The Opulence of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class: A Legacy of Luxury and Innovation

In 1995, Mercedes-Benz was at the pinnacle of its luxury car division, and the S-Class was the epitome of what it meant to be a high-end motor vehicle. The S36 AMG, with its 240 horsepower, was one of the most desirable models in the lineup, offering a perfect blend of sportiness and comfort that set it apart from its competitors.

One of the standout features of this car is its attention to detail, both in terms of design and technology. The interior is truly remarkable, with soft and cushy seats that are heated, as well as an endlessly adjustable pillow top that provides unparalleled comfort. The control layout is also noteworthy, featuring a volume knob that moves up and down with the steering wheel controls, adding a touch of sophistication to the driving experience.

The exterior design of the S36 AMG is equally impressive, with subtle styling touches that make it look like a high-performance sports car without sacrificing its luxury status. The use of premium materials, including metal switches and other high-quality components, sets this car apart from more pedestrian offerings in the same class.

But what truly sets the S-Class apart from its competitors is its attention to ride quality and handling. With its top-notch suspension and braking systems, this car provides a level of comfort and stability that is unmatched by many of its peers. Whether cruising down the highway or navigating twisty roads, the S36 AMG is a joy to drive, offering a sense of refinement and sophistication that is hard to find in other luxury cars.

One of the most interesting aspects of the S36 AMG is its use of advanced technology features, including a Star Trek-style warning panel above the dashboard. This feature adds an extra layer of safety and convenience to the driving experience, while also demonstrating Mercedes-Benz's commitment to innovation and forward thinking.

In contrast, other luxury cars of the time, such as the Buick LeSabre, lacked many of these advanced features, making them seem dull and uninspired by comparison. The S36 AMG is a true pioneer in terms of technology and design, setting a new standard for what it means to be a luxury car.

However, not all is perfect with this car. It has its drawbacks, such as the fact that it was front-wheel drive, which may have been a limitation at the time. Additionally, some owners have reported issues with reliability, including problems with the biodegradable wiring harness and head gaskets in later years. Nevertheless, these flaws are relatively minor compared to the overall excellence of this car.

In many ways, the S36 AMG is a relic of a bygone era, when luxury cars were designed for their substance rather than their technology. It's a reminder that sometimes, the simplest designs can be the most beautiful and effective, and that a well-crafted interior and exterior can speak volumes about a car's character.

The Legacy of Mercedes-Benz: A Tradition of Excellence

Mercedes-Benz has always been known for its commitment to excellence in design, engineering, and performance. The S-Class is no exception, with a legacy of innovation and sophistication that spans decades. From its early days as a high-performance sports car to its current status as a luxury icon, the S-Class has consistently pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a high-end motor vehicle.

The AMG division, in particular, has played a significant role in shaping the S-Class into the performance-oriented luxury car that we know and love today. The introduction of the C36 AMG was a major milestone in this regard, offering a car that combined the best of both worlds: sportiness and comfort.

But what makes Mercedes-Benz truly special is its attention to detail and commitment to quality. From the highest-quality materials used in the construction of each car, to the meticulous fit and finish that sets it apart from more mass-produced offerings, every aspect of the S-Class is designed with one thing in mind: excellence.

In many ways, this approach has been lost on newer luxury car manufacturers, who have become increasingly focused on technology and gadgetry. The result is a proliferation of cars that are more like smartphones on wheels than true motor vehicles.

The Alternative Approach: A Return to Simplicity

So what can be learned from the S36 AMG and its contemporaries? One key takeaway is the importance of attention to detail and commitment to quality. In an era where luxury cars are increasingly focused on technology and gadgetry, it's refreshing to see a manufacturer that still values substance over style.

The S-Class, in particular, offers a unique perspective on what it means to be a luxury car. By focusing on comfort, refinement, and performance, rather than simply throwing in as many tech features as possible, Mercedes-Benz has created a truly special vehicle that sets itself apart from the competition.

This approach is not without its challenges, however. As we saw earlier, there were some issues with reliability in this generation of S-Class, which may have detracted from the overall experience. Nevertheless, these flaws are relatively minor compared to the overall excellence of this car.

Ultimately, the S36 AMG and its contemporaries represent a bygone era of luxury cars that valued substance over style. They offer a unique perspective on what it means to be a high-end motor vehicle, one that is rooted in tradition, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enbefore you today is three of my aging heavily depreciated luxury cars starting with my 1996 Buick Park Avenue by 1995 Mercedes c36 AMG and my 1993 Lexus ES 300 five-speed now lining up this trio might look like I'm filming a commercial for a really sketchy car lot on a bad side of town but no these are all my cars and I'm not selling them and I really love all of them for totally different reasons all three of these cars were extremely rare and they were only made for a few years that can be purchased for very reasonable money they're also very reasonable to keep running for the most part so you really don't have to be rich to own a unique car that will cost people to do a double-take when you show up at the local cars and coffee there's videos on all three of these on my youtube channel and they've gotten more interest than my recent Ferrari purchase well that seems crazy it actually makes sense as there's so much crap online about Ferraris and you can usually spot a few at a decent car show but when's the last time you saw a lexus ES 300 with a stick or the first full production AMG or a supercharged Buick that wasn't all hoopty fied all three are very unique and come at the luxury car game from totally different angles and at least to me they are way more interesting than today's offerings nowadays nearly all luxury car makers are trying to make the same thing they're all similarly styled with similar performance characteristics and similar features but if you are shopping for a luxury sedan in 1995 the difference between brands and their approach to building what they thought was the best luxury car was miles and miles apart first I would like to get all the meaningless statistics out of the way is that's how most people make comparisons which I don't think really matters as much as how they feel but as you would guess the cheapest and slowest of these cars Wynn knew was the 1993 Lexus ES 300 it's 3 liter v6 only put out 185 horsepower and at zero to 60 was something like eight and a half or nine seconds next is my 1996 Buick Park Avenue which was the only year of this body style to have the series two 3800 v6 putting out 240 horsepower which would launch this land yacht 260 at a respectable seven seconds then there's my AMG with its punched out in Line six that was hand-built by AMG putting out 268 horsepower and sending this sedan to 60 in only six seconds despite the price and performance difference each car is fun to drive in its own way and if I was a mid-level executive at Enron in 1995 I would really have a hard time choosing one of these and here's why for this video I'm going to summarize my three favorite parts of these cars and the biggest things that I don't like starting with this lexus this es 300 was the first midsize sedan offered from Lexus that wasn't a rebadged Camry this car is longer heavier and wider than the Camry now the engine is generic and nothing special but it is invincible of all the cars and today's hoopty fleet shootout this one would certainly be the cheapest to run and the most reliable if it did ever break it would be dirt cheap to fix speaking of cars that aren't cheap to fix there's a broken BMW 8 Series in the way so I'm gonna have to move the Mercedes to move this out to drive it and give my impressions of course I love the 5-speed manual which is something you would never find with Alexis or just about any other automaker anymore and its really a shame in addition to rowing the gears I really like the build quality of this car like most Japanese vehicles everything is really well put together but there is one annoying thing that I keep doing with this car and that's turning up the climate control temperature when I meant to turn up the radio they use nearly identical knobs and they're in almost the exact same place which is weird because this car is really well thought out otherwise now this thing is not particularly fast but it is a lot of fun to drive since it's so engaging the lightness and nimbleness of the steering wheel and the manual gearbox means you'll never get bored and can still toss this thing around and drive it like an idiot but it's still a luxury car first in a sports car second that's really what all these three have in common and yes even the Buick has a little bit of spice to it let's move on to my 1996 Buick Park Avenue which is certainly the biggest car of the bunch and it's in the same weight class as probably a Mercedes s-class and a BMW 7-series but it was way way cheaper than a lexus LS or an s-class or any of those and I think it's way more interesting than a Buick LeSabre midsize sedan it just didn't have nearly as many cool features as this Buick ultra and at 240 horsepower that's not the right key there we go you can turn off the traction control and really light up the tires it's hilarious of course I love how this view can surprise people off the line but I also like that it's the leader when it comes to technology you wouldn't expect this in a Buick but this isn't all stupid technology just to be cool it all serves a purpose like the Star Trek style warning panel above the dashboard and the endlessly adjustable pillow top seats that are insanely comfortable and they're heated as well and the coolest part of the Buick has to be the volume knob which I showed in my last video about this car so it moves up and down with the steering wheel controls it's cool as hell and the other thing that I love about this Buick is all of the buttons and knobs are really sturdy some are actually metal switches where they're at least pinned to metal panels unfortunately you've decided to go way downhill with their interior quality after this year and the styling of the outside got way too blobby for my tastes the only thing stopping this car from being a legend would be if it was not front-wheel drive but back then there was also the rear-wheel drive Roadmaster with the Corvette engine but the ride quality of those doesn't even come close to the Park Avenue this is the best it's one of the best riding cars I've ever driven now my c36 is rear-wheel drive and the sportiest of the bunch and it's the roughest riding but it's still old-school in the way that it delivers the luxury experience this car was designed just before Mercedes decided to enter the luxury techno gizmo wars that has now cluttered up cars with endless gizmos since that's now one of the biggest measurements of a luxury car how much crap it has for technology but for Mercedes at this time the best luxury car meant the best quality car and this thing is really high quality let me tell ya thanks again this key thing there we go okay in 1995 Mercedes was still on top of their game and they achieved this by hitting the car with the highest-quality parts of materials with a top-notch fit and finish and it's one of the things that I like most about this car it's the last generation to have that bank vault feeling when you get inside and this really does feel like a baby s-class of course being the first full production AMG is another cool part of this c36 and I love how this car is just a parts been special with brakes from an S 600 and a transmission from a 500 e along with all the subtle styling touches that make this car gorgeous but I need to stop talking about the performance because this is a luxury comparison and here's what I like most about this car and I think it really resounds with where luxury cars are going today yeah this AMG is sporty but it doesn't compromise on comfort this car is still super comfortable the seats are soft and cushy and they're not rock-hard sport seats that just ruin your spine even with aftermarket lowering springs the suspension isn't jarring or uncomfortable on this thing either the changes made to the exterior of this AMG car are subtle too it doesn't look like someone glued pieces of the Batmobile on a sedan like new cars for me this car is the perfect blend of sport and luxury and AMG used to be like this for many years but have now gotten more aggressive looking and acting so they can beat BMW M Performance cars on the track and who cares about that a lot of people but that I don't the only thing that I don't like about this car is it's certainly the most expensive the fix and the least reliable of the bunch european engineers can't help but design fatal flaws into their cars and this car was no exception with its biodegradable wiring harness failing head gaskets and in later years with the c36 in the c43 v8 car that followed this grenading transmissions still it's a pretty solid car but compared to old Japanese and American cars it's not even close on the reliability scale so that's all I have to say about these goofy old things and to me it's way more interesting to do this rather than line up three of the latest offerings from these automakers and compare their similarly blobby styling and how they are becoming one giant iPhone that can drive itself around a racetrack so all you do is sit in the uncomfortable seats that give you scoliosis and you'll be really bored driving these cars at legal speeds and me just saying that has killed my chances of ever getting a press car whatever anyway thank you for watchingbefore you today is three of my aging heavily depreciated luxury cars starting with my 1996 Buick Park Avenue by 1995 Mercedes c36 AMG and my 1993 Lexus ES 300 five-speed now lining up this trio might look like I'm filming a commercial for a really sketchy car lot on a bad side of town but no these are all my cars and I'm not selling them and I really love all of them for totally different reasons all three of these cars were extremely rare and they were only made for a few years that can be purchased for very reasonable money they're also very reasonable to keep running for the most part so you really don't have to be rich to own a unique car that will cost people to do a double-take when you show up at the local cars and coffee there's videos on all three of these on my youtube channel and they've gotten more interest than my recent Ferrari purchase well that seems crazy it actually makes sense as there's so much crap online about Ferraris and you can usually spot a few at a decent car show but when's the last time you saw a lexus ES 300 with a stick or the first full production AMG or a supercharged Buick that wasn't all hoopty fied all three are very unique and come at the luxury car game from totally different angles and at least to me they are way more interesting than today's offerings nowadays nearly all luxury car makers are trying to make the same thing they're all similarly styled with similar performance characteristics and similar features but if you are shopping for a luxury sedan in 1995 the difference between brands and their approach to building what they thought was the best luxury car was miles and miles apart first I would like to get all the meaningless statistics out of the way is that's how most people make comparisons which I don't think really matters as much as how they feel but as you would guess the cheapest and slowest of these cars Wynn knew was the 1993 Lexus ES 300 it's 3 liter v6 only put out 185 horsepower and at zero to 60 was something like eight and a half or nine seconds next is my 1996 Buick Park Avenue which was the only year of this body style to have the series two 3800 v6 putting out 240 horsepower which would launch this land yacht 260 at a respectable seven seconds then there's my AMG with its punched out in Line six that was hand-built by AMG putting out 268 horsepower and sending this sedan to 60 in only six seconds despite the price and performance difference each car is fun to drive in its own way and if I was a mid-level executive at Enron in 1995 I would really have a hard time choosing one of these and here's why for this video I'm going to summarize my three favorite parts of these cars and the biggest things that I don't like starting with this lexus this es 300 was the first midsize sedan offered from Lexus that wasn't a rebadged Camry this car is longer heavier and wider than the Camry now the engine is generic and nothing special but it is invincible of all the cars and today's hoopty fleet shootout this one would certainly be the cheapest to run and the most reliable if it did ever break it would be dirt cheap to fix speaking of cars that aren't cheap to fix there's a broken BMW 8 Series in the way so I'm gonna have to move the Mercedes to move this out to drive it and give my impressions of course I love the 5-speed manual which is something you would never find with Alexis or just about any other automaker anymore and its really a shame in addition to rowing the gears I really like the build quality of this car like most Japanese vehicles everything is really well put together but there is one annoying thing that I keep doing with this car and that's turning up the climate control temperature when I meant to turn up the radio they use nearly identical knobs and they're in almost the exact same place which is weird because this car is really well thought out otherwise now this thing is not particularly fast but it is a lot of fun to drive since it's so engaging the lightness and nimbleness of the steering wheel and the manual gearbox means you'll never get bored and can still toss this thing around and drive it like an idiot but it's still a luxury car first in a sports car second that's really what all these three have in common and yes even the Buick has a little bit of spice to it let's move on to my 1996 Buick Park Avenue which is certainly the biggest car of the bunch and it's in the same weight class as probably a Mercedes s-class and a BMW 7-series but it was way way cheaper than a lexus LS or an s-class or any of those and I think it's way more interesting than a Buick LeSabre midsize sedan it just didn't have nearly as many cool features as this Buick ultra and at 240 horsepower that's not the right key there we go you can turn off the traction control and really light up the tires it's hilarious of course I love how this view can surprise people off the line but I also like that it's the leader when it comes to technology you wouldn't expect this in a Buick but this isn't all stupid technology just to be cool it all serves a purpose like the Star Trek style warning panel above the dashboard and the endlessly adjustable pillow top seats that are insanely comfortable and they're heated as well and the coolest part of the Buick has to be the volume knob which I showed in my last video about this car so it moves up and down with the steering wheel controls it's cool as hell and the other thing that I love about this Buick is all of the buttons and knobs are really sturdy some are actually metal switches where they're at least pinned to metal panels unfortunately you've decided to go way downhill with their interior quality after this year and the styling of the outside got way too blobby for my tastes the only thing stopping this car from being a legend would be if it was not front-wheel drive but back then there was also the rear-wheel drive Roadmaster with the Corvette engine but the ride quality of those doesn't even come close to the Park Avenue this is the best it's one of the best riding cars I've ever driven now my c36 is rear-wheel drive and the sportiest of the bunch and it's the roughest riding but it's still old-school in the way that it delivers the luxury experience this car was designed just before Mercedes decided to enter the luxury techno gizmo wars that has now cluttered up cars with endless gizmos since that's now one of the biggest measurements of a luxury car how much crap it has for technology but for Mercedes at this time the best luxury car meant the best quality car and this thing is really high quality let me tell ya thanks again this key thing there we go okay in 1995 Mercedes was still on top of their game and they achieved this by hitting the car with the highest-quality parts of materials with a top-notch fit and finish and it's one of the things that I like most about this car it's the last generation to have that bank vault feeling when you get inside and this really does feel like a baby s-class of course being the first full production AMG is another cool part of this c36 and I love how this car is just a parts been special with brakes from an S 600 and a transmission from a 500 e along with all the subtle styling touches that make this car gorgeous but I need to stop talking about the performance because this is a luxury comparison and here's what I like most about this car and I think it really resounds with where luxury cars are going today yeah this AMG is sporty but it doesn't compromise on comfort this car is still super comfortable the seats are soft and cushy and they're not rock-hard sport seats that just ruin your spine even with aftermarket lowering springs the suspension isn't jarring or uncomfortable on this thing either the changes made to the exterior of this AMG car are subtle too it doesn't look like someone glued pieces of the Batmobile on a sedan like new cars for me this car is the perfect blend of sport and luxury and AMG used to be like this for many years but have now gotten more aggressive looking and acting so they can beat BMW M Performance cars on the track and who cares about that a lot of people but that I don't the only thing that I don't like about this car is it's certainly the most expensive the fix and the least reliable of the bunch european engineers can't help but design fatal flaws into their cars and this car was no exception with its biodegradable wiring harness failing head gaskets and in later years with the c36 in the c43 v8 car that followed this grenading transmissions still it's a pretty solid car but compared to old Japanese and American cars it's not even close on the reliability scale so that's all I have to say about these goofy old things and to me it's way more interesting to do this rather than line up three of the latest offerings from these automakers and compare their similarly blobby styling and how they are becoming one giant iPhone that can drive itself around a racetrack so all you do is sit in the uncomfortable seats that give you scoliosis and you'll be really bored driving these cars at legal speeds and me just saying that has killed my chances of ever getting a press car whatever anyway thank you for watching\n"