Over 35 years ago, Mercedes presented the S-Class of the W 126 series, the superlative saloon that was more aerodynamic, safer and more innovative than all the competition. Only the simple and unusual design initially caused some controversy, but the continuing success and over 800,000 units produced proved that Mercedes was right. This driving report portrays a Mercedes-Benz 500 SE of the first W-126 generation and describes its development and special features.