The new Mercedes-Benz S-class is quite possibly the most advanced road car ever. The big four-door sedan is coming to North American showrooms in September. It is a rolling technology fortress, the goal being to place it at the top of the luxury car ranks, ahead of traditional rivals such as the Audi A8, BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ and Lexus LS, not to mention newer pretenders like the Porsche Panamera.
Mercedes-Benz chairman Dieter Zetsche acknowledges this S-class has a vastly different mission from the one it replaces. It will be produced in no fewer than six different variants, including initial short- and long-wheelbase models and an extra-long-wheelbase model in the next year. This new variant, we're told, will offer a limousine-like experience to match the Bentley Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Ghost, and is planned as the basis for a plush Pullman return, to replace the discontinued Maybach. There will also be a two-door coupe and a cabriolet.
The exterior styling has greater sculpture to the body, and evolves the appearance without straying too far from the outgoing model. A more prominent grille and larger, more angular headlights provide a stately appearance, and there's a prominent swage line meant to add greater intrigue to the flanks. There is little change in external dimensions over the old S-class in the long-wheelbase model underpinning North American sales, the new car being just 0.8 inch longer, 1.1 inches wider and 0.4 inch higher than before.
The S-class's aerodynamics are class leading. Official figures point to just a 0.24 coefficient of drag with the S550 driven here. Further refinements designed to provide the frugal European-market S300 BlueTec hybrid an even more efficient 0.23 include adjustable cooling-system louvers, extensive underbody paneling and detailed work to the wheel houses.
This is the first series-production road car to eschew conventional light bulbs for LEDs. The headlights use up to 56 LEDs, with the taillights receiving 35 LEDs. To minimize glare, the intensity of the rear lamps is reduced at night and while the car is stationary at traffic lights.
The S-class's hood, roof, doors and trunklid are now aluminum, and the internal structure uses a special bonding process combining aluminum with hot-formed, multi-gauge high-strength steel and some lightweight plastic components. The pillars are also filled with a foam material to make them significantly stiffer than before. Despite these measures, though, the S550 has actually gained 11 pounds, hitting the scales at a claimed 4,277 pounds. Offsetting the slight increase in weight is a dramatic increase in rigidity and, thus, a reduction in vibration and an even smoother ride.
Mercedes-Benz has decided to launch its new luxury sedan in the U.S. with just one engine: a carryover twin-turbocharged gasoline V8 producing 449 hp at 5,250 rpm, or 20 hp more than the old S550. Torque remains at 516 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm, and drive continues to be sent to the rear wheels through Mercedes' 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox. A four-wheel-drive 4Matic option will be offered starting in November.
Other markets get a range of different engines. Among them is a 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 254 hp in the S350 BlueTec, a 2.1-liter, four-cylinder diesel with 204 hp in combination with a 27 hp electric motor for a total output of 228 hp in the S300 BlueTec hybrid. Also available outside North America is the S400 hybrid. It uses a carryover gasoline-electric powertrain with a 302-hp, naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and 27-hp electric motor.
More engines are planned, including a gas-electric plug-in hybrid to rival the system Porsche recently introduced in the facelifted Panamera. However, Benz is not committing itself to whether it will be offered here.
The new car's interior design reflects the influence of a new generation of Mercedes-Benz designers. Inside there is an elegant simplicity to the dash, neatly wrapping around into the doors. The dash features a pair of 12.3-inch TFT monitors, one each to display the control dials and the multimedia functions. A rotary dial between the front seats continues to provide the revised COMMAND system's primary interface, though buyers can specify a new speech-recognition function as an option.
The new car delivers greater accommodation and more comfort than ever before. The seats offer liberal cushioning, plenty of support and loads of adjustment. The choice of high-grade materials and the way they have been matched with each other are at the root of the S-class's appeal and place it firmly in the realm of the Ghost and Flying Spur for luxury and feel-good factor.
There is a claimed half an inch more head-, shoulder- and elbow room than in the old S-class up front, while the rear has over half an inch extra space for knees and just less than half an inch more for shoulders. There are five different rear seat configurations, ranging from a fixed bench to a so-called First-Class setup with Maybach-like adjustability and fold-out tables.
Among the more flamboyant creature comforts are optional heated armrests, a hot-stone massage function for the front seats, an active perfuming system and a brilliantly effective 24-speaker Burmester High-End 3D surround sound system using a bass system incorporated in the front bulkhead for concert hall-like acoustics.
Predictably, there are sufficient safety features to fill an encyclopedia. Many are optional, including the new rear belt bag incorporating an airbag in the belt strap. Night vision and radar-control cruise control with an automatic braking function are also optional. The same goes for the extensive connectivity features based around a WLAN Hot Spot head unit forming part of the multimedia system.
What's It Like To Drive?
Start the S-class with its incongruously old-fashioned black plastic electronic key, and the engine catches with a faint hum before you draw the shift lever down a notch and pull away. One of the new car's main assets is its advanced suspension and its uncanny ability to absorb bumps while providing a perfectly level ride. We feel the improved ride in the first mile and it is also immediately obvious that noise suppression is exemplary.
The S550 gathers speed with a degree of smoothness underlining Mercedes' efforts to make mechanical refinement a top priority. The aim was not merely to match the A8, 7-series, XJ and LS for driveline finesse but to attain similarly silken on-throttle qualities to the Silver Spur and Ghost. Less inherent sportiness, more indulging luxury is the clear message.
Squeeze the throttle more and there is sufficient power to endow the S550 with solid acceleration. A claimed 4.8-second 0-62-mph time makes it 0.2 second quicker than its predecessor, and there's terrific stability as you approach the limited 155-mph top speed. The S-class spears along in a nonchalant manner, making it hard to beat as a trans-continental express. Fuel consumption has also improved, with Mercedes-Benz claiming 27.3 mpg combined.
The big four-door feels right at home at a steady cruise on typical highways. Long gearing and reasonably strong torque provide a relaxed yet flexible quality, making the car as impressive from the driver's seat as it is stretched out in the back. Backing up the improved response from the engine is the enhanced gearbox; with revised electronic mapping, it is more impressive than ever.
The performance and driveline refinement really are masterful, but the S-class' crowning achievement is the way it pampers. At both low speeds around town and higher autobahn speeds it possesses a superb primary and secondary ride and unflappable body control. Noise, vibration and harshness levels are among the lowest we've ever encountered.
The S-class has always been remarkably quiet, smooth and compliant, but this new model moves the game along enough to shock the luxury car competition. There are signs of greatness in how its complex underpinnings cope with low and high-amplitude bumps and ridges on standard 18-inch wheels and 245/50 tires. Where it really presses its claim, though, is on undulating roads: It has a remarkable ability to control heave, pitch and roll -- the body always remains level.
It all starts with the basic suspension components, a continuously operating adaptive damping system and an optional air suspension system boasting double the processing power of the old S-class'. The real highlight though is the new Magic Ride Control system. Available as an option on the S550, it scans the road using a windscreen-mounted camera, calculates the best suspension settings and hydraulically adjusts -- in advance -- each individual wheel's damping up to 81 mph. The result is a float-on-air feel isolating the whole car from any road imperfection. There are comfort and sport modes. If you seek a highly absorbent and miraculously supple ride, you'll like “comfort.” If it is a strongly damped ride with excellent body control you're after, “sport” will suit.
Criticisms? The speed-sensitive electro-mechanical steering provides a more confidence-inspiring feel with more weighting than the old S-class, but sometimes feels synthetic and lacks conviction off center. It is not too off-putting -- you can still thread the new model along winding country roads with confidence -- but in a car excelling in so many other areas, you're left feeling the steering could offer more feedback to allow you to better place it in corners.
A high-parcel shelf and large rear-seat headrests combine with an angled rear screen and more tapered C-pillars to limit rear vision. We get the feeling that the advent of systems such as blind-spot control have allowed the designers more freedom, at the expense of basics such as uninterrupted visibility. Trunk capacity is reduced, too, and in a car of this size, it really is an oversight. Beyond that and the somewhat ordinary ignition key, it is hard to see how Benz could have improved it much.
Do I Want One?
The new S-class represents more than a simple progression -- it is a genuine leap over its predecessor. The main impression after driving it for the first time is its remarkable level of overall excellence. Its achievements far outweigh its limited weaknesses. One expects every new S-class to bring advances, and this latest model certainly won't disappoint.
Technologically, Mercedes-Benz's new flagship is clearly a front-runner in the luxury car ranks, though to tap into its vast array of features you have to be prepared to pay well in excess of its base price. As with the outgoing model, much of what it has to offer is optional. It is a terrifically soothing car to drive: fast, reasonably frugal, comfortable and quiet, its interior will spoil you both in terms of feel and function. The ride subtlety would do a Rolls-Royce proud, and yet there's the typical and distinctive Teutonic sense of purpose. It could just be the best Mercedes-Benz ever built.
2014 Mercedes-Benz S550
On Sale: September
Base Price: N/A
Drivetrain: 4.6-liter, 449-hp, 516-lb-ft twin-turbocharged V8; RWD, seven-speed automatic
Curb Weight: 4,277 lb
0-62 MPH: 4.8 sec
Fuel Economy (EPA Combined): 27.3 mpg
Mercedes-Benz chairman Dieter Zetsche acknowledges this S-class has a vastly different mission from the one it replaces. It will be produced in no fewer than six different variants, including initial short- and long-wheelbase models and an extra-long-wheelbase model in the next year. This new variant, we're told, will offer a limousine-like experience to match the Bentley Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Ghost, and is planned as the basis for a plush Pullman return, to replace the discontinued Maybach. There will also be a two-door coupe and a cabriolet.
The exterior styling has greater sculpture to the body, and evolves the appearance without straying too far from the outgoing model. A more prominent grille and larger, more angular headlights provide a stately appearance, and there's a prominent swage line meant to add greater intrigue to the flanks. There is little change in external dimensions over the old S-class in the long-wheelbase model underpinning North American sales, the new car being just 0.8 inch longer, 1.1 inches wider and 0.4 inch higher than before.
The S-class's aerodynamics are class leading. Official figures point to just a 0.24 coefficient of drag with the S550 driven here. Further refinements designed to provide the frugal European-market S300 BlueTec hybrid an even more efficient 0.23 include adjustable cooling-system louvers, extensive underbody paneling and detailed work to the wheel houses.
This is the first series-production road car to eschew conventional light bulbs for LEDs. The headlights use up to 56 LEDs, with the taillights receiving 35 LEDs. To minimize glare, the intensity of the rear lamps is reduced at night and while the car is stationary at traffic lights.
The S-class's hood, roof, doors and trunklid are now aluminum, and the internal structure uses a special bonding process combining aluminum with hot-formed, multi-gauge high-strength steel and some lightweight plastic components. The pillars are also filled with a foam material to make them significantly stiffer than before. Despite these measures, though, the S550 has actually gained 11 pounds, hitting the scales at a claimed 4,277 pounds. Offsetting the slight increase in weight is a dramatic increase in rigidity and, thus, a reduction in vibration and an even smoother ride.
Mercedes-Benz has decided to launch its new luxury sedan in the U.S. with just one engine: a carryover twin-turbocharged gasoline V8 producing 449 hp at 5,250 rpm, or 20 hp more than the old S550. Torque remains at 516 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm, and drive continues to be sent to the rear wheels through Mercedes' 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox. A four-wheel-drive 4Matic option will be offered starting in November.
Other markets get a range of different engines. Among them is a 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 254 hp in the S350 BlueTec, a 2.1-liter, four-cylinder diesel with 204 hp in combination with a 27 hp electric motor for a total output of 228 hp in the S300 BlueTec hybrid. Also available outside North America is the S400 hybrid. It uses a carryover gasoline-electric powertrain with a 302-hp, naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 and 27-hp electric motor.
More engines are planned, including a gas-electric plug-in hybrid to rival the system Porsche recently introduced in the facelifted Panamera. However, Benz is not committing itself to whether it will be offered here.
The new car's interior design reflects the influence of a new generation of Mercedes-Benz designers. Inside there is an elegant simplicity to the dash, neatly wrapping around into the doors. The dash features a pair of 12.3-inch TFT monitors, one each to display the control dials and the multimedia functions. A rotary dial between the front seats continues to provide the revised COMMAND system's primary interface, though buyers can specify a new speech-recognition function as an option.
The new car delivers greater accommodation and more comfort than ever before. The seats offer liberal cushioning, plenty of support and loads of adjustment. The choice of high-grade materials and the way they have been matched with each other are at the root of the S-class's appeal and place it firmly in the realm of the Ghost and Flying Spur for luxury and feel-good factor.
There is a claimed half an inch more head-, shoulder- and elbow room than in the old S-class up front, while the rear has over half an inch extra space for knees and just less than half an inch more for shoulders. There are five different rear seat configurations, ranging from a fixed bench to a so-called First-Class setup with Maybach-like adjustability and fold-out tables.
Among the more flamboyant creature comforts are optional heated armrests, a hot-stone massage function for the front seats, an active perfuming system and a brilliantly effective 24-speaker Burmester High-End 3D surround sound system using a bass system incorporated in the front bulkhead for concert hall-like acoustics.
Predictably, there are sufficient safety features to fill an encyclopedia. Many are optional, including the new rear belt bag incorporating an airbag in the belt strap. Night vision and radar-control cruise control with an automatic braking function are also optional. The same goes for the extensive connectivity features based around a WLAN Hot Spot head unit forming part of the multimedia system.
What's It Like To Drive?
Start the S-class with its incongruously old-fashioned black plastic electronic key, and the engine catches with a faint hum before you draw the shift lever down a notch and pull away. One of the new car's main assets is its advanced suspension and its uncanny ability to absorb bumps while providing a perfectly level ride. We feel the improved ride in the first mile and it is also immediately obvious that noise suppression is exemplary.
The S550 gathers speed with a degree of smoothness underlining Mercedes' efforts to make mechanical refinement a top priority. The aim was not merely to match the A8, 7-series, XJ and LS for driveline finesse but to attain similarly silken on-throttle qualities to the Silver Spur and Ghost. Less inherent sportiness, more indulging luxury is the clear message.
Squeeze the throttle more and there is sufficient power to endow the S550 with solid acceleration. A claimed 4.8-second 0-62-mph time makes it 0.2 second quicker than its predecessor, and there's terrific stability as you approach the limited 155-mph top speed. The S-class spears along in a nonchalant manner, making it hard to beat as a trans-continental express. Fuel consumption has also improved, with Mercedes-Benz claiming 27.3 mpg combined.
The big four-door feels right at home at a steady cruise on typical highways. Long gearing and reasonably strong torque provide a relaxed yet flexible quality, making the car as impressive from the driver's seat as it is stretched out in the back. Backing up the improved response from the engine is the enhanced gearbox; with revised electronic mapping, it is more impressive than ever.
The performance and driveline refinement really are masterful, but the S-class' crowning achievement is the way it pampers. At both low speeds around town and higher autobahn speeds it possesses a superb primary and secondary ride and unflappable body control. Noise, vibration and harshness levels are among the lowest we've ever encountered.
The S-class has always been remarkably quiet, smooth and compliant, but this new model moves the game along enough to shock the luxury car competition. There are signs of greatness in how its complex underpinnings cope with low and high-amplitude bumps and ridges on standard 18-inch wheels and 245/50 tires. Where it really presses its claim, though, is on undulating roads: It has a remarkable ability to control heave, pitch and roll -- the body always remains level.
It all starts with the basic suspension components, a continuously operating adaptive damping system and an optional air suspension system boasting double the processing power of the old S-class'. The real highlight though is the new Magic Ride Control system. Available as an option on the S550, it scans the road using a windscreen-mounted camera, calculates the best suspension settings and hydraulically adjusts -- in advance -- each individual wheel's damping up to 81 mph. The result is a float-on-air feel isolating the whole car from any road imperfection. There are comfort and sport modes. If you seek a highly absorbent and miraculously supple ride, you'll like “comfort.” If it is a strongly damped ride with excellent body control you're after, “sport” will suit.
Criticisms? The speed-sensitive electro-mechanical steering provides a more confidence-inspiring feel with more weighting than the old S-class, but sometimes feels synthetic and lacks conviction off center. It is not too off-putting -- you can still thread the new model along winding country roads with confidence -- but in a car excelling in so many other areas, you're left feeling the steering could offer more feedback to allow you to better place it in corners.
A high-parcel shelf and large rear-seat headrests combine with an angled rear screen and more tapered C-pillars to limit rear vision. We get the feeling that the advent of systems such as blind-spot control have allowed the designers more freedom, at the expense of basics such as uninterrupted visibility. Trunk capacity is reduced, too, and in a car of this size, it really is an oversight. Beyond that and the somewhat ordinary ignition key, it is hard to see how Benz could have improved it much.
Do I Want One?
The new S-class represents more than a simple progression -- it is a genuine leap over its predecessor. The main impression after driving it for the first time is its remarkable level of overall excellence. Its achievements far outweigh its limited weaknesses. One expects every new S-class to bring advances, and this latest model certainly won't disappoint.
Technologically, Mercedes-Benz's new flagship is clearly a front-runner in the luxury car ranks, though to tap into its vast array of features you have to be prepared to pay well in excess of its base price. As with the outgoing model, much of what it has to offer is optional. It is a terrifically soothing car to drive: fast, reasonably frugal, comfortable and quiet, its interior will spoil you both in terms of feel and function. The ride subtlety would do a Rolls-Royce proud, and yet there's the typical and distinctive Teutonic sense of purpose. It could just be the best Mercedes-Benz ever built.
2014 Mercedes-Benz S550
On Sale: September
Base Price: N/A
Drivetrain: 4.6-liter, 449-hp, 516-lb-ft twin-turbocharged V8; RWD, seven-speed automatic
Curb Weight: 4,277 lb
0-62 MPH: 4.8 sec
Fuel Economy (EPA Combined): 27.3 mpg
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