1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SE (W116) |

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1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SE (W116)

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£9,008

Mileage~93,209
TransmissionAutomatic
Engine4.5L
LocationWeybridge

SOLD

1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SE (W116)

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Darren Rungasamy

Photographer and Editor

The Mercedes' grace, poise and power have never faded; its talent reflects its status as the best saloon car of its era.

The S-Class has long been held in high esteem as the halo model of Mercedes Benz's prestige flagship saloon. A legacy that stands over ~70 years, the W116 models were the first to be officially named the S-Class. When released in 1972, the S-Class featured design cues, engines and mechanical features that were to influence the whole Mercedes range throughout the 1970s, incorporating advanced safety, comfort and ergonomic features that helped the S-Class win the prestigious 1974 European Car of the Year award. Offered with 5 different engines, towards the top of the pecking order was the 450 SE with the fuel-injected 4.5 litre V8 M117 engine. Furnished with a plush velour interior, the 450 SE also became noted for its exceptional road holding. The fact that the 450 SE impressed reviews with its performance, braking, handling and build quality often placed the car as the world's best saloon car of its era.

This well-kept example is finished in "Astral Silver Metallic" with a blue cloth interior. It has been in the family for over ~40 years and has recently seen a check over and work by a Mercedes main dealer with around ~£2,600 spent recently. It has an MOT to February 2026 and comes with two keys.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Saeed the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

A wonderfully smooth and reassuring drive.

Saeed has not driven the car much but is pleasantly surprised by how smooth and refined it is. The Mercedes was cherished and well maintained in the hands of his father-in-law and its mechanical durability and positive appearance is a testament to his care of duty.

It is one of a number of cars that his late father-in-law owned, we have already sold another classic Mercedes-Benz saloon for the family. The car is being sold, as the family wish to free up the space. Saeed will be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Saeed

Vehicle Owner

Saeed saved £1,620* when they
sold their Mercedes with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Understated and regal, the 450 SE's styling carries an air of elegance.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheels are in good shape, they have minor marks in places but display well, the classic and original items.

The Michelin XWX tyres are over 10 years old, they have even tread but the side walls show signs of age.

Bodywork

The exterior presents well in general, but with observations of corrosion. These are notable on both front scuttle panels under the headlamps, lower nearside front wing and rear valance panel near the nearside rear lamp. There are minor under-paint bubbles emerging on the offside rear arch and around the aerial mount.

The panel work is flush with the body, with no significant dents and the shut lines are consistent. All doors open and close with ease. The door wells and sunroof well appear to be in good order. The structure of the car is positive. The engine bay, floor pan, front wheel wells and boot floor look solid. The offside front chassis rail shows signs of age, and we spotted corrosion on both of the lower rear wheel wells. These are flagged up as advisories on the current MOT.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The "Astral Silver Metallic" paint has decent consistency and a positive lustre. There are a handful of minor stone chip marks on the bonnet. On the top of both rear wings there are paint cracks and peeling on the top of the offside front wing - suggesting a historic repaint at some point. There are also black paint spots on the nearside C-pillar, minor paint touch-ups and marks elsewhere, but overall the car presents well considering its age.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass and lighting are all in good shape, although some of the passenger door glass and seals show signs of age.

The chrome trim appears to be complete. Some of the chrome/rubber fittings reveal age-related marks but is free of damage. The bumpers are well-mounted with mild pitting. The off-side rear corner bumper trim shows corrosion.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The cabin is very original and has been well preserved.

Seats and Carpets

The blue velour seats are in good condition, perhaps only needing a deep clean to elevate them. The carpet and mats are complete and bone dry and visually above the expectations of a car of this age, although the rear parcel shelf shows some signs of exposure to the sun.

The car comes with a complete set of aftermarket rubber mats. The boot has been used with consideration, with no signs of heavy use.

Dashboard

The dashboard is in excellent condition, with no issues with the presentation of the facia, veneer, controls or dials. The centre console would benefit from a clean-up.

All of the dashboard functions are believed to work, although the indicators were not functional on the day - Saeed has a new part on order form Mercedes. The door cards and headlining are in excellent condition as pictured.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is typical for a classic Mercedes of this era, manoeuvring the car with ease. It shows signs of age in terms of faded colour, but along with the automatic gear selector, a fitting positive presentation of the interior.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

An advanced car for its time, the road-holding and comfort is still remarkable today.

Engine and Gearbox

The cold start process was trouble-free, the car firing up immediately with no unwanted noises or hesitation from the engine. The car settled down into a smooth idle and free of excessive exhaust smoke. We left the car running for 10 minutes with no unwanted feedback or engine undulations.

The engine presentation would benefit from a cosmetic spruce-up, but the car has recently been to Brooklands Mercedes for a new fuel pump and all 8 injectors. The ancillaries and hoses all look good. The automatic gearbox operates smoothly, engaging gears with no unwanted noises or slippage.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension components show signs of age but appear to operate with no issues during our short, low-speed test drive. The ride is smooth and even, absorbing the road with no knocks.

The brakes operate with no issues, some of the brake lines may need some cosmetic checks but the car slows down and stops without any faults on the day. A MOT advisory suggests a mild offside rear bind.

The Drive

Noted for its outstanding handling, braking and road-holding, the S Class set the industry standard for luxury cars. The 4.5-litre engine pulls well, with no hesitancy. As the engine warmed up, we noted how refined it sounded.

As the engine settled into a clean smooth idle, the three-speed gearbox was notably smooth in its operation. We were not able to fully appreciate the S-Class' handling, but a casual drive around the estate highlighted how smooth and compliant the car was. There were no unwanted noises heard from the wheels, or steering at lower speeds.

Electrics and Other

The electric sunroof and windows all worked as they should. It's complete with its warning triangle and first aid kit.

Saeed told us all the electrics work to his knowledge apart from the indicators mentioned earlier, he has the new part on order form Mercedes.

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History and Paperwork

Coming to market from ~40 year family ownership, the 450 SE has seen a recent recommission and comes with a long MOT for peace of mind.

The car was bought by Saeed's father-in-law in 1984 and used reguarly until 2017. The registration documents were transferred to the family in 2019, where it has been kept in dry storage ever since. It comes with a file of invoices from the early 2000s to 2011 including service and sundry items.

£1,000 worth of work was carried out by Mercedes Benz Brooklands to recommission the car early in 2025, which includes a new fuel pump and all 8 injectors.

There are MOT certificates going back to 1984, which show that the car has only covered ~15,000 in the last ~30 years. Saeed's father-in-law also retained the old V5's, which documents the ownership to its original owner.

It comes with an MOT to February 2026, has two keys and will be legible for free Road Tax and MOT at the end of 2026. Please note the cars ageless registration plate is not part of the sale and it has been already issued with an age-related number plate.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
10-02-2025	MOT	93,200
23-05-2017	MOT	93,108
16-05-2016	MOT	92,894
14-05-2015	MOT	92,794
08-05-2014	MOT	92,473
01-05-2013	MOT	92,325
19-04-2012	MOT	92,216
01-11-2010	MOT	91,611
30-10-2009	MOT	91,041
16-06-2008	MOT	89,667
25-05-2007	MOT	89,009
17-05-2006	MOT	87,953
17-05-2005	MOT	86,895
11-01-2005	Mercedes Service	86,170
04-06-2004	MOT	85,452
06-05-2003	MOT	84,354
16-07-2002	Mercedes Service	83,332
13-04-2002	MOT	82,861
11-03-2002	Mercedes Service	82,594
31-03-2001	MOT	81,845
18-03-2000	MOT	81,013
27-03-1999	MOT	79,200
14-03-1998	MOT	78,676
22-03-1997	MOT	78,285
22-03-1996	MOT	77,812
18-03-1995	MOT	77,606
19-03-1994	MOT	77,419
23-03-1993	MOT	77,208
17-01-1992	MOT	76,836
23-01-1991	MOT	76,739
22-11-1989	MOT	75,782
25-04-1988	MOT	73,719
4-10-1986	MOT	71,606
15-08-1985	MOT	68,668
21-03-1984	MOT	63,871