, while the S500 coupe was became the CL500.  Costing an eye-watering $284,404 in 1994 (more than five times the price of the cheapest C-Class), the S500 Coupe was an incredibly expensive luxury coupe and only sold here in tiny numbers.