“ The luxury class saloons of the Mercedes-Benz brand have borne the “S-Class” name for what seems like an eternity. Yet in fact this has only been the case since 1972: this was the year in which the new luxury class model series designated internally as the 116 made its official debut under the S-Class name, initially in the form of the 280 S, 280 SE and 350 SE. In 1975 the brand brought out a new top-of-the-range model which set standards in many respects: the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 boasted the largest engine capacity for a saloon at that time, providing sports car-like levels of performance. In 1977, the 300 SD model also set standards: it became the first Mercedes-Benz luxury class saloon to feature a diesel engine, and at the time was destined exclusively for export to North America. It was also a pioneering model, however – today the diesel engine is a natural alternative to the petrol engine in all vehicle classes. ”
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