The W116 series, produced from 1972 through 1979, was the first Mercedes-Benz model to be officially designated the S-Class. The W116 S-Class featured a four-wheel independent suspension and disk brakes. The 280, 350, and 450 (4.5L version) models featured SE and SEL versions. Production of the W116 totaled 473,035 units.

The W116 models were large luxury sedans. The W116 was larger on the outside than the W108/W109 series it replaced, but had similar interior capacity, as the additional bulk was driven by new theories on car safety and occupant protection in a crash. It was one of the first cars to be available with ABS, a driver’s airbag supplemental restraint system, or a turbo diesel engine.

The 450SE, then the most powerful model in the W116 lineup, was awarded European Car of the Year in 1974. Starting in 1975, the W116 was upgraded with a new fuel injection system in order to comply with revised exhaust emission standards in European markets. A slight power reduction was a result of this update, but in 1978, a series of further engine upgrades restored original performance levels under the new fuel injection systems.