Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Every Mercedes-Benz S-Class generation in the Burbles catalogue — complete specs, rarity tiers, interactive 3D cards, and the collectors who have spotted them on the street.
- Lineage Span
- 1954–present 23 generations · 130 published trims
- Power Evolution
- 84 → 791 hp Base lead-trim output across eras
- Catalogue Rarity
- 11 Legendary 11 Legendary · 5 Epic · 7 Rare/Common
All 23 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Generations
Each generation deals in its rarity tier’s alloy with its engine disc, lead specs, and first spotter record. Click into any generation for full trims and market figures.
This S63 drops the S-Class's century-old hood ornament for a Panamericana grille with a giant badge up front — a first for the S-Class sedan.
This S-Class pioneered a new kind of rear airbag: instead of being gas-inflated, it deploys by inflating a supporting structure and letting ordinary ambient air fill the bag - a world first.
The Z223 Maybach S-Class is 18 cm longer than the car it replaced, and the first Mercedes with rear-passenger frontal airbags.
The V12 AMG S-Class went out on a high note: a 130-unit S 65 Final Edition unveiled at the 2019 Geneva show before the engine was retired for good.
The W222 S63 AMG's battery wasn't a bespoke part — Mercedes borrowed a lightweight 78 Ah lithium-ion unit straight from the SLS AMG Black Series supercar.
The W222 S-Class got a suspension with 'eyes': a stereo camera reads the road up to 15 meters ahead at speeds up to 130 km/h, softening each damper before the car even hits the bump.
Mercedes built this S65 with a 5-speed automatic while rivals had moved to seven gears, saving the V12's torque from a gearbox it would have broken.
The S63 AMG's tail lights hide a tiny detail: 52 individual LEDs arranged into a glowing "C" shape on each side.
The W221 was the first S-Class offered with Mercedes' Active Body Control-based Magic Body Control successor tech groundwork and the first to include a night-vision assist system as an option in the US.
AMG's own V12 for the S65 reportedly made 1,200 N·m of torque in testing — Mercedes had to electronically cap it because the transmission behind it couldn't survive the real number.
The sportier S 55 AMG and the flagship S 600 made identical horsepower — Mercedes simply aimed one at drivers and the other at passengers.
The W220 dropped nearly 200 kg compared to its W140 predecessor despite growing in interior space, a weight-reduction goal set directly in response to criticism of the older car's bulk.
The W140's development cost roughly one billion dollars, making it one of the most expensive car programs of its era.
The W126 S-Class pioneered seat belt pretensioners that automatically cinched tight the instant the car sensed a crash coming — years ahead of the rest of the industry.
China quietly cloned this S-Class in 1974: the Shanghai SH771, a reverse-engineered copy meant to replace a 1950s sedan, built only as prototypes.
Mercedes dropped its flagship 600 limousine's 6.3-litre V8 into an ordinary-looking sedan body. It's the car historians credit as the first true Mercedes sleeper.
The W108 sold well enough in Southeast Asia and North America to rack up 383,072 built by 1972.
The 300 SE sedan raced European Touring Car events despite costing nearly double the top W111 model it was based on.
Every W111 sedan wore the pointed "Heckflosse" fintail that gave the whole line its nickname — except these two-door coupes and cabriolets, which designer Paul Bracq deliberately gave a cleaner, more modern rear years ahead of its time.
The "Fintail" quietly rewrote car safety: Mercedes built in front and rear crumple zones and patented retractable seatbelts, years before either was ever required by law.
The 220 SE cabriolet cost ten percent more than a Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, with no power steering on offer at any price.
The 219 is a 220's front end welded to a 180's rear doors, a factory mix-and-match of two different cars.
The 220 a exists because Mercedes stretched a four-cylinder W120 170mm to squeeze in a straight-six.
Collectors Who Spotted the Mercedes-Benz S-Class
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Generation-by-Generation Comparison
Lead figures across every published generation, newest to oldest. Select any generation to inspect all trims and engine options.
| Generation | Years | Tier & Rarity | Engine | Power & Torque | 0–60 mph | Weight | Trims | First Spotter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S63 AMG (W223)W223 S63 AMG | 2025–2025 | Epic | 4.0L V8 | 791 hp · 1055 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| W223 S-ClassW223 | 2021–present | Uncommon | 3.0L I6 | 429 hp · 384 lb-ft | — | — | 8 trims → | Unclaimed |
| Mercedes-Maybach S-Class (Z223)Z223 Maybach | 2021–present | Epic | 4.0L V8 | 496 hp · 516 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| S65 AMG (W222)W222 S65 AMG | 2015–2020 | Epic | 6.0L V12 | 621 hp · 738 lb-ft | — | — | 6 trims → | Unclaimed |
| S63 AMG (W222)W222 S63 AMG | 2014–2020 | Epic | 5.5L V8 | 577 hp · 664 lb-ft | — | — | 11 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W222 S-ClassW222 | 2014–2020 | Uncommon | 3.0L V6 | 362 hp · 369 lb-ft | — | — | 20 trims → | Unclaimed |
| S65 AMG (W221)W221 S65 AMG | 2010–2013 | Legendary | 6.0L V12 | 621 hp · 738 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| S63 AMG (W221)W221 S63 AMG | 2008–2013 | Rare | 5.5L V8 | 537 hp · 590 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W221 S-ClassW221 | 2007–2013 | Uncommon | 3.5L I6 | 295 hp · 284 lb-ft | — | — | 6 trims → | Unclaimed |
| S65 AMG (W220)W220 S65 AMG | 2006–2006 | Legendary | 6.0L V12 | 604 hp · 738 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| S55 AMG (W220)W220 S55 AMG | 2001–2006 | Epic | 5.4L V8 | 355 hp · 391 lb-ft | — | — | 3 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W220 S-ClassW220 | 2000–2006 | Rare | 3.7L V6 | 242 hp · 258 lb-ft | — | — | 8 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W140 S-ClassW140 | 1994–1999 | Rare406,710 built | 3.2L I6 | 228 hp · 229 lb-ft | — | — | 14 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W126 (1979–1991)W126 | 1979–1991 | Rare818,036 built | 5.0L V8 | 228 hp · 299 lb-ft | — | — | 4 trims → | Unclaimed |
| S-Class W116 (1972–1980)W116/V116 | 1972–1980 | Legendary473,035 built | 2.7L I6 | 158 hp · 166 lb-ft | — | — | 6 trims → | Unclaimed |
| 300 SEL 6.3 (W109)W109 | 1968–1972 | Legendary6,526 built | 6.3L V8 | 247 hp · 369 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| W108 / W109 (1965–1972)W108 | 1965–1972 | Legendary383,361 built | 2.5L I6 | 128 hp · 143 lb-ft | — | — | 14 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W112 300 SE (1961–1967)W112 | 1961–1967 | Legendary6,526 built | 3.0L I6 | 160 hp | — | — | 2 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W111 Coupé and Cabriolet (1961–1971) | 1961–1971 | Legendary48,912 built | 2.2L I6 | 118 hp · 140 lb-ft | — | — | 8 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W111 Fintail saloon (1959–1968)W111 | 1959–1968 | Legendary369,539 built | 2.2L I6 | 94 hp · 124 lb-ft | — | — | 4 trims → | Unclaimed |
| W128 220 SE (1958–1960)W128 | 1958–1960 | Legendary | 2.2L I6 | 113 hp · 137 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| W105 219 (1956–1959)W105 | 1956–1959 | Legendary | 2.2L I6 | 85 hp · 116 lb-ft | — | — | 1 trim → | Unclaimed |
| W180 220a and 220 S (1954–1959)W180 | 1954–1959 | Legendary | 2.2L I6 | 84 hp · 116 lb-ft | — | — | 4 trims → | Unclaimed |
See a Mercedes-Benz S-Class on the street, point Burbles at it, and that generation’s card goes in your binder with your own photo and serial number. Own one? Add it to your garage in the app.