Car Model History

First generation · W116 · 1972–1980

1978Mercedes-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

1978 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) — sedan, front three-quarter view

Photo: “Mercedes-Benz 1978 Bulldogtreffen 2012” by Gwafton / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped to 16:9.

The 1978 model year

Overview

The 1978 U.S. roster retained the 280 SE, 450 SEL, and 450 SEL 6.9. Mercedes-Benz restored much of the injected engines' earlier performance from April 1978 and launched the 300 SD turbodiesel in May; the North American diesel and Bosch-developed anti-lock braking system belong to the late-1978 chronology but appear in the site's U.S. model-year roster from 1979.

Specifications

Engines
  • 2.8-liter M110 fuel-injected inline-six
  • 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8
  • 6.9-liter M100 fuel-injected V8 (250 hp U.S.)
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

  • Injected W116 engines regained their earlier performance level through compression or emissions-system revisions documented from April 1978.
  • The 300 SD and production-car anti-lock braking milestones arrived during calendar 1978 without being backfilled into this exact U.S. model-year roster.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • Mercedes-Benz describes the W116 anti-lock system's autumn 1978 market introduction as a world-exclusive production-car milestone.

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 1978 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 1978 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: 1978 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1978 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 — 1978 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: 1978 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1978 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: 37,500 mi / 60,000 km · Additional work at the printed recurring mileage.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1978 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — additional maintenance work every 37,500 miles · checked

  • Brake fluidView intervals, applicability and sources

    Brake fluid

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1978 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 — 1978 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: 1978 · United States · The factory sheet applies its 1978 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: 24 months · Replace the coolant mixture every other year.

    Source: Mercedes-Benz of North America — 1978 passenger-car maintenance sheet · page 1 — replace coolant/antifreeze every other year · 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: 1978

    450 SEL — 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1978 · 4.5-liter M117 fuel-injected V8 · 450 SEL · Exact 1978 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) · 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL V8 Gas — E-2872 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    450 SEL 6.9 — 6.9-liter M100 fuel-injected V8 (250 hp U.S.)

    K&N E-2872

    Applies to: 1978 · 6.9-liter M100 fuel-injected V8 (250 hp U.S.) · 450 SEL 6.9 · Exact 1978 450 SEL 6.9 engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 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: 1978

    280 SE — 2.8-liter M110 fuel-injected inline-six

    MANN-FILTER H 929 x

    Applies to: 1978 · 2.8-liter M110 fuel-injected inline-six · 280 SE · Exact 1978 280 SE engine application. Confirm VIN and build date before ordering.

    Source: MANN-FILTER — H 929 x classic Mercedes-Benz application catalog · 280 SE (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 1978 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 SE Automatic

Body
Four-door rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
2.8-liter M110 fuel-injected inline-six
Gearbox
4-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
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 Automatic

Body
Four-door long-wheelbase rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
Engine
6.9-liter M100 fuel-injected V8 (250 hp U.S.)
Gearbox
3-speed automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

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