ABOUT
                                 MERCEDES BENZ S-CLASS
The modern car owes more in its design roots than anything else to two of the real motoring pioneers, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz. Working independently over 100 years ago (and never meeting in their own lifetime) some 60 miles apart, they had a common interest in developing self-propelled vehicles at a time when such a vision seemed unattainable.
Their impact on vehicle design brought freedom of movement to the 20th Century, opening up new frontiers of transportation on every continent and giving birth to a motor industry which now produces in excess of 30 million cars per year worldwide.
The significance of the S-Class models, first given this identity in 1972, is that they have succeeded in making the large car respectable. From the dramatic Vintage era and the opulence of the 1950s and '60s, Mercedes-Benz actually made the difficult transition into the energy conscious '70s and '80s with a model range that has stayed at the forefront of technology -without sacrificing size, comfort or performance.
Through painstaking aerodynamic research and the sensible use of lightweight materials, the new S-Class launched in 1979 managed to set new standards for efficiency and safety which are still the envy of other manufacturers. Specialists    motoring journalist Geoffrey Howard has been close to all these design developments since 1962, when he first joined the staff of Autocar as a road tester and technical writer.
His account of the engineering background, management philosophy and production technology of the S-Class provides a unique insight into a model range that is predicted to go on well beyond the year 2000.
                                      CONTENTS
                                    Chapter One
                                  How It All Began
 
                                    Chapter Two
                                Great Mercedes Cars
 
                                   Chapter Three
                              The Birth of The S-Class
 
                                    Chapter Four
                           The Evolution of Today's Model
 
                                    Chapter Five
                                  The Coupe' Story
 
                                    Chapter Six
                             Production at Sindelfinger
 
                                   Chapter Seven
                    Safety, Emissions Control and Turbo Diesels
 
                                   Chapter Eight
                          Bodywork and Engine Conversions
 
                                    Chapter Nine
                              Four Valves per Cylinder

About the Author
Geoffrey Peter Howard has been writing about cars and the motor industry for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Imperial College London, with an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958, followed by three years with the de Havilland Engine Company where he worked on nuclear power and gas turbine fuel systems.
In 1962 he joined the staff of Autocar developing technical road test and vehicle appraisal standards as well as keeping a watching brief on broader motor industry developments. In the latter part of his 12 years on the magazine, as Technical Editor he made several trips to Mercedes-Benz factories and engineering facilities, as well. driving all new models as they were announced.
Since 1981 he has been an independent freelance technical journalist, working for a variety of UK and European magazines and newspapers, including Car, Motor, Autocar, Performance Car, Thoroughbred & Classic Car, Power Farming, Sunday Times, Financial  Times,  The  Guardian,  Time Magazine and  Scientific American. He currently acts as Technical Editor of Executive Car and contributes regular columns on technology to Car and on general motoring to Signature (Diners Club International magazine). He is a Member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and a previous member of the European Car of the Year Jury.

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