Big, fast in any of its variations, and exceptionally smooth. The solidity of a bank vault. Virtually every convenience imaginable, from massaging front seats to electric door-close assists, and the most sophisticated passenger-car safety technology money can buy. Yes, the
Mercedes-Benz S-Class has everything the world expects in a full-size luxury sedan, including a stratospheric price tag. It remains the ultra-luxury car against which other ultra-luxury aspirants are judged.
This is the flagship of the Mercedes line, and recognized as such in every corner of the globe. The S-Class is sleek and aerodynamic, right down to the polished Tri-Star hood ornament that symbolizes status from Beverly Hills to Boston to Berlin to Baghdad. Yet that gleaming star only hints at the engineering underneath. There's much technology here, and learning all of the features takes some time.
The S-Class is smaller, lighter and more efficient than those built in the 1990s, yet inside it is roomier. Microprocessors and onboard sensors instantaneously determine forces acting upon the car, filter the data, then adjust the handling, engine or transmission performance. The safety systems can actually anticipate a collision, and prepare the driver and passengers to get through it as safely as possible. Electric seat belt tensioners are activated, and the power seats adjust to a lower and more upright position. Mercedes-Benz calls this Pre-Safe, and says it is the only system in production that engages before the impact, when milliseconds can minimize the energy spikes that cause serious injuries.