| First Drive | Toronto, Canada | Mercedes-Benz S-Class |
Key Facts
Model tested: Mercedes-Benz S 350 SE L BlueTec
Pricing: £65,650
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel
Transmission: rear-wheel drive, seven-speed automatic
Body style: four-door luxury saloon
Rivals: Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ
CO2 emissions: 148g/km
Combined economy: 50.4mpg
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 6.8 seconds
Power: 258hp at 3,600rpm
Torque: 620Nm at 1,600- to 2,400rpm
In the Metal:
With a brief that covers carrying royalty and world leaders, being parked outside embassies or at airport taxi ranks the S-Class has to be assertive but conservative. The stylists have done a good job too, the S-Class exhibiting the bolder elements of Mercedes-Benz's corporate look, yet doing so with a dignified restraint that you'd expect in a luxury flagship. Wider and longer than before, it has clearly evolved from its predecessor, but there's a more technical and modern edge to its lines. The head- and taillights exhibit this, the S-Class the first Mercedes-Benz to feature exclusive use of LED lighting throughout.
The exterior changes might be relatively subtle but the interior has undergone a more extensive revision. The seats offer supreme comfort front and rear; options include heating, ventilation and massage (traditional and 'hot stone'), as well as a range of rear seat add-ons including the Executive option that offers a backrest recline of up to 43.5 degrees. The instruments and the navigation/infotainment functions are housed in two huge screens, the myriad of assistance, entertainment, comfort and climate systems all accessed and controlled by Mercedes' familiar rotary controller. Fit and finish is exemplary, the S-Class conveying a solidity and individuality that distinguishes it from its lesser relations.
Driving it:
The familiar 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel remains the engine of choice for European buyers, it accounting for the vast majority of sales in the UK thanks to its combination of tax-friendly emissions and excellent combined economy figures. Sensible then, but the S 350 BlueTec doesn't feel like a poor relation on the road compared to larger-engined alternatives, the 3.0-litre turbodiesel's 25bhp and 620Nm of torque allowing it to reach 62mph in just 6.8 seconds from rest.
In the Mercedes' 7G-Tronic automatic transmission the shifts are quick and virtually imperceptible, the engine noise remaining only providing the most muted of backing, even when pushed at higher revs. There's no real need to do so, with the low-rev response and torque making light work of the big saloon. The standard air suspension creates a tranquil ride, with only the low frequency patter of poor surfaces notable - heard more than felt in the cabin. Mercedes claims that the electrically assisted steering has been tuned specifically for greater feel and feedback, but despite improved weighting and quick response there's precious little of either.
Body control is impressive, the S-Class resisting roll in corners, though the most innovative suspension system (Magic Body Control, which reads the road ahead via a camera and adjusts the suspension accordingly) isn't offered on six-cylinder models. Still, Mercedes' goal of providing a luxurious and sophisticated drive has unquestionably been met, the S-Class a supremely able, refined and comfortable car whether you're driving it, or sitting in the back.
What you get for your Money:
Unfortunately, the headline-grabbing innovations and most advanced of the assistance systems will remain on the options list, as the majority of S-Classes come more modestly equipped. Relatively speaking of course, as the SE Line models feature 18-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, leather upholstery, a reversing camera, Comand online, luxury climate control, Intelligent Light Control and DAB, plus electrically adjusted and heated front seats. AMG line adds the AMG sports styling package inside and out for a £5,000 premium over the SE Line.
Worth Noting
With the loss of the Maybach brand above it the S-Class will present a more expansive and expensive range in time. AMG models and further wheelbase options will come, as will a CL-replacing coupé variant. A convertible model previewed by the Ocean Drive concept is also anticipated, while a plug-in S 500 Hybrid will debut at Frankfurt in September with sub-75g/km CO2 emissions.
Summary
A point in time, a signal of intent, the S-Class defines the luxury class for years after it's launched and Mercedes-Benz has thrown in every assistance, comfort, convenience, entertainment and safety system conceivable. Only the very most expensive models will come so equipped, but the big-selling 350 BlueTec turbodiesel retains the solidity, refinement and rounded ability that defines the luxury class, and that makes it a very difficult package to ignore.