Car Model History

First generation · W116 · 1972–1980

1976Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The first car officially badged 'S-Class' (Sonderklasse). A safety-focused flagship that introduced the 450 SEL 6.9 V8 and, in 1978, the world's first anti-lock braking system (ABS) as an option.

First generation · W116

1976 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) — sedan, front three-quarter view

Photo: “Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse (W116) 350 SE (1976) (52870541722)” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

The 1976 model year

Overview

The 1976 U.S. S-Class continued as 280 S, 450 SE, and 450 SEL. Mercedes-Benz records a November 1975-to-February 1976 change from Bosch D-Jetronic to K-Jetronic on injected W116 engines for tighter emissions standards, accompanied by output changes and maintenance-oriented breakerless ignition and hydraulic valve-clearance compensation on the V8s.

Specifications

Engines
  • 2.8-liter M110 carbureted inline-six
  • 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
Transmissions
4-speed automatic, 3-speed automatic
Body styles
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan, Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Year over year

What changed

  • The three-model U.S. roster carried over while injected engines moved from D-Jetronic to K-Jetronic during the documented change window.
  • The factory archive ties the fuel-system change to emissions compliance and records reduced output on the affected engines.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • Build date and injection system are material 1976 service boundaries; the year alone is not enough for fuel-system parts.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • Confirm the data plate, engine, wheelbase, and market specification before ordering parts; global W116 chronology and the U.S. model-year roster are not interchangeable.
  • Inspect the fuel, brake, cooling, suspension, and corrosion-prone structural areas as complete systems; age and prior restoration now matter more than a generic model reputation.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1976 S-Class on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1976 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
6
Scheduled topics
4
Applicability stated
6
Exact references
2

Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil and oil filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1976 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1976 passenger-car schedule to all models. Configuration-specific checklist boxes still govern individual operations; the entries below are only the all-model duties printed on the sheet.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · At every regular maintenance service.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1976 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — 12,500-mile regular service includes engine-oil change and oil-filter service · checked

  • Additional maintenance workView intervals, applicability and sources

    Additional maintenance work

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1976 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1976 passenger-car schedule to all models. Configuration-specific checklist boxes still govern individual operations; the entries below are only the all-model duties printed on the sheet.

    Published interval: 25,000 mi / 40,000 km · Additional work at the printed recurring mileage.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1976 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — additional maintenance work every 25,000 miles · checked

  • Brake fluidView intervals, applicability and sources

    Brake fluid

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1976 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1976 passenger-car schedule to all models. Configuration-specific checklist boxes still govern individual operations; the entries below are only the all-model duties printed on the sheet.

    Published interval: 12 months · Drain and renew once a year, preferably in spring; use only specified brake fluid.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1976 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — drain and renew brake fluid once a year · checked

  • Engine coolant / antifreezeView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine coolant / antifreeze

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1976 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1976 passenger-car schedule to all models. Configuration-specific checklist boxes still govern individual operations; the entries below are only the all-model duties printed on the sheet.

    Published interval: 36 months · Replace the coolant mixture every three years.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1976 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — replace coolant/antifreeze every three years · checked

  • Engine air filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine air filter

    Exact reference available

    The part reference below is catalog fitment only; retain the separately sourced factory service interval where one is shown.

    Applies to: 1976

    450 SE — 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1976 · 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8 · 450 SE · Exact 1976 450 SE engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SE V8 Gas — E-2872 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    450 SEL — 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1976 · 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8 · 450 SEL · Exact 1976 450 SEL engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL V8 Gas — E-2872 · checked

    Verified ordering references

  • Engine oil filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil filter

    Exact reference available

    Use the exact engine, VIN, and build date to confirm the catalogued service part before ordering.

    Applies to: 1976

    280 S — 2.8-liter M110 carbureted inline-six

    MANN-FILTER H 929 x

    Applies to: 1976 · 2.8-liter M110 carbureted inline-six · 280 S · Exact 1976 280 S engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: MANN-FILTER — H 929 x classic Mercedes-Benz application catalog · 280 S (W116) — oil filter H 929 x — manufacturer application covers 08/1972–07/1980 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Sources

  1. Mercedes-Benz Public Archive — 116-series S-Class model history and production chronology
  2. Mercedes-Benz Club of America — W116 U.S. product specifications and model-year boundaries

Other First generation years

Explore the W116 generation →All First generation · W116 years →

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1976 S-Class

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

3factory configurations
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified

We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory sedan, coupe, cabriolet, drivetrain, and powertrain roster represented by the cited exact-year or factory-archive evidence. Every version shown below has its own detail page.

Verified 2026-09-01 from Mercedes-Benz Club of America — W116 U.S. product specifications and model-year boundaries, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive — 116-series S-Class model history and production chronology.

3versions shown
Browse 3 documented records — use the filters above to narrow the list
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 280 S Automatic

Body
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
2.8-liter M110 carbureted inline-six
Gearbox
4-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 450 SE Automatic

Body
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
Gearbox
3-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
Gearbox
3-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

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