DESIGN, ENGINEERING and INTERIORS
The new S is certainly radical in the looks department and its styling splits opinion right down the middle. Longer and larger than the outgoing car, the new S has an all-new profile that blends sporty, large wheel arches and a low nose with a Maybach limo-like steeply raked rear windscreen and boot section. At the front, a very modern fender line blends wheel arch and headlight, while the bonnet line sweeps up from the windscreen over the roof and down the rear. The CA�s silhouette looks elegant when cruising past, imparting an air of effortless motion.
Every inch of the S-350 interiors is covered in the finest quality materials. The grain of the wood, quality of the thick but supple leather, the well-damped manner in which the metal capped buttons work and the micron perfect fit all prove that Mercedes has met its objective of improving interior quality.
This car is a dedicated four-seater, where all seats can be adjusted for various parameters. Yes, this may leave precious little space for a fifth passenger, but only superlative adjectives can be used to describe the seats. Each a size larger than necessary for that extra bit of comfort, they support you in areas other seats don�t reach � upper and lower thigh, the edges of your shoulder blades, and the entire length of your back. You�re seated at the perfect height behind, and like the earlier S, the seats can either have cool air flowing through them or be heated, adding considerably to overall comfort.
What we didn�t particularly care for was the design of the dash. Some elements of the design echo the solidly-built Mercs of yesteryear, with chunky detailing and bold surfaces. Merc has also included a number of features that first featured on the BMW 7-series �Merc�s version of i-Drive, called Comand, a steering column-mounted automatic gear stalk or selector and a push-button parking brake. The Comand system is easier to use than BMW�s i-Drive, but like Audi�s MMI system, the dash still has plenty of buttons on it. There is also a Comand dial for rear seat passengers, but this only offers control for the rear-mounted screens and a DVD player � part of the package.
The car has an improved version of the �Airmatic� suspension found in the earlier version, and we don�t hesitate to call this the best air suspension system around � better than on any of its competitors. As with any of these systems, it has the ability to raise the ride height of the car if road conditions demand it, making the S relatively stress-free to drive on our roads.
PERFORMANCE, FUEL ECONOMY and HANDLING
Source: Auto Car India
The new S is certainly radical in the looks department and its styling splits opinion right down the middle. Longer and larger than the outgoing car, the new S has an all-new profile that blends sporty, large wheel arches and a low nose with a Maybach limo-like steeply raked rear windscreen and boot section. At the front, a very modern fender line blends wheel arch and headlight, while the bonnet line sweeps up from the windscreen over the roof and down the rear. The CA�s silhouette looks elegant when cruising past, imparting an air of effortless motion.
Every inch of the S-350 interiors is covered in the finest quality materials. The grain of the wood, quality of the thick but supple leather, the well-damped manner in which the metal capped buttons work and the micron perfect fit all prove that Mercedes has met its objective of improving interior quality.
This car is a dedicated four-seater, where all seats can be adjusted for various parameters. Yes, this may leave precious little space for a fifth passenger, but only superlative adjectives can be used to describe the seats. Each a size larger than necessary for that extra bit of comfort, they support you in areas other seats don�t reach � upper and lower thigh, the edges of your shoulder blades, and the entire length of your back. You�re seated at the perfect height behind, and like the earlier S, the seats can either have cool air flowing through them or be heated, adding considerably to overall comfort.
What we didn�t particularly care for was the design of the dash. Some elements of the design echo the solidly-built Mercs of yesteryear, with chunky detailing and bold surfaces. Merc has also included a number of features that first featured on the BMW 7-series �Merc�s version of i-Drive, called Comand, a steering column-mounted automatic gear stalk or selector and a push-button parking brake. The Comand system is easier to use than BMW�s i-Drive, but like Audi�s MMI system, the dash still has plenty of buttons on it. There is also a Comand dial for rear seat passengers, but this only offers control for the rear-mounted screens and a DVD player � part of the package.
The car has an improved version of the �Airmatic� suspension found in the earlier version, and we don�t hesitate to call this the best air suspension system around � better than on any of its competitors. As with any of these systems, it has the ability to raise the ride height of the car if road conditions demand it, making the S relatively stress-free to drive on our roads.
PERFORMANCE, FUEL ECONOMY and HANDLING
Under the hood is a new motor that uses a four-valve-per-cylinder head, as against the earlier model�s three. This, along with other new features, means power is up 11 percent. However, despite the car�s 272 bhp and 35kgm of torque, it still lacks the S500�s sheer waftabillity, where even a slight dab on the accelerator sends the car darting forward effortlessly. And again, we love the extra seventh gear ratio, but this gearbox, like other Merc seven-speeders, sometimes seems to flounder, deciding between gears when you call for instant thrust.
However, what increased our rather amorous feelings for the S-class even further was the manner in which this car drove. It has no right to feel light, agile and attack corners this way. But at almost two tons, it still does. There are three modes you can drive this car in � Comfort, Sport and Manual � the last allows you to shift gears via buttons behind the steering wheel. Select �Sport� and the car recognises you want to drive with more urgency, and it tweaks the Airmatic suspension and adaptive dampers, and even lowers the car�s ride height by 20mm after 120kph. Pressing on in the massive S-class is not intimidating at all. In fact, the car tightens up its act and displays superb body control and poise around corners. It�s ever willing to turn into corners, grip is very strong and the brakes on this new S-class have much more feel.
The ludicrous bit, for a car its weight and engine power, is it managed all of 6.1kpl in the city and 9.1kpl on the highway! We often explain that if a car is heavier, more fuel is consumed, but this is all about Mercedes-Benz bending the rules of physics.
However, what increased our rather amorous feelings for the S-class even further was the manner in which this car drove. It has no right to feel light, agile and attack corners this way. But at almost two tons, it still does. There are three modes you can drive this car in � Comfort, Sport and Manual � the last allows you to shift gears via buttons behind the steering wheel. Select �Sport� and the car recognises you want to drive with more urgency, and it tweaks the Airmatic suspension and adaptive dampers, and even lowers the car�s ride height by 20mm after 120kph. Pressing on in the massive S-class is not intimidating at all. In fact, the car tightens up its act and displays superb body control and poise around corners. It�s ever willing to turn into corners, grip is very strong and the brakes on this new S-class have much more feel.
The ludicrous bit, for a car its weight and engine power, is it managed all of 6.1kpl in the city and 9.1kpl on the highway! We often explain that if a car is heavier, more fuel is consumed, but this is all about Mercedes-Benz bending the rules of physics.
Source: Auto Car India
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