Mercedes-Benz engineers reportedly tested the 450SEL 6.9's self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension by driving prototypes fully loaded at sustained high speed on the Autobahn to prove long-term seal durability.
Lead trim: 6.9 (US spec) · up to 282 hp
Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9W116 · 1975–1980
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactMercedes-Benz engineers reportedly tested the 450SEL 6.9's self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension by driving prototypes fully loaded at sustained high speed on the Autobahn to prove long-term seal durability.
The flagship W116 S-Class, fitted with a 6.8-litre (badged "6.9") V8 derived from the 600's M100 and Citroen-style hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension. NOTE ON US SALES: this was not purely a European-market car absent from EPA-era data — Mercedes federalized it and 1,816 units were exported to the US and Canada between 1977 and 1981 (out of 7,380 built worldwide), detuned to 250 hp for US emissions rules. That is a real if limited US sales run, distinct from cars that were genuinely never sold new in the US; it is still filed here because it is confirmed absent from the current catalogue. The trailing 4 units sold in the US in 1981 fall outside this generation's 1975-1980 window and are omitted from the trim years.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 Lineage
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Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.9 (European spec) | 1975–1980 | 6.8 L V8 | 282 hp | 406 lb-ft | — | RWD | automatic | — |
| 6.9 (US spec) | 1977–1980 | 6.8 L V8 | 250 hp | 360 lb-ft | — | RWD | automatic | — |
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