The W116 Mercedes is no longer a common sight on the roads of Australia. Yet, at one time, it was quite prevalent. With a 450SEL costing more than 8 times an equivalent Holden it was a very expensive car. Despite that, it was a strong seller with little real competition. The closest competition was probably from Jaguar – but they were much cheaper, and the 70s was the nadir of Jaguar’s quality. Rolls Royce was in a league of its own, and BMW were really only competitive with small sports saloons.
The W116 was on sale during a tumultuous time […]