1972-1980 Mercedes-Benz S-Class SE (W116)
Published generation page sourced from the serving MVs, with deterministic market prose, price history, and linked auction rows built from the live entity context.
242 sold at auction, median $19,125. 452 total results tracked from 12 auction houses.
Pulled from the latest linked sale that includes a thumbnail on the serving surface.
Market Narrative
Data-backed overview
The 1972-1980 Mercedes-Benz S-Class SE (W116) has appeared at auction 452 times across multiple auction houses. Of those, 242 sold at a median hammer price of $19,125.
You can expect to pay between $8,925 and $38,375 for a typical example, though outliers have sold as low as $9 and as high as $425,000.
Recent market activity includes 11 sales in the last year from 15 auction appearances.
Auction volume has softened, with 11 sales in the past 12 months versus 59 previously.
20% of auction appearances did not result in a sale (reserve not met, withdrawn, or no bids). This is typical for the collector market.
The SE (W116) was produced in 6 variants, offering buyers a range of specifications and price points.
This is one of the most actively traded collector cars, with deep auction data and reliable pricing signals.
Data sourced from Bring a Trailer, Bonhams, and Car & Classic, plus 9 other auction houses. Last updated March 28, 2026.
Total Results
452
Sold Count
242
Unsold Count
91
Median Price
$19,125
P25
$8,925
P75
$38,375
Low Sale
$9
High Sale
$425,000
Price History
Recent Sales
Last 20 auction results
Variant Surface
Tracked variants
| Variant | Slug |
|---|---|
| 280 S (160 Hp) | 280-s-160-hp-13132 |
| 280 SEL (185 Hp) Automatic | 280-sel-185-hp-automatic-42880 |
| 350 SEL V8 (200 Hp) | 350-sel-v8-200-hp-42874 |
| 350 SEL V8 (205 Hp) Automatic | 350-sel-v8-205-hp-automatic-42872 |
| 450 SEL 6.9 (286 Hp) Automatic | 450-sel-69-286-hp-automatic-13140 |
| 450 SEL V8 (225 Hp) Automatic | 450-sel-v8-225-hp-automatic-42879 |
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Generation FAQ
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