The Mercedes-Benz S-Class generation produced from 1991 to 1998 was the W140.
The W140 replaced the W126 and debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1991, with sales beginning that spring. It was built as a large luxury sedan in standard and long-wheelbase forms, alongside related coupe versions. Mercedes-Benz’s internal chassis code W140 is therefore the standard answer for the S-Class generation identified by those production years.
The W140 became known for its substantial dimensions, double-pane glazing, self-closing doors and trunk, and advanced comfort equipment. Its engine range included inline-six, V8 and V12 petrol units, as well as diesel versions in selected markets. The range was renamed during Mercedes-Benz’s 1993 nomenclature rationalization, when badges such as 500 SE and 500 SEL became S 500.
The W140 sedan was succeeded by the W220 in 1998. That nearby sequence causes frequent confusion: W126 came immediately before it, W220 followed it, and W221 was a much later S-Class generation introduced in the 2000s.