Mercedes Benz S-Class Saloon

Overview

S-Class has time and again proved why it is the best in its respective segment for a reason. One of the classiest cars of all times, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has entered its sixth generation globally, with the current model being a completely revamped offering in and out. However, one thing that hasn’t changed about the S-Class is the finesse levels in all the aspects of the car, thus leading to its supremacy in the world of cars. For Malaysia, Mercedes-Benz has made the S-Class available in one petrol engine and one diesel engine, with the latter being available in two states of tune. The basic color options available for the S-Class are Magnetite Black, Obsidian Black, Indium Silver, Cavansite Blue, Ruby Black, Diamond Silver, Emerald Green, Selenite Grey and Anthracite Blue, with the car offering more premium “designo” paint shades, including designo diamond white bright, designo mocha black metallic, designo  allanite grey magno and designo cashmere white magno.

Interior & Features

Step inside the cabin of the S-Class, and you will find immense levels of rich build quality, premium features, and equipment, which the S-Class has always been known for. However, in this new generation model, the S-Class has taken the game to an altogether new level, making its cabin one of the best in this business.

The dashboard exudes class with a wide theme of wood running on the center of it. Above this thick strip of wood sits a large and wide 12.3-inch full LCD digital instrument console, which also engulfs the touchscreen panel for the infotainment system. This large single piece rectangular housing makes the dashboard look huge, thus complementing its exterior gigantic appeal. The center console includes four round AC vents with an analog clock at its center, with minimalistic looking buttons for climate control below it. You do get a choice of ambient interior lighting with 64 different colors to choose from.

While the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is equipped with all the bells and whistles you have been hearing in all the cars, there are a few more features which make it oh-so-special and need special mentions. The car comes with an air balance package, which includes six different fragrances according to personal preferences. A high-quality Burmester sound system with 28 channel amplifier makes the overall audio experience a heavenly one. While the rear seats come with heating, cooling and massaging functions with all the possible electrical adjustments, the front co-passenger seat can be pushed further to extract extra legroom.

Other noteworthy features include full leather upholstery, touchpad with a controller, automatic climate control, COMAND online and keyless go starting function. Talking about the interior trim options, you do get a host of leather upholstery options to choose from, with a number of color combinations as per your preference.

Exterior

The Mercedes Benz S-Class has always been that one car which looks subtle and sober, yet premium and attractive enough to guarantee second glances and massive road presence. The overall silhouette of the S-Class might not have changed much as compared to the previous generation model. However, there are many subtle changes and additions which make the S-Class a next-generation vehicle.

Starting at the front, the traditional heavy chrome-slat grille with Mercedes logo sitting at the top of the bonnet makes the S-Class a familiar yet modern saloon. Given the current trend, the S-Class is equipped with multibeam full LED headlamps with daytime running LEDs on the inner edges of the headlight housings. The front bumper looks sportier, thanks to larger air dams for the radiator and on the corners for a better aerodynamic experience.

From the sides, the S-Class now sports the family design theme with sharp crease starting from the front fender and inclining downwards towards the lower portion of the rear fender. This particular design element is now common for all the Mercedes-Benz offerings. This makes the S-Class look separable from others only on the basis of the long wheelbase, thus making it lesser individualistic than before. However, like before, the long wheelbase and large alloy wheels make the S-Class look posh. At the rear, the S-Class carries its subtle yet elegant stance with minimalist design for the boot. The large full LED tail lamps are adjoined to each other with a thin chrome strip.

Ride & Handling

Offering the best rear seat comfort in the business, the Mercedes Benz S-Class’s ride quality is extremely comfortable and plush enough to spoil you with its premium appeal. The S-Class is equipped with AIRMATIC air suspension at both the front and rear with raising function for a perfect balance between comfortable ride quality and precise handling.

The car also comes with a dynamic select switch on the center console, which allows the driver too choose his driving preference between Comfort, Eco, Sport and the optional Curve modes. The Curve mode is available with the manufacturer’s famous ‘magic body control’, which adjusts the suspension settings as per the road conditions ahead, thus allowing absolutely negligible rolling and pitching.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class ditches the traditional V8 engines for smaller inline six engines, which offer better performance, increased fuel economy and enhanced refinement levels, all at the same time. The 3.0-litre inline six petrol engine S450 option delivers a maximum power output of 367 bhp and a peak torque output of 400 Nm. On the other hand, the 3.0-litre inline six diesel engine is being offered in two states of tune – while the lower-spec S 350 d produces 286 bhp of power and 600 Nm of torque, the higher state of tune, S 400 d, pumps out 340 bhp of power and 700 Nm of torque. All these engines are paired to a common 9G-Tronic automatic gearbox.

Braking & Safety

Equipped with the best of safety features, the Mercedes Benz S-Class has a number of other prominent safety equipment apart from the basic ones like airbags and other modern electronic driving aids. The list of these prominent safety features includes active braking assist which helps in preventing collisions by automatically applying the brake while sensing an obstruction or vehicle ahead. It also comes with attention assist which supports in planning your breaks to reduce your fatigue. The crosswind assist in the car helps in preventing undue reactions due to a strong gust of winds. The traffic sign alert helps in automatically stopping the vehicle on sensing traffic lights ahead. Last, but not the least, the pre-safe system includes reversible belt tensioning or the automatic closing of any open windows. All these functions are carried out by a radar-based system, which includes the use of highly sensitive sensors and cameras.

Verdict

There are very few cars which have kept on creating benchmarks with there each generation and the  S-Class is the leader of this bunch. The car, even in this current generation, has lifted up the expectations of customers as well as competition, with its flamboyant interiors and a long list of occupant-oriented comfort and safety features. Though, it looks much like the smaller models of the manufacturer when it comes to exterior design. However, apart from that, the S-Class is a completely new experience which only gets better once you unfold and use all of its excellent features on board.