The measure of luxury used to be amenities — things like climate control air conditioning, leather seats (heated, even) and, of course, power everything.
The problem for luxury car makers is that everyone else has those things now, too. Even $20,000 new cars usually come standard with most of those things. At the $30,000 point, they’re almost a given, as hubcaps being a part of the deal were … 30 years ago.
Today, luxury cars are defined as much by their technology, and the just-redesigned Mercedes S-Class sedan has more of that than almost any other car.
What It Is
The S500 — and its bigger-engine sibling, the S580 — are the ultimate in luxury and technology available from Mercedes-Benz.
Well, shy of the ultra-luxury Maybach Benzes …
Both versions of the S-Class sedan are full-size sedans that come standard with items that aren’t generally optional in lesser cars, including door pulls that flush mount until the car senses your approach and then surface to meet your hand, and offer amenities such as a 30-speaker Burmester audio system with 4D resonators and rear-wheel steering.
The main difference between the S500, which stickers for $109,800 to start, and the $116,300 to start S580 is their powerplants.
If you opt for the S500, you’ll get a twin-turbo V6/mild hybrid combo; the S580 comes with a turbocharged V8, also paired with the mild-hybrid system.
Both cars come standard with Mercedes’ 4-Matic AWD system.
What’s New
The S-Class gets subtle styling revisions and major technology revisions, including a new 12.8-inch Organic LED touch screen, through which most of the car’s secondary systems are controlled. Many of these can also be voice-controlled by asking the car to perform the function desired, such as turning on the massaging seats or finding the type of music you’d like to hear the Burmester 30-speaker stereo play.
What’s Good
Lots of tech to justify the price.
More power without less mileage.
Traditionally stately elegance that manages to look modern, too.
What’s Not So Good
Only a six in a six-figure sedan?
Hybrid gear adds to the cost.
Compact-sized (12.9 cubic feet) trunk.
Under The Hood
The new S is a bigger car than it was previously, but its standard engine — a 3.0-liter in-line six — hasn’t gotten any larger.
But it is stronger — without being thirstier.
These two seemingly mutually exclusive attributes have been reconciled by adding a flywheel-mounted starter/generator to the back of the engine — in between it and the nine-speed automatic transmission — that’s used to gently and unobtrusively cycle the six off when its power isn’t needed.
Output increases to 429 horsepower from 362 previously. There is also a slight bump up in fuel efficiency, to 20 city and 29 highway from the previous 19 city, 28 highway.
The optional engine is also the same engine as last year’s optional engine — a 4.0-liter V8, augmented by turbocharging — and is supplemented by the same flywheel starter/generator system and 48-volt electrics used with the six.
Even more power is summoned: 496 horsepower now vs. 463 from just the V8 last year. The V8’s mileage also stays about the same despite the power uptick: 17 city, 25 highway now vs. 17 city, 27 highway previously.
On The Road
The S500 can travel some 640 highway miles on a full tank of gas — easily twice as far as the farthest-traveling electric car. When it runs out of range, the wait to get going again is less than five minutes practically anywhere vs. at least 30-45 minutes, if you can find what are hilariously styled “fast” chargers.
If not, the wait will be several hours, which isn’t very luxurious.
There are other aspects of luxury worth covering besides not having to stop — and still being able to go. These mild-hybridized S sedans are nearly as quick as their bigger V8- and much bigger V12 -powered antecedents, while not using as much gas as they did.
At The Curb
The best seats in the house are arguably the back seats, especially if the S is ordered with the executive package, which adds massagers and heaters to the rear seats. But even if not, they are the place to be on account of there being more room in the back (43.8 inches of legroom) than in the already exceptionally roomy front.
Pillows for all four seats are standard.
The Rest
There is one thing about this large car that’s surprisingly small: the trunk.
Pop it and you’ll find a mere 12.9 cubic feet of space, which isn’t much space — especially for a car this large. The S has a trunk about the same size as many compact-size cars and smaller than most current midsize cars, which typically have 14-15 cubic feet, at least.
The Bottom Line
Luxury is no longer as much about the usual amenities — or engines. It takes something more, and something less, to keep up with the changes.
View the Mercedes S-Class this week.
Eric’s latest book, “Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong,” will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Mercedes S-Class this week.
