2000 Mercedes-Benz S600

It's a model-year 2000 car, this 220-series Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But neither the age nor the model year draws our attention as much as the variant and its first keeper. As you may have deciphered by its name, this is the V12-engined S-Class, which sat on the top of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class range, parallel to the AMG version. Unlike the facelift model, this appointed the naturally aspirated 5.8-litre V12 engine, which made nearly 370 bhp.

And the first owner? Sir Elton John. Following this, it was subsequently under the ownership of a fan for seven years. The vendor, who is, quite unsurprisingly, a long-time fan of Sir Elton, has had the car since 2019. As you'd expect, it's a low mileage example backed by full Mercedes-Benz service history. Its condition can't be faulted, either; from the bodywork to the interior, everything seems to be in good order. And let's not forget the plethora of optional extras that this S600 was specced with.

In comparison to the W140, the W220 was more curvaceous and proportionate. It was also lighter, which helped Mercedes-Benz offer similar performance as the 140 but without boring the engine out to higher capacities. It was crammed with the kind of tech that, for the time, almost seemed impossible. Regardless of the version one chose, the W220 made a statement, but it wasn't visually loud or begging for attention. The sheer size of it continues to lend it presence even now, but that's true with every iteration of the S-Class. What makes one turn and look at the W220 again is complemented by the fact that despite being more than two decades old, it doesn't look outdated.

And if you're wondering about this very S600 looking less fashionable, that might just never happen. Because Sir Elton and the subsequent owners have kept the car in nearly immaculate condition. The vendor says that the paintwork has been treated to ceramic coating, and the 'overall condition is stunning and the exterior has no defects, scratches, or dents.' He further adds that the 'car has always been garaged by all its former owners with the bodywork cleaned on a regular basis.' In terms of visible deviations from the original condition, there aren't many, but there is some kerb damage on the wheels, some stone chips on the bonnet, paint blemish/scratch on the nearside rear door and the wheel arch, and a tiny chip on the windscreen. There also seems to be a speck of surface rust under one of the doors.

As with every new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz wanted to make the W220's the best cabin, among its rivals, at least. And there's no doubt that it indeed is, even now, one of the most comfortable ways to travel. The interior design was also leagues ahead of what the previous model had to offer. Although historians and specialists will point out that in comparison to the previous S-Class models, there was a considerable scope to improve the overall quality.

The S600 was the ultimate non-AMG S-Class you could buy. It was the best Mercedes-Benz had to offer, keeping in mind that Maybach was a separate brand. This 2000 example's spec shows what travelling in luxury must've been like at the beginning of the noughties: factory-fitted double-glazed windows, 8-speaker Bose audio system, heated memory seats,front and rear comfort and ventilated seats, automatic sunblind, DVD player and screens for the rear passengers, fridge, soft-close doors, in-car phone, etc. The interior is in top condition; the vendor mentions that like the bodywork, it too has been looked after well. There's no damage on the interior leather, either, he adds. A Parrot Bluetooth has also been fitted, which allows not just telephony but also audio streaming capabilities to the car's audio system.

As you can see in the photos, the interior is fresh. The seats have aged well, there are tiny use-related marks inside like on the plastic trim around the headlamp knob and the driver's floor mat and door card but nothing major. The mats, headlining, wood trim, etc. all look good.

V12 power but without the need to go down the AMG route, the S600 was the most feature-rich S-Class one could buy from Mercedes-Benz. The 5.8-litre naturally aspirated engine made 362 bhp and nearly 400 lb.ft. But it wasn't just the engine range that made the W220 special, the car also came with radar-based cruise control, hydraulic ABC (active body control) which made travelling at higher speeds without experiencing body roll possible, etc. While Mercedes-Benz did probably offer more than they could handle, many of these features and tech only became commonplace in luxury cars years later. And the 220 deserves a lot of credit for that.

This ex-Sir Elton John example has done just under 67,200 miles. And as you must've read above, its condition shows that it has been maintained well. The vendor mentions 'there are no known mechanical faults, the bodywork has no rust, the tyres still have good tread as can bee seen in the photos and as detailed on the last MOT.' It has a Mercedes-Benz service history, and more details about the repairs and replacements are in the History Highlights section below.

The underside looks clean, and there's only a sign of some surface rust underneath as can be seen in the photos. Re how it is to drive, the vendor says, 'It drives absolutely fantastic, no road noise due to the standard of insulation. It's got double glazed window glass and air suspension. With its 5.7-litre V12 engine there is no problem with any road condition.'

It was first registered in June 2000, and since then it's been with three owners. It was auctioned in 2015 and the vendor bought this 2000 S600 in 2019. It has always been garaged and a detailed Mercedes-Benz service history is included with the car.

The car has a clean MoT record, failing just twice since 2005. The latest MoT certificate is valid till 2023, although there are a few advisories that must be noted: corrosion on brake pipes (front and rear), offside rear wheel slightly distorted, and non-serious damage on the windscreen. The car got four new Michelin tyres in 2019 (the vendor mentions that it's done 8000 miles after that), AC service, new brake pads for front and rear (with just 1000 miles on them now), and a new CD changer.

The vendor has also asked us to mention that the private plate comes with the car.

The vendor sums up its history by mentioning, 'The car was first registered to Sir Elton John in June 2000 who owned it for 15 years and sold it at an auction in 2015 with just 57,000 miles on the clock, a copy of the original V5 with Sir Elton John mentioned as the first owner is included with the auction along with various receipts made out to Mr W.A Bong which Elton was well known for using as an alias when he booked into hotels whilst on tour.'

He continues, 'During the last 7 years it was previously owned by another Elton John fan who bought it at the auction in 2015, they later sold it to me privately in June 2019. I am also an Elton John fan of 50 years who has met Elton personally 5 times.'

When the W220 was brought out, it was inarguably some of the worst times Mercedes-Benz had seen. There was a drop in quality that customers didn't appreciate, and the increased dependence on tech had perils of its own. The S-Class wasn't spared from this, but it was also the best they had to offer. Low value initially meant many Mercedes-Benz cars from this era were bought for cheap and then the owners couldn't live with the ownership costs. That's a totally different case with well-maintained examples where owners ensured their beloved S-Class cars stayed in great shape. And this is one of the best you'd find, even if you take away the fact that it was once owned by one of the biggest names in the music industry. Globally.

The car is estimated to be valued between £10,000 - £20,000, and you don't need to be a fan of Sir Elton John to see its appeal. But if you are one, there's a good chance you wouldn't want to turn this one down.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.