2007 Mercedes S Class Review

Specifications

The Mothership Has Landed

For the sake of my own journalistic integrity, I am going to attempt to refrain from any excessive sarcasm or gratuitous mockery of so revered an institution as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. And by institution I am not referring to its massive size or the multitude of features with which it sells, but rather the esteem and respect it garners on all avenues and boulevards.

The previous S-Class was widely lauded as a machine designed with a large measure of classic tastefulness. It was a bridge to distinguished limos of the three-pointed star marques past, like the 1963 600 or the mid-50s 300D, with technological innovations fit to usher in a new millennium.

The millennium is now past and Mercedes is looking to continue a longstanding tradition of innovation while maintaining a historical connection with over a century of car building and design. As even Mercedes designers will point out, theirs is an evolutionary progress.

“An exorbitantly luxurious car, designed, as rumor had it, to outclass everything that had been available to ambitious customers all over the world in the category of top-notch limousines.”

Thats a quote from the Mercedes-Benz history site about the release of the much-anticipated 600 limo in 1963, also available at the time in regular and long-wheelbase versions. It seems that DaimlerChrysler has carried forward those same principles and pulled out all the stops for the brand new 2007 S-Class. Those stops include Brake Assist PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS, second-generation PRE-SAFE, as well as various other features that have nothing to do with stopping.

Before I get to all the different ways the S-Class keeps itself from getting scratched or dented, I will give a little rundown of its newfound design. Though many will mourn the passing of the previous models elegant curves, Mercedes is applying many of the same techniques and stylistic themes they have already applied across their model range. The dominant features to my eyes are big flared wheel arches on all four corners, recalling the floating fenders of the 30s without going back in time.

One of the defining features of all new Mercedes-Benz designs is the arcing beltline crease. In the case of the S it originates from above of the front wheel arches, runs along the bottom of the windows and D-pillar all the way back to seperate the rear taillight clusters and the trunk. The side panels are relatively uninterrupted, allowing a feel of substantial mass, and combined with edges in the fascia and grille and sharper headlight shapes give the S-Class an overall high-tech look, as opposed to its predecessors sinuous, sporting demeanor.

Now that Ive given word to certain features that caught my eye, Ill tell you about the foremost technological advancements of Mercedes flagship sedan. Most of these features pertain to the cars various safety systems that help keep it from colliding with other vehicles.

The first and most critical to Mercedes are the capabilities of the new radar system, which works in concert with several of the cars programs to maintain the integrity of the S-Class in various situations. Distronic Plus is Mercedes adaptive cruise control, which allows the driver to maintain a constant distance from the vehicle in front. In city-driving conditions, Distronic Plus teams up with Brake Assist Plus to monitor proximity to surrounding cars. If the sensors anticipate a collision, they will automatically apply appropriate brake pressure even if the driver does not. In ideal circumstances this will greatly reduce the occurrence of rear-end collisions.

Park Assist also makes use of the S-Class 24 GHz radar system, housing sensors within the front and rear bumpers to avoid those unsightly little divots on your bumpers. Park Assist will alert the driver when he or she gets too close, helping prevent any unintended kisses with other parked cars.

The last line of defense is a collision prep system designated PRE-SAFE. This electronic program combines information from the radar sensors, as well as sensors monitoring the new sedans braking and speed levels and rates, and if it determines that a collision is inevitable it will initialize all the safety systems. Seat belts are tightened, the seats themselves readjust to better protect the occupant, windows and sunroof are automatically closed to provide the passengers with the best possible protection in the event that there actually is an accident.

The last and definitely the coolest of the new S-Class technologies is the Infra-Red Night Vision. The car has a pair of special headlamps that project infra-red light at the road ahead and a camera mounted onboard records the reflections and displays them on a view screen as a highly detailed black and white image. You cant get any cooler without being a black-ops Navy SEAL. Mercedes claims this system can increase a drivers night-time vision range by up to about 500 feet. Incidentally, Cadillac sold a similar system fitted to their outgoing DeVille DTS, developed by Raytheon, which has now been discontinued.

All this safety gear will only go so far to reassure buyers that their cars will keep them safe in an accident, but most of the people who have the kind of money that it will take to get into a new S-Class want some serious performance to match. In this department Mercedes also proves to be ahead of the game. The base S-Class in North America will be the S500, with a massively revised new-generation 8-cylinder powerplant featuring increased displacement, variable valve timing and lightweight components to increase efficiency. It is a 5.5-liter V8 capable of producing 388-horsepower, and thats just for starters. Next up is the S600 with a 5.5-liter, bi-turbocharged V12 for some amazing grunt and a total of 517-horsepower. Though nothing has been announced yet, its only reasonable to assume that the AMG engineers will eventually get their hands on the S and drop in a supercharged V8 and even a “kompressor” V12, the latter good for over 600-horsepower. Okay maybe thats not reasonable, but cmon, reasonable isnt what AMG is all about.

Transmissions will start and end with their sophisticated 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox. As implied by the name there are seven forward gears that, if so inclined, you can pick through on your own using its manual mode with buttons on the back of the steering wheel for fingertip operation. Also new, the transmission is controlled by a stalk on the right side of the steering column, so be careful in rainy weather if youre used to having windshield wiper controls there. The best feature about 7G-Tronic is its driver adaptive capability, meaning that it will match your mood and driving style whether in a hurry to make it to the opera before the curtain goes up or if just cruising around the countryside for some fresh air.

Though its not new, the S will feature the Airmatic suspension system, which can be adjusted to either a sport or comfort setting to suit your driving tastes and inclinations at the moment. In Sport mode, over and above stiffer settings the car lowers by 0.8 inches when driving at speeds in excess of 75 mph.

Keeping everything copasetic is an infinitely adjustable drivers seat. Mercedes dubs it a Drive Dynamic seat because it contains more than ten pneumatic chambers to bolster, cushion and support all areas of a persons derriere and delicate back. Add to that a pulsating massage function provided by another set of fourteen little inflatable fingers and youll be grinning all the way home.

Of course, no Mercedes would be complete without a fabulously styled interior, and the new S is no exception. Not only is it up to Mercedes usual levels of taste and refinement, but the interior is significantly more spacious thanks to a longer wheelbase for both regular and long-wheelbase models. A variety of materials will no doubt be available, but count on long swaths of wood, pliant leather and an open airy cabin as seen in press photos.

The one touchy subject will, of course, be the electronic interface, known to Mercedes-Benz faithful as COMAND. Using the large rotating knob beneath the 7.9-inch screen, the driver or passenger must navigate the digital “web” of functions and applications that cosset the truly pampered. Im sure dealers will be willing to offer a tutorial on the merits of such functionality and the simplicity of the interface, but Mercedes has thoughtfully included redundant manual controls for most items, for those who choose not to be bothered. And for the truly extroverted, voice commands are also an available option.

So will it be the best car in the world? No doubt there will be many to affirm Mercedes bragging rights. The new S-Class looks the part of 21st-century conqueror, dominating the brands lineup with its new-edge design. It has all the safety and luxury trappings that one would expect for over $70K. And theres the rub. Do you have $70,000 in your savings, or the credit to back it up? Not many do, but since 1998 over 480,000 people around the world have made the leap, and surely during the lifespan of this sedan, many more will prove with their hard-earned or inherited money that the S is still king of the full-size luxury class.