W126 is the bodycode given to the Mercedes-Benz S-class series, produced from 1979 until 1991. W126 sales were halted in 1992 for the US market. Mercedes-Benz South Africa continued producing them for some years, stopping in 1994.
The car was introduced at the IAA in Frankfurt on september 1979. Most people did not appreciate the design right away. It's appearance differed too much from the rest of the Mercedes fleet at that time. The objective of the design team, lead by Bruno Sacco, was to produce a car that was sleeker, lighter and faster as opposed to the old W116 S-class it was meant to replace. Now, over 20 years after it's first introduction, it is clear they succeeded in designing and building a true classic.
The W126 remained in production for over a decade and it's design still wasn't oldfashioned when production was halted in the early nineties.
The decision to give the W126 a more low-profile look than it's predecessor had been based on the fact that in the late seventies owning a big luxury car was considered self-indulgent and anti-social. The foreseen fuel shortages and rising fuel prices forced Mercedes-Benz to rethink their big-engine strategies and the 'Energy Program' was introduced. Although engine sizes were actually enlarged (the 3.5 liter engine became a 3.8 and the 4.5 became the 5.0) MB argued that the engine sizes were actually decreased because the 5.0 liter engine could replace the 6.9 engine and the 3.8 could replace the 4.5
