The Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC: The Car That Owned the 80s

If you owned a Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC back in the 1980s, life was good. Built from 1979-1991, the Bruno Sacco-designed W126 cars were a massive expense and luxury item, so seeing one on the road meant something. Back then the automotive universe was also smaller, so your choices for luxury cars were limited. Sure, there were BMW, Jaguar, and Audi, but back then Mercedes-Benz was still the undisputed king. Think about every ‘80s movie – every dictator, bad guy, good guy, drug dealer, doctor, lawyer, etc. all drove some version of a Mercedes-Benz. It was the car that blended power and performance, with opulence and luxury. But our question is, do they really live up to the hype, and if so, why did they languish in the market for so long? On this episode of TESTED presented by American Collectors Insurance, host Mike Musto gets behind the wheel of a superb 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC to find out why. Hemmings is the ultimate destination for finding your perfect ride. Head to Hemmings.com to register and start your search today or download our Hemmings marketplace app for Apple and Android devices. 1979-1991 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS – FOR SALE https://bit.ly/Mercedes-Benz-500SL-560SEC 1979-1991 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS ARTICLES THE 500 SEC WAS MERCEDES-BENZ'S PILLARLESS, PEERLESS ‘80S FLAGSHIP COUPE https://www.hemmings.com/stories/magazine/second-to-none/ THE LAST CLASSIC BENZ: MERCEDES-BENZ'S “W126” S-CLASS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS https://www.hemmings.com/stories/car-culture/sports-cars/the-last-classic-benz-mercedes-benzs-w126-s-class-celebrates-40-years/ @AmericanCollectorsInsurance #W126 #560sec #MercedesBenz #AmericanCollectors #collectorcars

Added 20 May 2026