Tag: 500SEL

The W140 Mercedes-Benz S-class was a victim of its own times, debuting at the Geneva Motor Show in 1991 under the cloud of an economic downturn. Such a big and brash luxury sedan seemed out of step with the times and if that wasn’t bad enough, this car had to follow in the footsteps of the beloved W126 S-class. You still see a good number of W126 models roaming the roads but the W140s are few and far between these days. The W140 chassis would live on in the form of the recently discontinued Maybach 57 and 62, which would help to recoup some of the $1 billion USD spent on development. This 1993 500SEL for sale in Illinois is not the flagship model, but many would no doubt prefer the lower running costs of the V8 versus its V12 sibling.

Click for details: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL on eBay

When the W126 S class debuted at the outset of the 1980s, the top engine for US customers would be a 3.8 liter, all-alumnium V8. Those in Europe, however, could specify a larger, 5.0 liter V8. This led to many gray market imports flooding the marketplace, leading Mercedes-Benz lobbyists to push for legislation against private importation of vehicles not originally intended for US sale. But, in 1984, Mercedes-Benz threw an olive branch to those S-class buyers wanting a bit more power: the 500SEL. With a new 5.0 liter V8, this engine produced 184 bhp and 247 lbs. ft. of torque. This may not sound like a lot from a V8 engine, but manufacturers were still coming off a wave of newly introduced emissions controls that strangled power. Also, this was an era where a Honda Accord was barely cresting 100 bhp.

The 500SEL would last two short years until the 560SEL, with the 5.6 liter V8 engine, arrived for the 1986 model year. This final year 500SEL for sale in Texas has covered a scant 63,000 miles and spent much of its life in Southern California.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL on eBay