The Mercedes-Benz W126 remained in production from 1979 to 1991. During its production, several generations of competitors changed, new players emerged, but the S-Class of the 1980s also evolved. How did this car look compared to its competitors? Was it the best? How were cars from BMW, Audi, Bentley, or Lexus evaluated in comparative tests? Let's browse through old magazines and delve into the episodes of automotive history from the 1980s and 1990s.

00:00 • 1979
00:33 • Mercedes-Benz W126 — the beginning of the story
02:10 • 280 S vs. 280 SE — six cylinders for W126
06:21 • BMW e23 vs. W126: 728i, 732i, 735i, 745i, 280S, 280SE, 380SE, 500SE
23:40 • W126 500SE vs. Daimler Double Six Vanden Plus and BMW 745i e23
34:21 • W126 280SE vs. Audi 200 and BMW 732i
42:41 • W126 320SE vs. BMW 735i e32 and Jaguar XJ6
50:38 • Royal Battle: Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL vs. BMW 750iL e32
55:52 • Bentley Turbo R vs. Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL — what is luxury?
58:19 • Lexus LS400 vs. W126, BMW e32, and Audi V8
1:05:19 • W126 vs. W221: the 21st century versus the past