420

The 420 nameplate belonged to Mercedes-Benz’s W126-era S-Class and its related SEC coupé, introduced in the mid-1980s as part of the updated second phase of the series. It sat between the smaller six-cylinder versions and the larger 500/560 V8 models, giving buyers a more accessible V8 option without moving to the top of the range. In practice, the 420 was offered in sedan and coupé form, and in long-wheelbase markets it was also sold as a 420 SEL. The model became part of the defining late-W126 lineup that helped establish the W126 as one of Mercedes-Benz’s most recognized modern classics: formal, understated, and engineered for long-distance comfort rather than flash. The 420 is especially remembered by enthusiasts as one of the sweet-spot variants of the era, pairing the prestige of the S-Class with a more manageable footprint and a less extravagant image than the flagship V8s. Production ran through the end of the W126 generation, after which the nameplate disappeared until a different Mercedes model later used the 420 designation in the 1990s under a revised naming system.