Mercedes-Benz W140

The Mercedes-Benz W140 is a series of special cars made by Mercedes-Benz between 1991 and 1998. These cars came in two styles: sedan and coupe, and had two different lengths. The first W140 S-Class car was shown at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1991, and people could start buying them in April 1991.

In June 1993, all the cars got new names as part of a big change for the company. After that, all the cars were called “S,” no matter their length or style. In 1996, the coupe version was renamed again and became part of the CL-Class.

The W140 series was replaced in 1998 by new models, the W220 S-Class sedan and the C215 CL-Class coupe. During its time, Mercedes-Benz made 432,732 of these cars, with most of them being sedans.

History

Development of the W140 began in 1981 and was first shown in Geneva in March 1991, with sales starting that April. The design was influenced by cars like the Jaguar XJ40 and BMW’s E32 7-Series.

Because of delays and high costs, the W140 had slower sales during a tough economy. Japanese luxury cars like the Lexus LS400, Infiniti Q45, and Acura Legend, which cost less, attracted many buyers. In 1994, the W140 was updated with new looks and features.

Models

The W140 series included three body types: a four-door sedan with two different wheelbase lengths, and a two-door coupe. The models were named W140 for the standard wheelbase, V140 for the long wheelbase, and C140 for the coupe. In 1996, the S-Class coupe was renamed the CL-Class. In 1995, a special longer version called the Pullman was added, offering two engine choices: the S 500 Pullman and S 600 Pullman. The S 600 Pullman could also have extra protection.

The Sultan of Brunei ordered eighteen special station wagons with powerful V12 engines prepared by AMG. These vehicles, called S 73 T, had either a coupe or sedan front end combined with a station wagon rear section.

A unique custom S 500 Landaulet was made for Pope John Paul II in 1997.

Features

Safety

The W140 S-Class brought important safety features. It had a better braking system that gave more power to the back wheels, helping the car stop faster. In 1996, it got a special system called Brake Assist that gave extra braking power during emergencies. In 1995, it introduced a system called Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to help control the car in tough driving situations. Side airbags in the doors and sensors to detect if someone was in the seats also came in 1996.

Comfort and convenience

The W140 had many comfort features. It included special double-paned windows to keep noise out and reduce condensation. The mirrors could be folded with a switch. It had seats that could be adjusted in 12 ways, with heating and memory settings. The car also had climate control for both front and back seats, and some models could keep the climate control running for a little while after the engine was turned off. In 1995, the S 600 Coupe became the first Mercedes car with a GPS navigation system. Voice control and a parking system that used sound waves to measure distances were added in 1996.

Drivetrain technologies

The W140 introduced new technology under the hood. It was the first to use a system called CAN bus for connecting different parts of the car’s computer. It had a special front suspension and a rear suspension that could adjust itself. In 1991, it got a system that could change the shock absorbers to keep the car stable during fast or tricky driving. A new diesel engine was added in 1996.

Gallery

1996–1998 [CL 500](/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_CL-Class) (C140)



1996–1998 CL 600 (C140)



Interior (C140): the 500 luxury version was sold with Nappa leather and burl inserts



S 320 interior (W140)



1991–1993 300 SD (W140)



1994–1996 S 420 (W140)



1996–1998 S 320 (W140)

Engines

The Mercedes-Benz W140 series featured new inline-6 and V8 petrol engines with special technology that improved performance and reduced pollution. These engines had double overhead camshafts and variable valve timing, which helped them produce more power without using too much fuel.

The W140 also introduced Mercedes-Benz's first V12 engine in 1991. Diesel engines were also available, with a 3.5-litre inline-6 diesel carried over from earlier models. In 1996, this was replaced by a new 24-valve diesel engine based on a petrol engine design. Petrol engines included options like the M 104 with 2.8-litre and 3.2-litre versions, and V8 engines in 4.2-litre and 5.0-litre sizes. A special high-performance V12 engine was made for certain models by AMG.

Transmissions

The W140 S-Class cars could be had with different types of gearboxes. When they first came out, you could choose between a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed automatic one called 4G-Tronic. In 1994, a new 5-speed automatic gearbox called 5G-Tronic was added, but only for cars with certain six-cylinder petrol engines.

By 1996, the 5G-Tronic got smarter with electronic controls to shift gears better, and it became the main automatic gearbox for all models until 1998. Cars with six-cylinder petrol engines could have a manual gearbox as standard, with automatic gearboxes available as an extra. Diesel engines with six cylinders always came with an automatic gearbox and never had a manual option.

Cars with bigger V8 and V12 engines started with a 4-speed automatic gearbox, but this was updated to a 5-speed electronic automatic gearbox in late 1995. The all-wheel-drive system called 4MATIC, which was in earlier Mercedes models, was not used in the W140. The next model, the W220, was the first to offer 4MATIC as an extra option.

Technical data

The numbers for how fast the car could go, how quickly it could speed up, and how much fuel it used included all kinds of gearboxes (like 5-speed manual and different automatics) and body styles (standard, long, and coupé) when possible.