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How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More?

How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More? 5 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot/Car Throttle
How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More?How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More?How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More?How Does a £1000 S-Class Compare to a Brand New One Costing 100 Times More?
Online listings are full of these old luxury cars that are now worth about 1/100 of their original price. It can be tempting to buy one for basically your beer money, so Car Throttle decided to have a £990 Mercedes S-Class.
Based on a previous video, we know there's quite a lot wrong with it. The bodywork is all covered in rust and there are big things wrong with the engine or suspension, all of which would cost about 11 times more to repair than what it's worth.

Even so, the old S-Class still works and manages to impress with its levels of luxury. There's always that one friend who says this or that old-timer is just as good as something made today. But is he right? Well, to find out CT compared the 20-year old W220 to a brand new S-Class, the differences being quite obvious.

Almost all of the technology in the old model is comfort-oriented. You're even missing on the convenience of today's economy cars, like auto systems and connectivity. But the leather is nice and fully electric seats, blinds or steering are fun to play with. Megaspec also comes with a fridge, which becomes the standing joke of this video.

The modern model is so full of gadgets that it's like a journey of discovery. The two presenters are like kids on Christmas, playing with all the buttons on their toys. There's ambient lighting, infotainment you can get lost in and the weird ability to drive on electricity alone.

This new S-Class or others like it will be bought by wealthy car fans interested in having the best luxury toys. They'll keep it while a few years and probably sell it at a 50% loss. But the question is, will the amazing new S560e hybrid also cost £1000 in 2039? Considering all these added gizmos could break down, it's highly likely.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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