Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220)

The Mercedes-Benz W220 is a range of flagship sedans marketed and manufactured by Mercedes-Benz as the fourth generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class for model years 1998-2005. Replacing the W140 S-Class after model year 1998, the W220 offered long and short wheelbase versions, performance and luxury options, available four-wheel drive, and a range of diesel as well as gas/petrol V6, V8, and V12 engines. Compared to its predecessor, the W220 featured somewhat smaller exterior dimensions combined with greater interior volume, particularly in the long-wheelbase versions, and slightly less cargo volume.

Development began in 1992, with the final design, under the direction of Steve Mattin, approved in June 1995 and frozen in March 1996. The completed prototypes were presented in June 1998.

W220 pre-production (prototype) began in April 1997, with regular/standard production following in September 1998 (for the 1999 model year), and C215 coupé production in 1999. Production of the 220-series totalled 484,683 units, slightly more than the production totals from the W140.

Production ended in late 2005, when the W220 was replaced by the W221 S-Class and the C215 was replaced in 2006 by the C216 CL-Class.

Styling

thumb|left|Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination at the [[Mercedes-Benz Museum]]

Steve Mattin's design was the first sketch drawn in October 1992 and developed into 1:1 scale by late 1994. In June 1995, the Daimler-Benz AG board of management approved Mattin's final design at 38 months before production. By March 1996, W220 program engineers completed the design freeze, 29 months before production start in August 1998. The W220 exterior design (especially headlights) was previewed by the Mercedes-Benz F200 concept in late 1996. Being a Mercedes flagship vehicle worldwide, the S-Class largely popularized the theme.

A facelifted version of the S-Class was designed in late 2000 and introduced in September 2002, offering a more refined front-end with a larger, more upright grille, transparent headlamp housings with sealed-beam projectors, and revised taillights. Much of the rest of the exterior remained largely unchanged from first phase W220 models.

Inside, the update addressed several of the issues in the COMAND system and other interior features. Exterior updates included a more upright grille angle, new transparent housing for the headlamps (replacing the earlier translucent versions), and restyled lower air intakes on the front bumper.

The S 600 series has a "V12" badge affixed to either side of the car, just forward of the front doors and back from the wheel wells.

Models

{| class=wikitable

!Chassis code

!Years

!Model

!Engine

!Fuel consumption

| W220.063||1998–2005||S 280|| 2.8L V6 M112 E28||

| W220.163||1998–2005||S 280 L|| 2.8L V6 M112 E28||

| W220.065||1998–2005|| S 320 || 3.2L V6 M112 E32||

| W220.165||1998–2005|| S 320 L || 3.2L V6 M112 E32||

| W220.067||2003–2005|| S 350 || 3.7L V6 M112 E37||

| W220.087||2003–2005|| S 350 4Matic || 3.7L V6 M112 E37||

| W220.167||2003–2005|| S 350 L || 3.7L V6 M112 E37||

| W220.187||2003–2005|| S 350 L 4Matic || 3.7L V6 M112 E37||

| W220.070||1998–2005|| S 430 || 4.3L V8 M113 E43||

| W220.083||2002–2005|| S 430 4Matic || 4.3L V8 M113 E43||

| W220.170||1998–2005|| S 430 L || 4.3L V8 M113 E43||

| W220.183||2002–2005|| S 430 L 4Matic || 4.3L V8 M113 E43||

| W220.075||1998–2005|| S 500 || 5.0L V8 M113 E50||

| W220.084||2002–2005|| S 500 4Matic || 5.0L V8 M113 E50||

| W220.175||1998–2005|| S 500 L || 5.0L V8 M113 E50||

| W220.184||2002–2005|| S 500 L 4Matic || 5.0L V8 M113 E50||

| W220.178||1998–2002|| S 600 L || 5.8L V12 M137||

| W220.176||2003–2005|| S 600 L || 5.5L twin-turbocharged V12 M275||

| W220.073||2000–2001|| S 55 AMG || 5.4L V8 M113 E55||

| W220.173||2000–2001|| S 55 L AMG || 5.4L V8 M113 E55||

| W220.074||2002–2005|| S 55 AMG || 5.4L supercharged V8 M113 ML55||

| W220.174||2002–2005|| S 55 L AMG || 5.4L supercharged V8 M113 ML55||

| W220.179||2005–2005|| S 65 AMG || 6.0L twin-turbocharged V12 M275 AMG||

| W220.026||2000–2002||S 320 CDI||3.2L Common rail turbo diesel I6 OM613||

| W220.126||2000–2002|| S 320 L CDI||3.2L Common rail turbo diesel I6 OM613||

| W220.025||2003–2005||S 320 CDI||3.2L Common rail turbo diesel I6 OM648||

| W220.125||2003–2005||S 320 L CDI||3.2L Common rail turbo diesel I6 OM648||

| W220.028 ||2000–2005||S 400 CDI||4.0L Common rail turbo diesel V8 OM628||

| W220.128 ||2000–2005||S 400 L CDI||4.0L Common rail turbo diesel V8 OM628||

European Sales (for all versions of S-Class):

{| class="wikitable"

! Year

|1999

|2000

|2001

|2002

|2003

|2004

|2005

|2006

! Total

! Units sold

|33,667

|31,395

|30,609

|21,331

|18,469

|13,795

|12,609

|24,858

! 186,733

North American models

Approximate selection of US models. In the US, model years for the W220 were 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 (only some versions). Not all versions were available in all model years.

S 350 (in the US this was available in 2006 only; had 3.7L V6 and 5-speed Automatic transmission)
S 430
S 500
S 600 (naturally-aspirated or twin-turbo V12)
S 55 AMG (naturally-aspirated or supercharged V8)
S 65 AMG ( twin-turbo V12)

Some models had options for Sport package, Designo, and/or 4Matic.

The W220 S-Class was introduced to the US, its second largest market for the S-Class, in 1999 for model year 2000, replacing the W140. In 1999, Mercedes-Benz sold 189,437 and hoped to exceed that the next year.

Early reviews noted the cost options. One automotive magazine spent several thousands on options for their review of the 2001 S-Class, increasing from the bas price from the mid US$70,000s to the $90,000s after delivery and taxes.

Other US models available at this time were the S430, S500, S55 (AMG model), and S600 (the V12). A four-wheel drive system became an option for 2003 for the S430 and S500 along with mid-life upgrades that targeted a range of interior and exterior features. In the last U.S. W220 model year a V-6 was offered as the S350. The V-12 had a displacement of 6 liters, in a single overhead cam, 36-valve configuration, and was paired with two turbochargers. The S 65 had four oval tail-pipes and AMG alloy wheels. The AMG developed media system could connect to the World Wide Web using HSCSD or GPRS at up to 43 kilobits per second.

The S-Class Pullman was offered as the S 500 (V8) or S 600 (V12) and was jointly developed by Mercedes and AMG. The Pullman is longer than the regular S-Class, providing of space in the rear seat area. This also additional seating for up to seven-passengers, with two rear facing seats in between the front and back seats. In six-seat configuration the rear bench seat capable of three is replaced by two independent chairs. In addition to the AMG multi-media system, there is also a bar supporting the consumption of cooled beverages, small tables, and a barrier to the front of the vehicle that. Along with this barrier is an intercom from the rear seat to the driver area to support communication within the vehicle. Mechanically, the roof, exhaust, side-panels and chassis featured changes to support the additional length. A special feature for people working on the car, is that the side panels can be easily removed like doors. The early model had a naturally aspirated version of the engine with , and starting in 2003, it switched to a supercharged version with and of torque.

Active Body Control (ABC)
Automatic Level Control
Sport Mode
18-inch AMG alloy wheels with performance tires
AMG body kit including a new AMG front spoiler and rocker panels
6-disk capacity CD player mounted in trunk
Ventilated seats with automatic massage
Bigger brakes

S 600

The S 600 was the main 12-cylinder engine model of the W220. The increased output of the engine enabled this W220 to keep up with a Ferrari 575M Maranello according to one automotive magazine of the era. The 2003 S 600 could accelerate from 0- in 4.3 seconds and in 9.7 seconds. It was 1/10 second faster than the Ferrari in a quarter mile test, with the S 600 achieving in 12.5 seconds at . It could stop from in 164 feet with the OEM tires in that same testing. The 2003 model was fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport tires with a Y rating. In the US, the 2001 S 600 had a 5.8 liter V-12 making at 5500 rpm and up to of torque at 4100 rpm. The 2003 model update had a 5.5 liter V-12 with twin turbochargers, producing and of torque.

Features included on the S 600 (US-spec):

S 65 AMG

The S 65 is an AMG version of the S 600, with a twin-turbocharged V12 producing . The S 65 still used the 5G-Tronic 5-speed torque converter automatic transmission due to its powerful engine, as it could make over of torque. Pushing close to , the S 65 may not have been sporty compared to lighter sport vehicles of the day, but it pushed the performance limits of a full-sized luxury sedan. One reviewer noted that it excelled at being a gran turismo (grand tourer) and averaged about 17 miles per gallon despite its size and equally large power plant.

A popular aftermarket tuning kit was an ECU upgrade from Renntech since increasing engine output required no mechanical upgrades to the car. Airmatic allows a W220 to be lowered or raised by about 2 cm, for example, it lowers at high speeds for a lower center of gravity. The ABC system on the 1998-2005 S-Class used hydropneumatic suspension struts.

ABC was standard on the S 55 AMG (supercharged) and S 600 (biturbo), while being an optional upgrade on other S-Class models.

Features

thumb|right|Interview showing the COMAND interface and screen (pre facelifted Interior)

As with each new S-Class, the W220 was technologically advanced at the time of its launch, bringing in new innovations such as Airmatic air suspension, Active Ventilated Seats (which used miniature fans in the seats to move air through perforations), keyless entry and ignition, Distronic: the first worldwide radar-assisted Autonomous cruise control system, and a cylinder deactivation system called Active Cylinder Control for the S 500 and S 600 models, which improves fuel consumption and reduces emissions. All were pioneering innovations at the time of the W220's conception. There are standard features to all models, standard features to certain models, and finally optional features. Sometimes what is standard changes on a model year or country of sale.

4Matic all wheel drive was introduced to the North American S-Class for 2003, for the S 430 and S 500 as a US$2180 option. This full-time system splits engine power 40/60 front/rear, with electronic traction control adjusting that mix to the wheels (or wheel) with the best traction in slippery conditions.

It was the first Mercedes with curtain airbags (previewed by the F200 concept in 1996).

Safety

Despite a wide range of safety technology, and being marketed for its safety, one Canadian website said W220 S-Class had not actually been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or Euro NCAP, or at least the information was not available. However, another website says that the W220 passed the legally prescribed EU front and side impact tests. Increased attention to side impacts was noted, and the car included a window air bag that inflates between the A and C pillars.

Passive safety features include various frames and bulkheads made out of aluminum and/or high-strength steel. Also the front and rear ends include aluminum crash boxes can be replaced as separate units to reduce the cost of repairs. Despite its price German insurance companies put it in the lower bracket because it was easier to repair.

LED brake lights were also standard issue on the W220. LED brake lights illuminate faster than conventional bulbs.

Comfort and convenience

Features varied depending on locality (e.g. North American version) and what options were equipped

Distronic cruise control, which could maintain a set distance between the S-Class and any vehicle in front.
Speedtronic adjustable speed limiter for not exceeding a set speed on roads with speed limits.
Optional Keyless Go, The system listens to the person's voice and records frequencies which are then analyzed by a computer and its software. The system looks for patterns called phonemes to understand what the person is saying, a process which it computes in milliseconds. In 2000, it could control the car phone, the radio, and the CD player (if installed) but in 2002 the navigation system was also added to its domain. This means there is microphone (located in the W220 S-Class) that can listen to the person; one of the issues is hearing the person over background noises and echos. The Linguatronic system used digital pre-processing to support this task. The features is run from hardware in a separate box in the back of the car.

The "Timeport" phone with a voice control system was offered as an option on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In 2000, Mercedes and telecommunications and electronics company Motorola announced they would offer the Timeport cell phone system on all models in the year 2001. The Timeport cell-phone was a jointly developed and became available on all of Mercedes 2001 models (including the 2001 W220 S-Class) The Timeport phone was integrated with S-Class systems, major features included Voice-control and automatic mutein of the radio when accepting an incoming call (or tape or CD player). Another feature was that the directory of numbers in the phone could be downloaded to the car, and shown on the in-car display. Even though the phone was integrated as a system with car, it was portable handset that could be removed from the car. The cell-phone had an electro-luminescent Organic display with multiple colors available. (see also OLED) Another set of phones that the S-Class used were the Nokia 6150, Nokia 6210, Nokia 6310, and Nokia 6310i. These phones worked with S-Class equipped with D2B data communication system (another later system was the UHI).

The S 430, the only United States market S-Class available with both a short wheelbase ('03-'06) as well as a long wheelbase, was that region's most popular model and powered by a 4.3L V8 that avoided the federal government's Gas Guzzler Tax of $1000. The S 500 was powered by a 5.0L V8.

The S 55 AMG (2001–2002) was outfitted with a 5.4L V8 motor while the later versions (2003–2006) sported the same motor, but supercharged to a rated . The S 600 (2001–02) was outfitted with a 5.8L V12 engine while the later versions (2003–06) sported a twin-turbocharged (or Bi-Turbo) 5.5L V12. Both S 55 AMG and S 600 have same engine output but target different clientele: the former more sporty and responsive while the latter more luxurious with a smoother ride.

S 65 AMG was introduced in 2005 with new enlarged 6-litre V12 engine developed specifically for Maybach 57S and 62S (as to amortise the cost of engine development). The twin turbocharged 6-litre V12 had output of and of torque. S 65 AMG became the most powerful S-Class ever built with incremental power increase for W222 S 65 AMG in 2017. Additionally, S 65 AMG was world's most powerful five-passenger four-door sedan until Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat with was introduced in 2014.

The S 320 CDI was initially fitted with a || engine, which was upgraded in late 2002 to a || one. The S 400 CDI had at first, but got in 2003. The type designation S 400 CDI was changed in the W221 generation to S 420.

W220 was the first generation of S-Class, where automatic transmissions were standard on all models. At first, all cars had 5-speed 5G-Tronic transmission; however, since 2003 (2004 in the United States), S 430 and S 500 were instead offered with the new 7-speed 7G-Tronic transmission.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"

! Model || Engine || Cyl. || Power || Torque

| S 280 (1998–2005) || 2.8 18V M112 || V6 || ||

| S 320 (1998–2002) || 3.2 18V M112 || V6 || ||

| S 350 (2002–2005) || 3.7 18V M112 || V6 || ||

| S 430 (1998–2005) || 4.3 24V M113 || V8 || ||

| S 500 (1998–2005) || 5.0 24V M113 || V8 || ||

| S 600 (2000–2002) || 5.8 36V M137 || V12 || ||

| S 600 (2003–2005) || 5.5 36V Bi-Turbo M275 || V12 || ||

| S 55 AMG (1999–2002) || 5.4 24V M113 || V8 || ||

| S 55 AMG (2003–2006) || 5.4 24V SC M113 || V8 || ||

| S 63 AMG (2001) || 6.3 36V M137 || V12 || ||

| S 65 AMG (2005–2006) || 6.0 36V Bi-Turbo M275 || V12 || ||

| S 320 CDI (2000–2002) || 3.2 24V CDI OM613 || I6 || ||

| S 320 CDI (2002–2005) || 3.2 24V CDI OM648 || I6 || ||

| S 400 CDI (2000–2003) || 4.0 32V CDI OM628 || V8 || ||

| S 400 CDI (2003–2005) || 4.0 32V CDI OM628 || V8 || ||

Transmission

All model years used a 5-speed 5G-Tronic automatic transmission until the 7-speed 7G-Tronic automatic came out. In the U.S. market, the 7 speed was the standard transmission on RWD S 430 and S 500 models from 2004, and 4MATIC models kept the 5-speed. V12 models continued using the 5-speed as the 7-speed could not handle the amount of torque from the V12. The transmission had W and S modes that could be selected. The improved environmental efficiency of the W220 manufacture process was judged approvingly.

Edmunds gave the S-Class a 5 out of 5 reliability rating and MSN Autos assign an expert rating of 9.0 out of 10. By March 2011, Consumer Reports had changed its reliability ratings for the 2001 and 2002 S-Class as having improved to "average". Build quality was generally considered to be good. For instance, Forbes described the W220 S 500 as "built remarkably well." Early W220s were recalled for issues with the trunk spring and the hydraulic fuel line; there were no recalls for the 2005 or 2006 model years.

Recalls

In 2006, nearly 24,000 (95%) S-Class sold in China between late 1998 and early 2005 were recalled due to a fuel tank defect. The recall was limited to the S-Class cars sold in China; S-Class models sold elsewhere were unaffected.

In 2006, a recall was initiated due to illumination failures in the instrument cluster of some W220s.

Examples of recalls in Australia include:

2000, a recall for the heater blower overheating issue
2004, for the V12 with ABC hydraulic line
2004, for a Blower fuse overheating in certain hot conditions
2007, an ABC hydraulic line could leak near hot engine components

Some other issues were noted with sensors or other components being potentially being damaged by water and/or heat. The model is also called the V220 (as opposed to W220). When it overflows it can short out wiring in the car.

This issue was the subject of a Class-action lawsuit in the U.S. State of California.