The 450 SEL 6.9 was the fastest production four-door sedan in the world at the time of its launch in 1975. The flagship of the 116-generation S-Class, it was the final Mercedes-Benz to feature the sophisticated V-8 that had powered the 600 and 300 SEL 6.3. Priced substantially higher than all other Mercedes-Benz models except the 600, it was ordered mostly by heads of state such as the Shah of Iran, A-list celebrities like Frank Sinatra, and business tycoons including casino entrepreneur Bill Harrah. It featured the world’s first modern anti-lock braking system in a passenger car, the first four-wheel hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension in a Mercedes-Benz, and a dry-sump lubrication system normally associated only with racing engines.

American demand for the 450 SEL 6.9 was strong, but federal emissions regulations and the uncertain availability of oil delayed its introduction until 1977. Just 7,380 examples of the model were built by the time production ended in 1980, including 1,816 for North America. This European-market example was imported by racing legend Roger Penske, who ordered it with several rare options, including next-generation S-Class seats.