According to most enthusiasts — and connoisseurs of luxury cars — German luxury sedans are the best luxury sedans. Modern German luxury sedans are filled with technology, but older ones are impressive for their comfort, workmanship, and — in some cases — simplicity. I’ve listed five excellent old-school German luxury sedans currently for sale on Autotrader.
2001 Audi S8 – $4,200
The Audi S8 is a high-performance version of the A8 luxury sedan. The S8 is a special car, as Audi didn’t make very many of them while the Audi brand tried to grow the A8 as a rival to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. This particular S8 is finished in a handsome dark blue, and it’s offered by All Star Car Outlet in Dundee, Illinois, near Chicago, with an asking price of $4,200 and an odometer reading that’s just shy of 120,000 miles. Find an Audi S8 for sale
2001 BMW 740iL – $19,900
The “E38” BMW 7 Series was a fantastic car, with beautiful proportions and a gorgeous look. These days, it’s hard to find nice E38 models in good condition — but this is one of them. It’s a 2001 740iL, and it’s offered by Bimmers R Us, a BMW specialist in the St. Louis area. It hails from the final model year, it boasts the desirable “M Sport” package, and it’s traveled just 56,000 miles from new. It’s currently listed for $19,900. Find a BMW 740 iL for sale
1986 BMW L7 – $39,999
The BMW L7 was intended to be a luxury version of the BMW 7 Series sedan, much in the way the BMW M3 and M5 are sporty “motorsports” versions of the 3 and 5 Series. The L7 is ultra-rare, especially in this condition: This is a 1986 model — and while it’s traveled 137,000 miles from new, it looks surprisingly nice. It’s offered for $39,999 by CNC Motors in Upland, California, east of Los Angeles. Find a BMW L7 for sale
1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL – $49,950
This is a pristine example of the “W126” Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and it hails from the final year of that car’s production run — 1991. It’s almost amazing that it’s traveled just 29,200 miles from new, as few were ever preserved in such nice condition. Being a 560SEL, this one also benefits from the top powertrain — a 5.6-liter V8. It’s offered by Motorcars of the Main Line in the Philadelphia area with an asking price of $49,950. Find a Mercedes-Benz 560SEL for sale
1998 Mercedes-Benz S420 – $18,995
The “W140” Mercedes-Benz S-Class was built from 1992 to 1999, and it’s my favorite S-Class — for its blocky design and “cost no object” engineering. This particular example is an S420 model, which wasn’t the car’s flagship — but the condition is absolutely stunning, as it’s traveled just 28,600 miles from new. It’s currently offered by a private seller in La Jolla, California, in the San Diego area, where it’s listed for $18,995. Find a Mercedes-Benz S420 for sale
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Regarding the W140 I have two words, wiring harness.