Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Recently I looked at a couple unique W220s in a short wheelbase 2006 S350 and an armored 2001 S500. Today’s car isn’t anything odd or unique, just a regular 2002 S500. But makes it special is that it just happens to have only a little over 5,000 miles and look basically brand new. So lets take a look at this W220 up for sale in California before it starts rusting away and the interior buttons peel.
The last report I saw had 97% of the world’s governments owning a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. By process of elimination of car manufacturing countries, you can probably figure out which countries don’t need the services of the S-Class. Statistically, this means that some governments with less than stable political climates have been subject to attacks on politicians riding in the S-Class with some ending up OK while others ending tragically. A big part of that has to do with armoring.
In 1980, Anastasio Somoza, then President of Nicaragua, was attacked by a Sandinista commando team while riding in an armored W116. Two machine guns, two AK-47 assault rifles, two automatic pistols, and a RPG-7 rocket launcher with four anti-tank grenades and two rockets were used to bombard the car. One rocket even hit the upper part of the windshield and blew the roof off. Amazingly the car still ran but sadly, no one inside survived. In 1995, then Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze was attacked while riding in an armored W140 by a group yielding AK47s and was hit twice by RPGs. One hit the hood, the other hit the grill. Two body guards in the front seats didn’t survive but Shevardnadze? Riding in the rear of the car, he survived. In 2008, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s motorcade which included a model similar today’s featured car, an armored W220, was hit twice in the windows by gunfire. No surprise – if a rocket couldn’t get through, neither did the bullets.
That record of survival alone is worthy of us taking a look at this 2001 S500 Guard for sale in Los Angeles.
The late 1990s was, in my opinion, a watershed for executive sedans. The much revered BMW E38 7 series was about halfway into its production lifespan, offering up what was arguably one of the best designs the company has ever released. Then we had the Audi A8. In the wake of the V8, which was a bit of a sales disappointment, Audi was back with this all aluminum luxury saloon and even offered a hot version – the S8 – for those who wanted the ultimate high performance luxury express. Then there was the W140 Mercedes-Benz S-class. Having been introduced in 1992, this was a car on its way out, but it still had some fight left in it. Compared to the BMW and Audi, the Mercedes had rather brutal, monolith appearance to it. It was still, however, a supremely capable automobile. The example we see here for sale in Texas is the popular S500 with the 5.0 liter V8. In black over black leather, this completes the iconic look for this CEO express.
Today on 10K Friday we’re going to look at how much luxury you can buy for around $10,000. Unlike last week’s look at two sport…
10 CommentsA new S class is set to debut next month. Without a doubt, the upcoming W222 is set to move the executive sedan bar even…
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