The Rarest factory S-Class AMG

[195910]

Hello everyone,

Did a bit of research on the production numbers, here are the TOP 5 in no particular order of the post-Merger factory S-calss AMG:

- V140 S70/S73 AMG : Sources claim 114 Units produced. No AMG specific VIN number nor AMG technical code. Ordered as S600.​

Ultimate V140, unfortunately M-B Did not provide good documentation. I have not seen any of these cars to confirm if the engine numbers matches the VIN. Unknown number of Post-Factory retrofit were produced (i.e AMG Japan).​

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- V140 S500/L 6.0 AMG: No AMG specific VIN number nor AMG technical code. Ordered as S500. Unfortunately M-B Did not provide good documentation. Unknown number of Post-Factory retrofit were produced (i.e AMG Japan). Even worse than the W124 E60 to verify as it was not present in the official M-B Price list.​

​

- V220 S63 AMG: Sources claim 70 Units produced. M 137 V12 6.3L (137.980). No AMG specific VIN (S600 VIN) but designation states "S63 AMG" and code 030 AMG Performance Package is present. M137 block is known for a major production issue, so it is unknown how many cars survived.​

​

- W220 S55 AMG Short wheel base: According to M-B Archives 469 Units produced of both NA Pre-Facelift and Compressor facelift. M-B used proper documentation so these cars can be easily confirmed. AMG Specific VIN (073,074). 5469 Units of the Long wheel base S55 were produced.​

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- V220 S65 AMG: According to M-B Archives 630 Units produced, only available as Long wheel base. Ultimate V220, but at 2220 kg its a very heavy performance car. M-B used proper documentation so these cars can be easily confirmed. AMG Specific VIN (179)​

Which one do you think I bought ? ;D hint: A performance daily driver

 

[8899]

My guess would be the W220 S55 short wheel base. ?

 

[weide1]

I think you bought the V220 S65 AMG. Since you specifically emphasize "performance".

Did you BTW see my DM posts here and on IG?

 

[duuder]

Please say the W220, I really like that one

 

[195910]

My guess would be the W220 S55 short wheel base. ?

@8899 Correct! The hint kind of gave it away.

 

[195910]

I think you bought the V220 S65 AMG. Since you specifically emphasize "performance".

Did you BTW see my DM posts here and on IG?

@weide1

Close, a few cylinders and 250KG less.

The VIN and AMG stamps also fits the topic. we need to understand the situation with the V140 AMG variants, and how to verify them.

 

[195910]

Please say the W220, I really like that one

Yes! I know a lot of people gave it bad rep. Its time to set the record straight, I am going to be discussing the car on our instagram acount

 

[gsxr]

Adding @Jlaa (W220 M112) and @a777fan (V220 M113K)...

 

[8899]

@8899 Correct! The hint kind of gave it away.

It did. But after owning a 2005 S55 (long wheel base) I can fully understand how it might fit. Sadly, no "sporty shortys' here in the US...

 

[195910]

The biggest surprise is WHERE the

It did. But after owning a 2005 S55 (long wheel base) I can fully understand how it might fit. Sadly, no "sporty shortys' here in the US...

I did not know the production numbers before seeing this car, it was the first Supercharged S55 SWB I have ever seen and did not know these were made.

A driver's car option list: Exclusive all leather interior with alcantara headliner, electric rear seats,no soft close, no Keyless go, no Distronic.
Everything is in order (except dynamic seats) and mileage is documented.

There is a second surprise... where the car was imported from. Hint: I finally saw a service book !!

 

[WDB748372]

Here's what I've gathered from EPC:

S55 NA SWB (220.073 and (220.075 + 113.986)) = 386 + 351 = 737
S55 NA LWB (220.173 and (220.175 + 113.986)) = 3,413 + 871 = 4,284
S63 LWB (220.178 + 030) = 60
S55K SWB (220.074) = 469 467
S55K LWB (220.174) = 5,469 5,464
S65 LWB (220.179) = 630

The S63 (M137 V12) webpage on that archive site shows the chassis being based on a 220.178 which is correct


But the S55 LWB is also based on the same chassis (220.178) which I think is in incorrect. The 220.178 chassis never had the M113 engine. This should be corrected by the website owner to 220.173 chassis. Additionally, similar to how the S55 SWB webpage states the chassis started off with 220.073 then switched to 220.075, the LWB webpage should also indicate this. So I accounted for those in the production figures provided above.

we need to understand the situation with the V140 AMG variants, and how to verify them.

I've looked at the V8/V12 models on the 140-chassis. No 957/990 option code to indicate anything AMG. Some datacards have notes but no way to find those production numbers at least by datacard information.

 

[weide1]

Yes. Correct information will always be an issue.
Just like these two engine numbers.

There is by the way a short wheel base W140 S70 AMG upcoming. Owner says E72 engine, car document shows M120 7.0 and 386 kW.
Maybe it's the hybrid version with 7.0 on VIN but 7.2 as engine stamp?
Anyway, it's a SWB. Which is pretty special.

 

[daantjie]

I'm sure @maw1124 has some input here as well

 

[maw1124]

@8899 Correct! The hint kind of gave it away.

I was a bit upset when the US didn't get the SWB 55K. At the time I bought, the Audi D3 S8 came in a SWB version. But 16 years later I've been happy with my LWB car.

Nice score!

As far as production numbers, I've only ever seen US figures, so this thread has already greatly exceeded my knowledge.

;-D

maw

 

[195910]

Here's what I've gathered from EPC:

S55 NA SWB (220.073 and (220.075 + 113.986)) = 386 + 351 = 737
S55 NA LWB (220.173 and (220.175 + 113.986)) = 3,413 + 871 = 4,284
S63 LWB (220.178 + 030) = 60
S55K SWB (220.074) = 469 467
S55K LWB (220.174) = 5,469 5,464
S65 LWB (220.179) = 630

The S63 (M137 V12) webpage on that archive site shows the chassis being based on a 220.178 which is correct
View attachment 222951

But the S55 LWB is also based on the same chassis (220.178) which I think is in incorrect. The 220.178 chassis never had the M113 engine. This should be corrected by the website owner to 220.173 chassis. Additionally, similar to how the S55 SWB webpage states the chassis started off with 220.073 then switched to 220.075, the LWB webpage should also indicate this. So I accounted for those in the production figures provided above.
View attachment 222952


I've looked at the V8/V12 models on the 140-chassis. No 957/990 option code to indicate anything AMG. Some datacards have notes but no way to find those production numbers at least by datacard information.

S55 AMG NA: I was looking for one for some time and had researched the VIN designation. Early production cars (Production year 1999) had the same VIN designation as the W220 S500 (075/175), then for the production year 2000 the S55 was assigned 073/173.

Facelift S55 AMG is 074/174

There are some differences in the number, but still confirm that the W220 S63L, W220 S55 and W220 S65L are the rarest of the W220s

 

[195910]

Yes. Correct information will always be an issue.
Just like these two engine numbers.

There is by the way a short wheel base W140 S70 AMG upcoming. Owner says E72 engine, car document shows M120 7.0 and 386 kW.
Maybe it's the hybrid version with 7.0 on VIN but 7.2 as engine stamp?
Anyway, it's a SWB. Which is pretty special.

This would be a factory S63 AMG.

 

[maw1124]

That W220 63 car was one I only found out from AMG 45 (FWIW)... an M137 car with the engine they put in a Pullman version first? Sound familiar? Back to their roots maybe?

Seemed an odd car to me but then again this is AMG -- funky was their middle name and "whatever the customer will pay" was their game. They subsequently (according to the book) put that same M137 in a W220 and called it an S63.

I'd owned my car a few years before I'd even heard of any of this. I think the W221 S63 was out before I knew there was ever a W220 63.

I gave a member here who recently purchased a .174 the US production numbers and he totaled less than 2500 220.174 cars for US production. It didn't strike me until I compared it with 124.036 production. And then it made sense that I almost never see any. I've only personally known one other owner in 16 years, and 4 owners virtually (3 from this site).

I like to say, it's a car for a guy who wants to drive his SClass the way he drives his 500E.

maw

 

[maw1124]

It did. But after owning a 2005 S55 (long wheel base) I can fully understand how it might fit. Sadly, no "sporty shortys' here in the US...

I was just going to ask, did the N/A S55 ever make it to the US in a SWB? My first exposure to the car was a LWB N/A car back in '01 / '02. I was in a trance the way that car moved around town, with me following it in a Audi D2 S8 which was quite nimble in its own right.

maw

 

[195910]

A note about the weight:

The W211 E55 AMG was 1835KG in base options (e.g no sun roof, dynamic seats, servo trunk lid, etc..). Adding the Panoramic roof was a 35-40KG additional weight to a car WITH sunroof, an option that most of these cars were ordered with. So the typical E55 weighs at least 1880-1900KG. The CLS55 was heavier than the E55 although it was not available with panoramic roof, the base model weight was 1920KG [M-B Archives] .

Both cars had SBC and Airmatic DC as standard. One issue with W211/C219 is the small heat exchanger, the CL55/CL65/S55/S65 had a full size heat exchanger in front of the engine cooling fan similar to the later 63 Biturbo cars, as well as an additional smaller radiator with its own cooling fan.

The S55 SWB is 1985KG. I don't know why, but the CL55 is 1995KG !

 

[weide1]

Two Pullman 6.3. One 137.970, the other 137.980.
Both however without code 030 AMG Performance Package.

I suppose 137.970 is retrofit, 137.980 factory.