Those Old Ribbed Mercedes Taillights Weren’t Just For Looks

Have you ever looked at an old Mercedes-Benz and wondered: Why do the taillights have those distinctive horizontal ribs? You're not alone.

The feature became one of the most recognizable details on Mercedes cars from the 1970s through the 1990s. They were on everything from the W116 (the first S-Class generation) to the W126 S-Class and R107 SL.