So what’s Mercedes-Benz to do with its flagship? On the one hand, its S-class is a huge sales success. Not to mention the first choice of successful businessmen and heads of state around the world, as M-B reminded us in its ad. Many are griping (and they’re surely not S-class owners!) that there are a lot of things wrong with the car: it’s too large, it looks like a tank and it’s not environmentally responsible, and thus completely out of step with the way the world now thinks about cars.
The solution: the new S-class, coming to Europe and the US early 1999 and probably available at your official M-B dealer or corner import-car shop a few months after that. To address complaints about the previous car’s size, the new S is now 75 mm shorter. Its range of engines, a 3.2 V6, a 4.3 and 5.0 V8, offers better fuel efficiency but less power and torque, having only three valves per cylinder and single overhead cams, from the previous DOHC 4-valve/cylinder configuration. (Diesels and a V-12 will follow.) Yet they should have no trouble propelling the new car quickly, because the chassis is much lighter, too, the S500 for example shedding 350 kg. So expect acceleration times that are quicker yet, the S-class dashing from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5-seconds. Helping also is the improved drag coefficient, a best-in-class 0.27. The five-speed automatic still offers manual gear selection, but instead of Merc’s traditional zigzag gates below the Drive position, there are just two slots on either side, for upshifting or downshifting manually.
More importantly, the car has shed the armored-car look with a shapely new body. The face sports a distinctly wrinkled pair of headlamps, as if the E-class’ four-eyed headlamp cluster had been melted together. As is M-B’s current practice with its new cars, the clusters contain low and high beams, turn signals and fog lamps. The scooped sides with nearly flush door handles also contribute much to the athletic appearance. The tail features large triangular clusters, similar to the SLK’s. It’s a lithe, elegant approach that hints at the car’s newfound sportiness.
Sporty it is, not just in straight-line acceleration. The weight loss has also improved the S-class’ ability to run on tight, twisty roads. Large it may still be, but it corners with an agility that belies it size. The chassis features air springs, which limit the car’s dive, squat and roll tendencies. Similar to the air suspension offered on the 1988 Galant VR-4, it allows the suspension to switch from soft to stiff in a split-second depending on road conditions. The ride is smooth and comfortable, even with the optional 245/45R tires on 18-inch wheels. At speed, it lowers the car’s ride height for improved stability. You can also raise the ride height before traversing those pesky flashfloods and potholes. Result: excellent ride comfort combined with enjoyable handling.
The interior is just what the president ordered-large and luxurious. Despite the reduced exterior dimensions, the interior has expanded. Leather seats with power actuation and memory-that’s nothing new. But what about seats with internal cooling, to keep your back dry no matter how hot it is-many would pay for this option in Manila’s searing heat. Or internal massagers, run by air cushions, which pulse to keep your circulation going on those long trips. Or seats that measure your weight to ensure the proper setting. Don’t worry; it won’t be displayed on the computer screen. The aircon adjusts the temperature individually for each seating position. The car also features voice-activated satellite navigation, cellular phone, video and audio system all rolled into one. Maybe they packed too many features into this device-it’s a bit difficult to operate.
More gadgets will be offered as options: radar-linked cruise control, which can monitor and automatically maintain a safe distance to the car you’re following (assuming you didn’t want to blast past it). A neat feature is the Keyless Go, which replaces the ancient metal car key with a chip card. No keyholes equals baffled would-be car thieves.
Is it all too much? Admittedly, the Philippines is not the best place in the world to experience such a car. The high-tech interior can be appreciated here as well as anywhere else, but the high-speed potential of the car will remain just that-potential. (Of course, if you have such a car, early Sunday mornings will be the best part of the week.) Nevertheless, the new S is a leap in the right direction. In offering more cutting-edge features, supreme comfort and superb driving characteristics, all for less weight and fuel consumption, Mercedes has proved that for its flagship car, less is indeed more.
By Redline | Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.