Mercedes-Benz 300 SD
Mercedes-Benz put a turbocharged five-cylinder diesel into its flagship saloon, creating a luxury diesel specifically for North America.
1979 U.S.-market Mercedes-Benz 300 SD · PLawrence99cx · CC BY-SA 4.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
The W116 300 SD entered North American standard production in May 1978 after a pre-production phase. Mercedes-Benz lists it as an export model unavailable in Germany. It combined the S-Class body with the OM 617 turbo-diesel and a four-speed automatic; later 1979 changes raised power, so this page stays with the original 111 hp car.
Look a little closer.
Mercedes-Benz describes it as the first series-production passenger car with a turbocharged diesel engine.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A diesel S-Class for one market
The public archive calls the 300 SD a North American export model and records no German-market price. Its exact market is part of the vehicle’s identity.
Source: Mercedes-Benz Public Archive · 300 SD ↗The specification changed later
Original cars made 111 hp from 3,005 cc. From October 1978 displacement became 2,998 cc, and from October 1979 output rose to 121 hp. Joyride keeps those updates separate.
Source: Mercedes-Benz Public Archive · 300 SD ↗Where these facts come from
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.