Photo: Daimler AG
The Sonderklasse is one of the most recognizable nameplates in the automotive industry, the golden standard for full-size luxury sedans. Some claim the lineage started in 1954 with the W180 Ponton series, but the S-Class as we know it premiered in ‘72 with the W116.
Outgoing models are called W222 for the sedan, C217 for the coupe, and A217 for the convertible. Long-wheelbase variants bear the codename V222, and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is identified as X222 according to the three-pointed star nomenclature. With so many options to choose from, does it come as a surprise that more than 500,000 examples of the breed have been made at the Sindelfingen production plant since 2013?
“Our Mercedes-Benz S-Class sets global standards - and this is also reflected in its production,” said Jorg Burzer, member of the board in charge of production and supply chain management. “State-of-the-art Industry 4.0 solutions ensure flexible, efficient processes and support our people in their daily work,” he concluded, and that kind of digitalization is of utmost necessity for next-generation Mercedes models such as the EQS e-sedan.
Man, machine, and industrial processes are networked to build cars more rapidly while keeping manufacturing costs competitive. The digital revolution at Sindelfingen is also necessary because flexibility is a top priority on the assembly line, more so if you remember how many parts go into the production of the S-Class. The W223 premiering next year, for example, is far more complex inside and out than the current-gen W222.
During a pilot trial in 2017, an S-Class drove off the assembly line all by itself thanks to the Industry 4.0 solutions implemented by the three-pointed star. In other words, you wouldn’t be wrong to view Sindelfingen as the S-Class of Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facilities.
In the press release regarding the Sonderklasse’s production milestone, the Stuttgart-based automaker regards the 220 model from 1951 (a.k.a. the W187) as the spiritual predecessor of the S-Class. Including the 220, Mercedes-Benz says that “around four million S-Class saloon models have been delivered to customers worldwide.” And on that bombshell, China is the largest market for the S-Class because every third example is sold in the Middle Kingdom.
“Our Mercedes-Benz S-Class sets global standards - and this is also reflected in its production,” said Jorg Burzer, member of the board in charge of production and supply chain management. “State-of-the-art Industry 4.0 solutions ensure flexible, efficient processes and support our people in their daily work,” he concluded, and that kind of digitalization is of utmost necessity for next-generation Mercedes models such as the EQS e-sedan.
Man, machine, and industrial processes are networked to build cars more rapidly while keeping manufacturing costs competitive. The digital revolution at Sindelfingen is also necessary because flexibility is a top priority on the assembly line, more so if you remember how many parts go into the production of the S-Class. The W223 premiering next year, for example, is far more complex inside and out than the current-gen W222.
During a pilot trial in 2017, an S-Class drove off the assembly line all by itself thanks to the Industry 4.0 solutions implemented by the three-pointed star. In other words, you wouldn’t be wrong to view Sindelfingen as the S-Class of Mercedes-Benz manufacturing facilities.
In the press release regarding the Sonderklasse’s production milestone, the Stuttgart-based automaker regards the 220 model from 1951 (a.k.a. the W187) as the spiritual predecessor of the S-Class. Including the 220, Mercedes-Benz says that “around four million S-Class saloon models have been delivered to customers worldwide.” And on that bombshell, China is the largest market for the S-Class because every third example is sold in the Middle Kingdom.
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