PRICE : For 2014 Mecedes Benz S550 $92,900
PRICE : For 2014 Mercedes Benz S550 4MATIC $95,900
The S-Class is the world's first car to be able to detect and react to bumps thanks to an optional "MAGIC BODY CONTROL" system. This technology uses stereo cameras to scan for imperfections in the road surface ahead and actually prepare the chassis to smooth out any potholes or humps.
Mercedes has also made the sedan available with the closest thing yet to an autonomous driving system. Known as Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, what the setup lacks in terms of catchy branding it more than makes up for with convenience: using the aforementioned cameras and multistage radar sensors, it can read the lines in the road and actually steer and brake the car by itself at lower speeds on relatively straight stretches of road. It's just the thing for getting through long traffic jams with one's sanity intact.
While letting the S-Class handle piloting duties, passengers can admire the two mammoth 12.3-inch TFT screens that sit in front of the driver and atop the center stack. The left-hand unit replaces a conventional analog instrument cluster, while the right-hand screen displays climate, entertainment and Google maps-integrated navigation info.
A touch-sensitive telephone keypad with 12 customizable memory settings lets users access more complex functions without having to move their hands around the dashboard. In addition, Mercedes' Linguatronic speech recognition system allows "one shot input" commands to be spoken, and text message and email reading are part of the package.
The standard mbrace system includes a host of cloud-based goodies, including a concierge service, location-based traffic and weather updates, stolen vehicle location assistance, automatic collision notification and more. Available apps add internet browsing, Google local search with street view, Yelp reviews, Facebook access and news reports. Owners can even use an mbrance smartphone app to remotely lock, unlock or locate their S-Class.
The S-Class can be outfitted with the buyer's choice of a rear bench seat or executive-style reclining rear seats that, like the front thrones, can be outfitted with heating, ventilating and "hot stone" massaging systems. Further coddling rear seat occupants are available features such as individual TFT screens with wireless AKG headsets, pillow head rests, cooling/heating cup holders and fold-out trey tables. Topping it all off are industry-first heated center and door panel-mounted armrests.
Two different high-end Burmester Surround Sound systems are on offer for the ultimate in concert-quality audio, but the S-Class doesn't stop at providing a feast for the ears: it also seeks to create an optimal olfactory experience with an active perfuming system that discreetly emits a choice of four different scents to cover up any undesirable odors from the outside world
EXTERIOR
Up front, the new S-Class receives a larger radiator grille in three-dimensional design, a long hood and new headlights - each headlight features 56 LED lights. If you consider each taillight also gets 35 LED lights, four for the rear fog lamp and the 300 LED lights on the interior, you can see the new S-Class has almost 500 LEDs in total.
When viewed from the side, it is pretty clear that the S-Class is keeps classic saloon proportions, but they are designed in such a way to give the model a sporty coupe-like interpretation.
The rear is characterized by horizontal lines running from the boot lid to the bumper, a rear windscreen that cuts into the C-pillars and new-style taillights, which are completely encased by the car’s body.
INTERIOR
Beyond aesthetics, few cars can approach the new S-Class sedan's comfort and infotainment features. The standard seats are lovely, but you'd be nuts not to select the Premium 1 package's multicontour seats with their additional adjustments, ventilation and six massage settings. That's right, six. One even simulates a hot stone massage by utilizing the seat's heating elements. And just in case your rear passengers are the jealous sort, the same opulent front seat features (including adjustments) are available in the enormous backseat. Plus, you can add an entertainment system, airplane-style pop-out tables and even a fridge.
All those infotainment functions are controlled by the latest iteration of Mercedes' COMAND system, which remains one of the most user-friendly around (even if its immense number of functions renders it a tad overwhelming at first). Compared to the setup in other Mercedes-Benz models, the S-Class sedan's upgraded COMAND interface features a colossal, crystal-clear central screen with all-new graphics and a different physical button layout (buttons for frequently used functions are now grouped around the main control knob rather than on the dash). Immediately adjacent is a new instrument panel, which houses a full set of digital gauges. The result is a truly contemporary cabin that offers ample functionality while keeping buttons to a minimum.
The trunk, as you might expect from a 17-foot-long sedan, is sufficiently large at 16.3 cubic feet.
SPECIFICATION
► Make : Mercedes
► Model : S-Class
► Price : $ 92900
► Engine : V8
► Horsepower @ RPM : 455 @ 5250
► Torque @ RPM : 516 @ 1800
► Displacement : 4.7 L
► 0-60 time : 4.8 sec. (Est.)
► Top Speed :130 mph
BODY DESIGN
Standard equipment on the S550 includes 18-inch wheels, an adjustable air suspension, automatic adaptive LED headlamps, LED running lights and taillights, a rearview camera, auto-dimming mirrors, automatic wipers, a panoramic sunroof, an electronic trunk closer and soft-close doors. Comfort and convenience features include dual-zone automatic climate control, heated 12-way power front seats with four-way power lumbar, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, front seat memory functions, leather upholstery, MB-Tex synthetic leather interior trim, LED accent lighting and a power rear sunshade.
Standard technology features include the COMAND electronics interface, twin 12.3-inch configurable displays on the instrument panel, a navigation system, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, Mercedes' mbrace2 telematics system (including smartphone app integration), an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot and a 13-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system with USB/iPod audio interface, HD radio, satellite radio, TuneIn Internet radio, a six-CD changer and digital music storage.
The S63 AMG differs with a more powerful engine, a different transmission, 20-inch wheels, AMG-tuned suspension components, more aggressively bolstered seats and slight styling differences.
Options are plentiful. The Premium 1 package (standard on the S63) adds active "multicontour" front seats (ventilation, upgraded heating, six massage settings, adjustable bolsters and shoulder supports), hands-free trunk access, front and rear parking sensors, automatic parallel parking and power rear-side sunshades. The Warmth and Comfort package adds heated armrests and door panels, a heated steering wheel and four-way power-adjustable outboard rear seats with memory functions, heating and ventilation (many of these features are available separately). The Rear Seat package adds four-zone auto climate control, a power right rear footrest and rear seatbelt airbags. The Executive Rear Seat package adds "multicontour" rear seats, a right-rear recliner-style footrest and greater adjustment than the Warmth and Comfort package offers. The Executive Rear Seat Package Plus replaces the center seat with a full-length center console complete with fold-out tray tables and heated and cooled cupholders. The Air Balance package adds a cabin fragrance system.
Other options include extended leather interior trim, a surround-view parking camera, adaptive cruise control, night vision assist, an automatically adjustable Magic Body Control suspension, a rear refrigerated box, a rear-seat entertainment system with twin displays and a 24-speaker Burmester 3D surround system. There are also several packages available that bundle emergency communications, information and apps.
A pair of Sport packages adds body cladding and either 19- or 20-inch wheels to the S550. Different 20-inch AMG wheels can be added to the S63.
POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG gets a 5.5-liter turbocharged V8 that produces 577 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. A specialized seven-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard. Mercedes says it will hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, which would be on par with the SLS AMG supercar
DRIVETRAIN
You may think you've enjoyed a comfortable ride before, but it most likely pales in comparison to the adjustable air suspension fitted as standard to the S-Class. Not only does it iron out bumps, there's not a hint of floatiness, which is a requirement for a car designed to cruise effortlessly at triple-digit Autobahn speeds. Plus, the ride gets even better with the optional Magic Body Control. Utilizing a windshield-mounted camera, the car detects bumps and other imperfections in the road ahead and automatically adjusts the air suspension to compensate. We're not exaggerating when we say large speed humps can feel more like pebbles.
The way the S550 gets up to speed is also, well, effortless. Acceleration from the turbo V8 is ferocious, yet its noises are reduced to a whisper inside the cocoon-like cabin. You're more likely to hear the S63, but it's not as vociferous as other AMG models. You're also more likely to get in trouble with Johnny Law since it gets up to speed quicker than many sports cars.
SUSPENSION
As standard, the S-Class comes with the usual Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS and a revised version of Mercedes’ AIRMATIC suspension system
ENGINE
The S 500 Plug-In Hybrid has four drive modes: HYBRID, E-MODE, E-SAVE and CHARGE. We assume that the HYBRID mode is the base drive setup that provides the best overall performance and great fuel economy — Mercedes didn’t offer any details on this mode. The E-MODE setting puts the S 500 on electric only, and Mercedes claims that this large sedan can travel 18 miles on electric only. The E-SAVE mode runs the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid on the gasoline engine only, saving the fully charged battery for later in your journey. Lastly, the CHARGE setting uses the gasoline powerplant to recharge the battery.
Mercedes will outline the charging times and all other pertinent details of the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid in the future; possibly during its public reveal in Frankfurt.
You may notice that Mercedes has dropped the V-12 engine; instead, its models were made more environmentally friendly. To help meet its environmental goals, customers can now choose between three hybrid powertrains.
COMFORT & QUALITY
The S-Class is built in two distinct lengths, but for the 2014 model year, U.S. dealers will sell only the long-wheelbase version--dubbed the "standard" wheelbase here, as much for the existence of a shorter car elsewhere, as for the possibility that an even longer car is in the works.
The long-wheelbase S-Class body now has a slightly wider track and more shoulder, head, and elbow room, which guarantees plenty of front and rear-seat leg room, even with the front seats powered all the way back. The rear doors are cut widely, for easy access and limousine-like space.
The seats themselves are sculpted for good comfort. In front, the 16-way power seats can be controlled via COMAND or door-mounted switches. There's an active multi-contour function that inflates air pockets in response to cornering forces; if it sounds gimmicky, it feels useful and comfortable when the S Class hustles up to higher speeds. The seats are well-padded, heated, and ventilated--and that last feature might be responsible for the one flaw, a hard surface at the back of the bottom cushion.
The back seats can be configured in a few ways, from a basic bench seat to a pair of buckets, to the S-Class' most lounge-like seating option ever, its First Class Rear Suite. A pair of reclining chairs with fold-out footrests and a separating console fitted with laptop trays, the suite also has app-enabled seat adjustments and a massaging function that's inspired by hot-stone treatments at a spa. The armrests are heated, even. For utmost comfort, the front passenger seat can be lowered and its headrest removed, so the right-rear passenger can nap on a chaise-style recliner.
With the S-Class' larger cabin, you'll rarely find space at a premium, even for the smaller items. There's a large glovebox, and a console large enough for big electronic gadgets. Two cupholders have built-in cooling. And in most versions, the S-Class' rear seat has a fold-down portion and a pass-through to the moderately sized trunk.
Fit and finish has few peers in the car world, and the S-Class surely has never looked better. A wide range of leather and wood trim is on the order sheet, everything from silver-hued trim or quilted leather on the dash to sueded leather on the recliner-seat pillows. The S-Class also has a fair amount of "metallized" surfaces--plastic clad with metal paint. It can glint and luster like metal, but to the touch it's not as substantial as real metal, particularly at the climate vents, where the S-Class' tiny knobs miss out on the high ritual of, say, Bentley's chromed vent pulls.
FEATURES
The Premium 1 Package adds active ventilated, active multicontour and massaging front seats, a proximity key, power rear window sunblinds and parktronic with active parking assist.
The Driver Assistance Package builds on the Premium 1 Package with Distronic Plus with PRESAFE brake, active blind spot assist, active lane keeping assist, PRE-SAFE PLUS, PRE-SAFE Brake and CMS rear (for a detailed break-down of these safety systems, scroll down to "occupant safety").
The Warmth Comfort Package brings power memory rear seats with heating and ventilation, front and rear heated armrests, and a heated steering wheel.
The Rear Seat Package includes rear seat belt buckles that rise up when the rear doors are opened, rear seatbelt airbags, easy adjust headrests, four-zone automatic climate control, an electronically adjustable footrest for the right rear seat and a front passenger seat that can be move forward an additional 77mm for additional rear seat space.
The Sport Package nets a body kit and 19- or 20-inch AMG Twin 5-Spoke wheels. The Sport Package Plus One adds bigger wheels in the form of 20-inch AMG Multispoke rims.
The Rear Seat Entertainment Package brings a rear seat entertainment system with dual TFT screens and AKG headsets.
Highlights from the stand-alone options include a Burmester 3D surround sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, MAGIC BODY CONTROL, Night View Assist Plus and a rear refrigerator box.
NEW VIEW ASSIST PLUS : Mercedes engineers managed to improve the S-Class' night-vision system with the introduction of Night View Assist PLUS, which is equipped a special pedestrian detection function. The Pre-Safe braking system has also been improved to reduce injuries in unavoidable crashes. Mercedes says the car can apply maximum braking pressure automatically around 0.6 seconds before what is recognized as an unavoidable accident. The system therefore acts as something like an "electronic crumple zone," Mercedes contends.
SAFETY
A standard "ATTENTION ASSIST" system can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents a year in the U.S.A. A steering sensor is coupled to smart software that uses 70 parameters to establish a unique driver profile during the first 20 minutes of driving. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system identifies the erratic steering corrections drivers make as they begin to get drowsy and triggers an audible warning and a "Time for a Rest?" message with a coffee cup icon in the instrument cluster.
Collision Prevention Assist uses radar to determine whether the S-Class is in danger of colliding with a vehicle or object up ahead. Active at speeds above 20 mph, it automatically prepares the brakes to apply the ideal leveling of stopping power once the driver hits the pedal.
Optional safety gear includes Active Lane Keeping Assist, a new technology that warns the driver if it detects that the S-Class is drifting into an adjacent lane and can apply steering inputs to remain on the proper course. Also available is Active Blind Spot Assist, which uses radar to detect if a vehicle is in the blind-spot area. It provides driver alerts and can also steer the car out of harm's way if the driver accidentally starts to merge into a vehicle.
Pre-Safe Brake detects impending collisions with vehicles or pedestrians and can automatically apply 100 percent of the S-Class' braking force to avoid or mitigate the severity of the crash. It also includes Cross-Traffic Assist, which can detect potential collisions with vehicles approaching from either side of an intersection. Both are part of the Distronic Plus with Steering assist system, an active cruise control setup that can maintain a set distance from the car ahead and also keep the vehicle centered on straight roads or in gentle curves.
FUEL ECONOMY
Official U.S. EPA gas mileage ratings place the S550, powered by a twin-turbo, 4.6-liter V-8, at a fair 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. The 2014 figures make the new S550 a notch better than last year's--though it's still a bit thirsty in the grander scheme.
The S550 4Matic (all-wheel-drive) scores 16/26 mpg city/highway, and the S63 AMG scores 15/23 mpg city/highway.
As a guideline, last year's S550 was rated at 15/25 mpg in the rear-drive S550 and at 15/24 mpg in the S550 with all-wheel drive. In long-distance interstate driving, we've seen 25.5 mpg even when cruising at nearly 80 mph with this engine and the standard seven-speed automatic.
In the offing are new versions of the S350 BlueTEC turbodiesel, and a hybrid. But that gas-electric model won't simply be a restyled S400 Hybrid with a carryover drivetrain--it is a new S500 plug-in hybrid, recently revealed at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show but not yet rated for the U.S. market. European gas mileage figures place it at up to 78 mpg, but those figures don't translate well to EPA ratings.
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