As the sumptuous, high-tech cabin of
Mercedes’ new luxury saloon is revealed, they look at the highlights of a car
that has been designed with the comfort of rear-seat passengers uppermost in
mind
The all-new Mercedes-Benz S-class has been
launched from the inside out. The increasing importance of the Asian market for
traditional luxury saloons, as the West shifts towards luxury SUVs, means that
the new S-class - codenamed W222 - has been designed with an emphasis on
rear-seat passengers and what Mercedes bosses call the “essence of
luxury".
These
undisguised spy shots reveal the new S-class’s lines
The first information released about W222
has centred entirely on the interior, but our spy photographer has still
managed to capture its exterior undisguised.
Goetz Renner, Mercedes’ head of customer
research, says the S-class has been conceived around the vision of “energizing
comfort”.
Mercedes researchers say they are reacting
to the global “megatrend” for “health and fitness and the need for work/life
balance” where people “need to relax to preserve their resources".
The upshot is innovations such as an
on-board scent diffuser and ‘energizing’ massage seats, as our detailed look
below explains.
New
S-class is due to be officially unveiled in May
A dozen inside lines on the new S class
Dashboard
The instrument binnacle is made up of two
12.3-inch TFT screens. The left screen shows - in digital form - conventional
speedo and rev counter dials, and on the right is the control
screen/multimedia/sat-nav display. Ambient lighting makes the instruments
appear free-standing.
Dashboard
& Steering wheel
Steering wheel
The unusual two-spoke wheel design will be
unique to the S-class, says Mercedes. As in most luxury cars, the wheel can be
heated, but the S-class will also have the option of heated armrests.
Climate control
Climate
control
A new individual climate control system
called Thermotronic seems optimized for polluted Chinese cities. Two combined
filters feature, one for fine dust and one made from activated charcoal
filters. An ionizing system can both filter out various viruses and
spores and freshen the air. An active perfuming system also features.
Dash detail
Dash
detail
This interior design theme was developed by
Mercedes' design studio in Como, northern Italy. It was based around the theory
of an ‘appreciation model’ where, instead of upgrading a functional interior to
become more luxurious, manufacturing restraints were removed and designers
tried to make creative ideas into reality.
Door panel
Door
panel
The only plastic used in the interior is
the lining of the aperture for the door release. All other materials are either
wood, leather or aluminum. The shut lines between the components and trim are unusually
tight, seemingly achieved by pushing the controls and trim parts through the
leather facing.
Seat switches
Seat
switches
This shows how switchgear is pushed through
the leather trim. The laser-etched aluminum speaker trim is fitted with the range-topping
Burmester Hi-Fi.
Rear interior
Rear
interior
Long-wheelbase models come with the option
of ‘Executive’ reclining individual seats. The backrest on the nearside rear
seat can tilt to 43.5deg, the most of any car, and the Chauffeur package allows
the front seat to be pushed forward. The Executive package includes a
‘Business’ center console that can house two bottles in the central chiller and
has cup holders that can both chill and heat.
Full interior
Full
interior
Interior space is slightly improved over
the current S-class’s. Features include seatbelt holsters that rise
electrically when passengers get in to aid seatbelt fastening. Rear seatbelts
also have integrated airbags. Reclining seats get an airbag under the seat
cushion, designed to stop a reclining passenger from sliding out under the
seatbelt in an accident.
Seat
Seat
The front seats are said to be 20kg
lighter, mainly thanks to a new steel and plastic construction method. They can
be specified with a ‘Comfort’ package that mimics a hot-stone massage. Mercedes
builds the E-class and S-class seats in-house. The current E-class has 300,000
possible seat specifications. The new S-class will have “considerably more”.
Sound system
Sound
system
The range-topping sound system has been designed
with top-end hi-fi manufacturer Burmester. It has 24 speakers and 1540 watts of
power and uses a new design of bass bin. The 3D setting is said to provide an
extraordinary sound stage that makes passengers think they’re surrounded by
instruments playing the music.
Structure
Structure
Mercedes engineers have gone to extreme
lengths to reduce the amount of interior noise that is transmitted into the
S-class cabin. To that end, torsional stiffness has been increased by 14 per
cent, lateral bending by 11 percent and vertical bending by 17 per cent. To
help damp out noise, vibration and harshness from the drivetrain, the car’s
front chassis legs are made of extruded aluminum and cast aluminum is used as
mounting points for the front structure on to the bulkhead and for the strut
mounts.
A mix of sound deadening materials,
insulation and damping materials have been attached to the car’s body
structure. Damping foil is used on the floor pan and liners made of absorbing
materials are used in the rear wheel arches to reduce noise. The sealing
systems around the windows and door handles have been upgraded and the
A-pillars and door mirrors redesigned to cut wind noise.
Scent
Scent
The S-class includes a built-in atomizer,
which diffuses scents into the cabin. It’s a $4,500 option and Mercedes has
worked with perfume specialist Marc vom Ende, who has developed five scents
specifically for the car. The refills cost approximately $67.5, but they should
last about 7000 miles.
