Leaner, less impressive than the much criticized but comfortable W140, the new S-class (W220), introduced in 1998, was characterized by an advanced and refined technology. For the W220 alone, Mercedes registered 340 patents! Also marketed in a coupé version, the W220 had sports variants signed AMG: the S55 of 2000, the S63 and SL63 of 2001 and the S65 and CL65 of December 2003. A restyling was carried out in 2002 and production ceased in 2005 with 484,000 sedans and 48,000 coupes sold.