page_title: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
section_title: Fourth generation W220 (1999–2005)
hierarchical_section_title: Mercedes-Benz S-Class / Fourth generation W220 (1999–2005)
caption_attribution_description: Mercedes S600 W220 rear
context_page_description: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as Sonderklasse, is a series of full-size luxury sedans, limousines and armored sedans produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a division of German company Daimler AG. The S-Class is the designation for top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz models and was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116, and has remained in use ever since. The S-Class is the flagship vehicle for Mercedes-Benz.
  The S-Class has debuted many of the company's latest innovations, including drivetrain technologies, interior features, and safety systems. The S-Class has ranked as the world's best-selling luxury sedan, and its next generation, the W223 S-Class, will premiere in 2020. As in previous iterations, the W223 S-Class will be avaliable in standard and long-wheelbase versions; I4, I6, V6, V8, V12, diesel and hybrid powertrains will be offered, along with an electric version, called the EQS. All models sold in North America are available in long wheelbase only.
  In automotive terms, Sonderklasse refers to "a specially outfitted car."
context_section_description: In July 1998, the W220 was presented. The W220 S-Class was restyled due to an update on previous models or new cars released compared to its W140 predecessor. Unlike its predecessor, the W220 was not the first model to feature the company's new design theme for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz. This honour was given to the W168 A-Class when it launched in 1997. The new S-Class incorporated the new styling cues first introduced on the Mk I A-Class the year before (for example, the dashboard carried over the new styling details first seen in the A-Class), with a renewed focus on elegance and style in a more rounded shape compared to the preceding W140. Despite being smaller, the W220 S-Class offered more interior space than the W140. Production of the W220 S-Class totaled 485,000 units, slightly more than the production totals from the W140. The W220 was produced in a sedan version only.
  As with each new S-Class, the W220 brought in innovations such as Airmatic air suspension and Active Ventilated Seats (which used miniature fans in the seats to move air through perforations). A navigation system with center console-mounted screen display was introduced, along with the COMAND input control system. Other options included keyless entry and ignition, a radar-controlled Distronic cruise control system and a cylinder shut-off system called Active Cylinder Control. The 4MATIC all-wheel drive system was introduced to the North America market S-Class for 2003, complementing the traditional rear-wheel drive configurations. In 2003, Mercedes launched the S63 AMG, the first ever performance model of the S-Class. It featured a 6.5 litre V8 engine through a 7-speed brand new gearbox, it made 450 hp, and was brilliant to drive.
  While Consumer Reports classified the W220 model's reliability as "poor," its lowest rating, and declared it one of the "least reliable luxury cars," 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 S500 as "built remarkably well." Early W220s in 1999 were recalled for issues with the trunk spring and the hydraulic fuel line; there were no recalls for the 2005 or 2006 model years.
  In 2002, Mercedes-Benz introduced the world's first preemptive safety system on the W220 with its first iteration of Pre-Safe. The W220 S-Class received an exterior refresh with updates to the front fascia. The grille angle was adjusted to a slightly more upright position, and the xenon-discharge headlamps were given a new transparent housing, replacing the earlier opaque versions. The front bumper's lower air intakes were also restyled. In 2005, the S-Class was the first vehicle to receive a TÜV Institute environmental certificate from the German Commission on Technical Compliance for environmentally friendly components.
caption: Mercedes-Benz S 600 long wheelbase (Europe)
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