The S-class is what all luxury cars
hope to be, and now Mercedes-Benz has introduced the latest version. It’s time
for the rest to start taking notes.
The Mercedes-Benz S-class has always pushed
the boundaries of what is possible in a passenger car. The technology that
debuts in a new S is not only a template for what you can expect in future
Mercedes models, but also in more mainstream cars further down the line. And
with the launch of the latest model (Codename: W222), Mercedes aims to continue
the saloon’s dominance in the global luxury car market with loads of new tech
in the areas of comfort, space, efficiency, safety, quality and connectivity.
However, this time around, the S-class is
not only replacing its very successful predecessor, the W221, but also
Mercedes’ now-defunct May Bach brand of ultra-luxury saloons. As a result, the
new car will be available in no less than five body styles – the
standard-wheelbase saloon, a long-wheelbase version (likely the one that will
come to India), an extra-long wheelbase ‘Pullman’ version, a two-door coupé and
a convertible.
Mercedes-Benz
S-class front
Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener
describes the car as having “more noble visual character” than its predecessor.
Traditional S-class elements remain. At the front, the big grille dominates
proceedings and is not only larger than before, but also has much thicker
chrome surround. The bumper is heavily sculpted and the bonnet is more
contoured, but the wheel arch flares have been toned down from the previous
car. The new headlamps have a softer, more organic look and each of them
contains up to 56 individual LEDs. It’s a similar story at the rear, where the
styling is more subdued compared to the W221, and the LED-infused brake lights
dim at night or while waiting at traffic lights so as to be kinder on the eyes
of drivers behind.
‘The new S-class replaces not only
its predecessor, but also the now-defunct May Bach limousines’.
The new LWB S-class uses the same 3165mm
wheelbase as the model it replaces. Dimensionally, the new car is 21mm longer,
29mm wider and 11mm higher than before at 5246mm, 1899mm and 1491mm,
respectively. Despite this increase in size, some models are 20kg lighter than
the old car. This is because Mercedes has made the entire outer skin, including
the roof, out of aluminum, while the internal structure uses a higher
percentage of hot-formed multi-gauge steel. Merc also claims it boasts the most
rigid body structure in its class.
The
overall styling is a more subdued evolution of the previous car’s design
The interiors have to pamper their
occupants more than an airplane’s first class cabin; this is a new S-class
after all, and the company has put a lot of work into improving it. For starters,
interior space is greater than current car, the rear doors are visibly larger
and the roofline is more steeply raked. The interior consists of as many as 300
LEDs that offer seven hues, five dimming levels and four dimming zones.
The instrument cluster of the new S-class
consists of two 12.3-inch TFT screens. The left display shows – in digital form
– conventional speedometer and tachometer dials, while the right screen is
basically a control screen for the multimedia and sat-nav. Mercedes engineers have
included clever ambient lighting to make the instruments appear free-standing.
There’s a new climate control system called
Thermotronic that uses two combined filters – one for fine dust and one made
from activated charcoal filters. There is also an ionizing system can filter
out various viruses and spores while freshening the air.
Only
metal, wood and leather in this cabin
And, of course, the interiors have to
isolate the Czar sitting in the back from the outside. Structural and
suspension components have been specifically designed and manufactured to
reduce noise, vibration and harshness.
As expected, Mercedes’ flagship saloon
comes loaded with an array of new tech bits that simply point at how much
thought goes into the little details. This includes a long list of
next-generation electronic and safety features like the illuminated seatbelt
buckle that extends automatically and airbags within the belt straps for the
rear passengers.
