S-Class Delivers Comfort And Power

By Kannan Chandran

www.storm-asia.com

THE S-Class is the go-to car for a broad range of people.

From business folks to senior executives, this is the car that reflects prestige and the arrival factor that many find so comforting to show off.

Over its various generations the S-Class has been improved by Mercedes-Benz, always decked out in the style of the moment and with all the fancy components that make for a comfortable, safe and easy ride.

The 7th generation of this dominant German car model continues with the soft lines of its predecessors, but is loaded to more than impress with sharp features galore.

The long wheel base version available here rolls in at close to 5.3 metres, and is longer wider and taller than its predecessor. A 3-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder engine whips out 270kW of power, and with peak torque at 500Nm, it carries the S-Class well for a big fella: the 0-100kmh dash takes just over 5 seconds. And it achieves everything quietly and smoothly; the 9G-TRONIC transmission going through the gears seamlessly.

Dripping with excesses, many of the stops have been pulled out to ensure the Mercedes-Benz standard bearer still stays top-of-mind when it comes to motoring that is plush and fit for owners who like it in the front and rear seats.

While the exterior is not remarkable in terms of its design, it’s the interior that wows. The quilted seats are welcoming, soft, accommodating and the driver’s seat has 19 motors to ensure you find your ideal sitting position. The driver’s seat is not created just for comfort, it’s also got safety features worked into the design; the massage functions keep the driver’s circulation going, and thus, alert.

The mix of wood, leather, metal, ambient lighting and the sheer expanse of space makes for a relaxing experience. One thing that could be improved is the placement of the central air-con vents. Mounted high on the dash, they have metal trims that cause a reflective dazzle on the windscreen, especially in the tropical sun.

Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) lends digital intelligence to the cabin. A massive touchscreen rises from the centre console, ready to be poked and explored. It may seem intrusive to some, but it has that wow factor to keep with the rest of the car.

With so much information available about the car, it’s good that some key features are available on the steering wheel. A head up display would have been helpful.

The ride in the S-Class is designed for comfort, which it delivers. The S 450 L 4MATIC tested here does a good job of riding the bumps and floating — in a nice way — along long stretches. For its length, it handles U-turns reasonably well. And you could reduce that by 2m just by adding the optional rear-axle steering with up to 10° steering angle adjustment, for S$6,200.

While comfort may seem paramount, it does have pace, and is designed to be responsive. Something this large with a low drag coefficient of 0.22 makes it aerodynamic.

It’s proven itself to be quick, but even when pushed hard, the quiet of the cabin and those comfortable seats just make you want to take things easy.

And creature comforts add to the heightened levers of service on offer. Say “Hey Mercedes” and you can have the system respond to your requests. And it’s a feature that works to commands from the backseat, too.

For a car its length, you now have automatic parking, which, when combined with the 360° camera view, provides a clear picture of obstacles.

As smoothly rocks and rolls along at seed, you can enjoy the multitude of features that keep you connected from the backseat, or appreciate the quietness of the cabin as the sound system tries to fill the empty spaces with rich Burmester sound.

There will be other options of the S-Class rolling off the assembly line, including a plug-in hybrid variant with a range of up to 100km.

With its eye on the future, the S-Class, with a sticker price of *$516,888 continues to set the tone for premium comfort motoring.

Engine: 2,999cc

Transmission: 9G-TRONIC (automatic)

Max output: 270kW

Max torque: 500Nm

0-100kmh: 5.1

Top speed: 250kmh

Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100m

www.mercedes-benz.com.sg

*Please reconfirm price with dealer.