450 SEL 6.9

STORY

For half a century the S-Class has been Mercedes-Benz's technological flagship, the car in which the brand debuts tomorrow's features and, by long-standing reputation, "the best car in the world." The nameplate was formalised with the W116 of 1972, which in 1978 became the first production car offered with anti-lock brakes.

Each generation raised the bar. The W126 introduced the driver's airbag in 1981 and the passenger airbag in 1985; the famously over-engineered W140 of 1991 brought double-glazed windows, later the ESP stability program, and voice control. Safety systems, comfort features and driver assistance that begin in the S-Class trickle down across the whole industry.

Statesmen, executives and chauffeurs have made it the default luxury saloon of the world. Whatever Mercedes believes a car can be, it shows first in the S-Class.