facelift has done to this icon of motion…
• Design & Engineering:
At first glance, the face lifted S-class is immediately contrastive
from the pre-facelift model. LED daytime running lights flank the face
of the car, along with a sharper front and rear. The new bumper design
increases both standard and long wheelbase versions by 20mm. The
latest addition to the S-range would be the S400 hybrid, now the world's mos economical luxury saloon with a
petrol engine.
• Interior
Touch the re-designed multifunction genuine leather steering wheel.
Immediately, the word luxury rings through the all-around standard
speakers. Glancing down, you realize that the digital speedometer is
actually an LCD screen. As you glance to the center console, it looks
simple enough to use—even with all the technology hidden inside. For
instance, ambient lighting can be adjusted to your taste, along with
built in massage seats, optional Split-Screen—a feature
that allows a
passenger to watch TV, while the driver utilizes the GPS at the same
time. Mercedes ups the class by using an actual timepiece—enhancing
the word ‘class’. Being Merc’s flagship car, customers have a wider
scope in personalizing their car, from simple things like wood grain
to the quality and colour of the leather. Moving into the back, one
perceives that space is of no shortage—whether on short/long
wheelbase. Rear passengers are pampered by central and side
air-conditioning, an option of rear-massage seats, vanity mirrors,
side window sun curtains, electrically adjustable seats, etc. Though
less than Lexus’s flagship, the LS, the S-class still manages to
satisfy all. The word safety doesn’t need to be mentioned, as it comes
standard on all Mercedes’s—from all around airbags and night vision,
to Brake-Assist Plus and PRE-SAFE As you make your exit from the
vehicle, closing the doors are effortless, as the S-class now
incorporates soft-close suction doors, providing an even more relaxing
and luxurious feel.
• Ride & Handling
“The ride feels so smooth as if driving on glass, or sitting on a
duvet, completely drunk.” Having heard this statement being repeatedly
said by other S-class owners, you must wonder how? Well, for starters,
on the S300 and S350—the most sought after trims, a butter smooth 7-G
TRONIC transmission is mated to quiet and refined V6’s. Software
controlled anti-roll bars are able to take on the S-class on the fly,
churning out a car refined at low-speeds, yet agile and safe at
high-speeds. Ride quality is nevertheless smooth. Other more popular
engines are the S500 V8, S600 V12 bi-turbo, and the re-known S63 and
S65 bi-turbo AMG’s.
• Verdict
The face lifted S-class always has, and always will be the most
discreet limousine out there. Nothing seems to match up to a car that
commands so much respect and awe.
o Personal advice: Go for the S350 as the S300 lacks power on the go.
If you’re eyeing the S500, must as well step it up a notch and go for
the S600. The S500 seems to be a niche filler in between the S400
hybrid and S600. Looking for speed, comfort, and exhilaration? Don’t
go for the S63/S65 AMG. A normal twin-turbo charged BMW 760li does the
job a lot faster.
o Pictures from:
o http://media.il.edmunds-media.
o http://cdn-www.rsportscars.
o http://vehicle-pedia.com/wp-
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