1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class - W140

When it was unveiled, the W 140 looked somewhat ungainly. The narrow track, which made the chassis seem a size too small, and the shapeless flanks gave the design a disharmonious appearance. Added to this was its sheer size, which caused customers no end of problems in car parks and with the neighbours. Even the guide rods – intended to aid parking and which extended pneumatically from the rear corners of the saloon when reverse gear was engaged – were of no help. The frantically beeping ultrasonic warning devices, which were only made available later, did not initially seem befitting of the car’s status in the eyes of the developers. After all, silence was the central theme of this S-Class, which went down in the history books as the first car to feature noise-dampening double glazing. The “Sound of Silence” also played out in the S-Class’s engine compartment. The six- and eight-cylinder engines were merely the prelude to the exquisite symphony of quiet tones. The crowning glory was the V12, available from 1991. Alongside a comfortable drive and ample space, the S-Class of the 1990s naturally offered even more. Passengers felt this most of all on long journeys. Where required, the seats were fitted with sophisticated air-cushion supports, which made covering distances of a thousand kilometres or more in a single day a breeze. This also applied to rear passengers, where electrically adjustable individual seats were even fitted for the price of a Volkswagen Polo. Daimler went even further with its communications equipment. A telephone, fax and a remote control for the Becker radio were all included in the list of optional extras. Later, it even featured one of the first sat-nav systems. Alongside all this luxury, however, there was also a wealth of safety equipment with which the S-Class still scores highly today. For instance, dual airbags were standard fitted from an early stage, and special seatbelt pretensioners ensured that the seatbelt was barely noticeable when fastened, but was tensioned in the event of an emergency. ABS was standard, and Brake Assist, along with the ESP stability control system, made its debut in the S-Class from 1996 onwards. This beautiful Mercedes S 280 saloon from the W140 series was handed over to its first owner on 12 September 1996 by the Mercedes dealership in Dübendorf. At the time, the buyer had to pay the dealer over CHF 80'000 for the base model of the S-Class in ‘Brilliant Silver Metallic’, featuring a 2.8-litre straight-six engine, 193 hp, a 5-speed automatic gearbox, grey leather upholstery, heated front seats and the Parktronic system. After what are believed to be three previous owners, the beautiful saloon was taken over by the current owner in 2021, with around 100'000 km on the clock at the time. He enjoyed using his Mercedes for occasional trips and ensured it received regular servicing. With 125'400 km now on the clock and a well-stamped service history book, this elegant S 280 is in good, well-maintained condition. The last MOT was carried out in February 2024.