S For Success

LUXURY AUTOMOBILES HAVE always been the Mercedes-Benz mainstay. But as times change, so do the expectations, which are heightened multifold in the world of luxury. In the early days, the German marque’s customers wanted open-top touring cars, until increased traffic made saloons the more sensible choice.

And economic factors changed things too. When Mercedes-Benz introduced the W187 in 1951, it marked the return of powerful six-cylinder engines after years of austerity. It also marked the return of Mercedes-Benz to the pinnacle of the luxury saloon segment, where its flag remains firmly planted.

That 116 model was the forebear of what would become the S-Class – officially so in 1972, when the designation was born. The S-Class soon came to be the standard for the latest engineering advancements, safety features