2004 Mercedes S Class Review

Specifications

As Good Taste Ages Gracefully

What is it about a Mercedes-Benz that makes it feel as if its worth much more than any of its peers? Im sitting here inside an S500 and other than a few extremely nice design elements it isnt more elegant than a Lexus LS 430. From the outside its not any prettier than an Audi A8, and when it comes to power and handling dynamics it doesnt measure up to BMWs 7.

I hate to admit it, but its probably that three-pointed star protruding above the grille that makes all the difference. Ive either driven or been driven in M-Bs since the mid-1960s, and have always held a special reverence for that badge even at the tender age of seven when being taxied in a late 60s SEL at high speed over the undulating roadway of dikes and dips on the way from Amsterdam to Schiphol.

Going back to Germany now and the airport taxi stands are filled with cream yellow E Class cabs, a strange site for North Americans who are used to only seeing Mercedes models in front of ritzy stores, exclusive clubs and fancy houses in good neighborhoods.

What I like best about the S-Class is its understated elegance. Its not showy like the 7, not racy like the A8, hardly frumpy like the LS and isnt overly indulgent like the XJ. Even though the S-Class styling is the oldest of the lot, it still looks wonderfully up to date, its clean, uncluttered lines among the best of the lot.

Nevertheless, the long-running model is due to be replaced soon and the spy shots that Ive seen point to a much more sporting design statement, but without any of the “different for the sake of being different” controversy that has surrounded some new BMWs and upcoming Audis.

Mercedes supplied me with beautiful new long wheelbase S500 4MATIC coated in a metallic silver shade, to some the only color the brand should be seen wearing. It almost bothers me to align with the thirty plus percent of new car buyers that choose silver over all the other vibrant hues available, but it just looks so good when new and wears so well years later, being that the inoffensive hue tends to cover up blemishes better than any other.

The first thing I noticed when parking myself in the drivers position was the well formed seat. It doesnt off the high level of adjustability of, say the BMW 7, nor is it quite to its level of comfort once setup optimally, which can take some time to get it right, but generally speaking it is a wonderfully comfortable seat that felt good from the first time I sat down.

The finely crafted dash design is another S-Class aspect of the car that I particularly like. Its not as high-tech as the A8 or 7, but the general layout is ideal and the curving strip of wood that stretches horizontally across the car, dipping slightly at center is an elegant touch that never looks old to me. It reminds me of classic M-Bs, that also incorporated a horizontal wood strip, but unlike this one it ran at the base of the windshield where it meets the top of the dash, meeting up with the door ledges at each side. The new cars wood trim also meets up with the doors, but a little lower down on the panel. While this is a common theme among luxury cars today, it is done so gracefully in the S-Class that it deserves mention.

That strip of wood is interrupted at its middle by a row of nine ancillary buttons, directly above the cars simple yet efficient center stack. A large information screen is the dominant feature, but not as all-encompassing as BMWs second bulge that takes over the top of the dash. While somewhat ungainly, the BMW unit does provide better legibility in sunlight though. Surrounding the screen is a set of eight control buttons (no BMW or Audi style “mouse” controller here), which are almost mirrored on the opposite side by 12 numerical buttons for radio presets and integrated cell phone operation. In between on the edges of the screen are ten additional buttons, smaller in size, for detailed screen operation. The system Mercedes has developed might be a little old-school when compared to its competitors, but it was easy to figure out. That rates highly in my books. No doubt, M-B will offer a more up-to-date system in the upcoming S-Class replacement.

Rather than pump heating, ventilation and air conditioning controls through the digital interface, Mercedes separates them below in three distinct “pods,” allowing access for individual front seat temperature settings. Again, its a really easy system to use.

And thats a good thing, because the last thing I want to have to deal with when behind the wheel of a car as enjoyable to drive as the S500 is frustratingly overcomplicated digital equipment.

Yes you heard me right. The S500 is a wonderful car whether tooling around town, stretching its legs on the freeway or tackling tight turns. As expected its independent suspension system is biased toward comfort over sport, but it still manages to titillate the lateral G senses near the top of its class.

Its manually actuated 5-speed automatic offers more mechanical control than conventional automatics, but that said it would be pretty unconventional to offer anything less in a modern luxury sedan. It is short one cog compared to a 6-speed automatic equipped Audi or BMW, which can be during acceleration runs or when gearing down to pass, but I didnt exactly have a problem getting off the line. Also, next years car will more than make up for it when the brands 7-speed automatic becomes part of the package.

No matter which transmission the S500 makes use of, an extremely competent 5.0-liter 24-valve SOHC V8 delivers up smooth, confident power. Specifically, the engine produces 302 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 339 lb-ft of torque at 2,700, not the most powerful in its segment but nevertheless capable of shooting the big sedan forward from standstill to 60 mph in a mere 6.2 seconds.

Being that my test week was sunny there was no opportunity to test out the 4MATIC all-wheel drive setup, but being that Mercedes has been building 4WD systems since 1926 when it first introduced its G designated car, appropriately named the G1, my guess is its more than adequate for adding traction when needed.

Of course, it should be more than adequate, as should everything else about this car given its $82,700 base price. Sure there are S-Class models that starter lower, with an entry model at just over the $80K mark at $82,700, but to get the more powerful 5.0-liter engine, all-wheel drive and limousine-like extension in length youll need to shell out at least a hundred and a quarter. Load it up, theres actually plenty left on the table, and the S500 will peak out at $127,195. Nice car for sure, but $127K?

And really Mercedes, the car is missing some pretty obvious assets. For instance, almost every competitor now offers an electronic emergency brake system, relieving the driver of either tugging on an e-brake lever or stepping on a foot operated pedal. Theres also no dash mounted CD changer, an omission that seems out of the dark ages in comparison to new Cadillacs that offer multi-disc changers that can also play MP3 files.

While Im sure Mercedes-Benz will offer such niceties in their next generation S-Class, the reality is the current model is still one of the most expensive in its class and its all M-B has to sell us for the time being. To sum up, while the 2004 model is still competitive, its high time a replacement model comes along.