Parents prefer small class sizes to large class sizes in their childrens’ learning institutions because instructors are free to spend more one-on-one time with students when they have 10 pupils rather than 30. All things considered equal, as the students from the small schools with limited class sizes mature, they leap ahead of peers from large schools with overflowing class rooms, attending advanced placement courses in gifted child programs, landing scholarships to Ivy League colleges, and launching more lucrative careers with Fortune 500 companies. Then they buy Mercedes-Benz S-Classes, an icon of achievement which competes in a small class of premium luxury
, and with its 2007 redesign sits right up front, the apple of every engineer’s eye.
It would be easy to dismiss the Mercedes-Benz S-Class’s near perfection, considering the $104,475 price tag on the window sticker of our S550 test car. After all, for that kind of money, a car should be as close to perfect as possible. During the same week we drove the S-Class, however, we also had a
in the parking lot, vehicles priced more than double and triple, respectively, the price of our S550. Yet, the Mercedes was the best car of the trio. It was more comfortable, more pleasing to drive, and more sophisticated. It lacked the old-world British charm of the Bentley and Roller, sure, but the quality of the Benz’s materials was nevertheless up to par with both of the more expensive machines.
Let’s not discount the S550’s direct competitors, either. Lexus has a new LS sedan rolling into showrooms this fall, and it features some slick technology not found on the Mercedes, not to mention it will be available in hybrid form and likely priced below our test S-Class’s six-figure price tag. BMW, too, has a new 7 Series sedan in the works for the 2008 model year. Audi’s beautiful A8 is no slouch, and Jaguar’s XJ provides premium
buyers with the same English character that Bentley and Rolls-Royce possess – just dialed down a few notches.
last January in Arizona, and you can read his story for all the specifics on key technologies like Night View Assist and updated features like Distronic Plus and Pre-Safe. What you need to know is that the 2007 S-Class is completely redesigned, is chock-full of all the latest high-tech features in the Mercedes-Benz arsenal, and is on sale now in S550 and S600 styles. People who enjoy driving might wish to wait for the upcoming S65 AMG, which gets a full sport-tuned tweaking including a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 engine making 604-horsepower and 738 lb.-ft. of torque. If sublime cruising is the preferred method of travel, the S550 gets a 382-horsepower, 5.5-liter V8 while the S600 receives a 510-horsepower, 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12. Based on our test drive, the S600 and S65 AMG are overkill, because the S550’s engine is more than powerful enough.
That’s the model we drove, with a base sticker price of $87,175 including the $775 destination charge and a $1,000 gas guzzler tax. The EPA says the S550 will get 16 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway: we averaged 16.1 mpg during a week of driving the car all around the Los Angeles and Orange County regions. Our Mercedes-Benz S550 was loaded with just about every factory option, for an as-tested price of $104,475.
That included the Premium II Package ($2,850) with heated and active ventilated front seats, Sirius satellite radio, Parktronic park assist, and Keyless Go locking and ignition. Our car also had the Rear Seat Package ($2,900) with heated and active ventilated power rear seats, and a four-zone climate control system. Additional features on our test car were an Active Body Control active suspension that automatically limits body pitch, dive, and roll ($3,900); Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic ($2,850); and Drive Dynamic multi-contour front seats with four-stage massage function that has side bolsters that automatically inflate when the car is turning to add support for the driver and front passenger ($1,800). Rounding out the list of options on our test S550 were a panoramic sunroof ($1,000), power side window sun blinds ($700), a wood-and-leather steering wheel ($550), and a rearview monitor ($750).
PerformanceLush usually describes thick green vegetation, Fantasy Suites at the Palms Casino, or people who drink too much alcohol, but it’s the word that comes to mind when considering the powertrain in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s vivid, it’s luxuriant, it’s smoother than Glenlivet. Quiet, fluid power flows from the 5.5-liter V8, the automatic transmission shifting flawlessly between its seven forward gears. Throttle tip-in is soft, perfect when chauffeuring heads of state or sleeping children, but the Benz rises to any occasion with a heavy dip into the throttle. Mercedes says that the S550 will get from rest to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds.
HandlingGermans drive very fast on the Autobahn, which is why German cars so deftly blend handling capability and ride quality into a single package – if they want return customers, it is a requirement. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class will go very fast and feel very capable, but handling is not the standard S550’s forte. The optional Active Body Control suspension feels a bit unnatural at times, the 18-inch 255/45 Continental ContiTouring Contact tires squeal when taxed, and the steering can suddenly stiffen too much when bending into a curve. Technology is not this car’s friend. Good thing this Mercedes produces vault-like silence on the open road, where it’s most comfortable. Note that there is an optional AMG Sport Package available for the S550, including 19-inch wheels and tires and a body kit. The wider rubber should help handling, the body kit not so much.
VisibilityThe Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a large car, but it offers terrific outward visibility and a surprisingly svelte turning radius to make maneuvering in tight quarters relatively simple. The side mirrors could stand to be larger for better visibility in blind spots and for lane changes, and the rear roof pillars are predictably thick, but otherwise there are no problems with visibility. The three-pointed star hood ornament helps the driver judge the front end, the folding rear headrests don’t block the view of traffic, the optional reversing camera shows what’s behind the car and the trajectory of the wheels, and an available park assist system helps to keep the bumpers in like-new condition.
Fun to DriveExtremely enjoyable to drive, the Mercedes-Benz S550 is a cruiser, not a carver. It doesn’t like to be treated as a sports sedan, so if slamming down a favorite country road is high on the list of priorities, choose a different car or spend extra for the upcoming S65 AMG. The standard S550 is an excellent cruiser, a terrific car for the day-to-day grind, a luxury suite on wheels, a little soft around the edges but our pick for almost any road trip anywhere.
Front ComfortMercedes has nailed comfort in the 2007 S550 – at least when you load up with the Drive Dynamic multi-contour front seats and the Premium II Package. Plush, supportive Drive Dynamic front seats feature heating, cooling, and massage, and are covered in gorgeous, soft leather. Entry and exit are not a problem, and there are soothing armrests for elbows. When sitting in the sun, the S-Class never gets too hot, and the climate system is able to rapidly cool the interior.
Rear ComfortAs pleasurable as it is to sit in the front chairs, the rear seats are fantastic – especially when the Rear Seat Package and the optional power side sun blinds are ordered. Side and rear window shades block the sun or prying eyes, and the optional panoramic glass sunroof is exposed with the touch of a button. There’s plenty of leg and foot room, and with the Rear Seat Package the outboard seating positions feature individual controls for recline, height and thigh support adjustments. The S-Class is also available with a four-zone climate control system in the Rear Seat Package, so each rear outboard passenger can set his own preferences. The only complaint we have is with how heavy and wide the rear doors are, but then, chances are good that someone else is going to open that door for any rear seat occupants, whether a valet or chauffer.
Interior NoiseOn any road surface, and at any speed we drove, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was utterly silent. The most obvious aural annoyance was the climate fan, and even that is hushed. Truly amazing.
Loading CargoOpening and closing the power trunk is easy, and loading your Louis Vuitton luggage through the large opening is no problem, thanks in part to the low liftover height. And if you just dropped by Trader Joe’s for some Two Buck Chuck and few bags of organic whatever, Mercedes provides twin drop-down hooks to ensure that your groceries don’t roll all over the cargo compartment. The trunk is richly finished, with a shallow underfloor storage tray. The only thing we can’t figure is why the sill is dressed in black plastic rather than a classy strip of aluminum.
Build QualityOne area where Mercedes-Benz could improve the new S-Class is with regard to build quality. Grab the gauge shroud, and it will flex and creak like a $15,000 econocar. Also, the plastic panels over the rearview mirror were cheap and flexible on our test car. Panel gaps were a bit wider than expected, but did display flushness of fit and uniformity throughout. On the outside, the hood on our S550 was tweaked to the left, we spotted minor trunk gap variance at the lower edge of the taillights, and there were minor front door alignment issues with the bright greenhouse trim. As with the interior, some exterior panel gaps were wider than expected for the class.
Materials QualitySome of the plastics that Mercedes uses in less obvious parts of the interior – the seat base trim, the interior of the center console lid, the vanity mirror surrounds – could be nicer to see and touch. Some of the controls have a hard, cold feel rather than a soft, dampened response to the touch, such as the headlight switch, but this is a typical German trait more than anything else. Otherwise, the S550’s interior materials are terrific, with plenty of gorgeous leather, rich wood, and solid metal detailing.
StylingControversy. Prince knows about it. BMW design chief Chris Bangle knows about it. And now the Mercedes-Benz S-Class shows that Dr. Z knows about it, too. Dr. Z is Dieter Zetsche, recently appointed to run Mercedes-Benz after a successful stint as the head guy at Chrysler, and while he inherited this design when he took his new gig, there’s no denying that the S-Class is a departure from the norm. Some of our staff members liked it, other didn’t, and we all think the fender swells look too much like a seven-year-old
Ford Focus. In front, the S-Class has a menacing grin. In profile, the car looks too long for its proportions and the wheels look too small. In back, there’s a hint of the bustle butt that drew critics’ ire on the BMW 7 Series.
Inside, the S-Class is near perfection, the only oddities being the phone pod that doubles as a wrist rest when fiddling with the Comand controller and the column of buttons stashed between the gauge cluster and the infotainment screen. The simple, elegant, analog clock looks like an expensive timepiece, and the cabin has an air of simplicity despite inherent complexity. At night, soft, warm, amber backlighting glows from the wood trim. Yummy.
StorageFor such a large car, places to stash things are lacking. But then again, people who buy a $100,000 luxury sedan probably just get new stuff when they reach their destination. The S-Class has a large glove box, card clips on the visors, storage boxes built into the forward edges of the seat bases, and a shallow center console. Each door gets a pocket, but they are hard to reach. In back, there are two pockets on the front seatbacks, and the center armrest opens to reveal a storage bin.
Infotainment Controls The new Comand system in the
2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a huge improvement over the confusing setup in the previous car, and though it takes cues from BMW’s iDrive arrangement, it’s much more intuitive to use if not easier. Why these German luxury car manufacturers see fit to provide a full array of climate control hard keys on the dash but integrate stereo functions with the navigation system is beyond me. Mercedes also improves on BMW design with a better-integrated CD changer that is hidden in the center of the instrument panel behind a door, and includes a slot for media cards. If you can remember the correct menu, Mercedes makes it very easy to set radio preferences, program the navigation system, cancel route guidance, and zoom the map. I was able to make this car function without looking at the owner’s manual, which means the technology is getting easier or I’m acclimating to it better.
Climate ControlsWould you look at that row of beautiful, simple, elegant climate controls spread across the center part of the Mercedes-Benz S550’s dashboard? Designers have taken what is normally an unsightly group of buttons and turned them into a defining characteristic of the car. Now, if I could just get another row of these for the stereo functions…
Secondary ControlsElegance seems to take precedence over functionality when it comes to some of the secondary controls on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Too many buttons crowd the Comand controller, and the “return” button should be on the far left to make it easier for the driver to find without taking her eyes off the road. Shown here are the seat controls on the driver’s door panel, bathed in the S550’s unique ambient interior lighting.
Second OpinionsMercedes-Benz S-Class – Thom Blackett’s Opinion:
Upon my return to the office after an hour-long drive in the 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550, a few thoughts ran through my head. One: I’ve never had aspirations of elevating my career to management or CEO status, but if this kind of car is the payoff I might have to reevaluate my life plan. Two: a few minutes behind the wheel of this superb machine could possibly straighten out any wayward teen, pointing him in the direction of hard work and success. Three: this is yet another reminder of how woefully inadequate my bank account is.
Coming in at just under $105,000, our S550 test car was a helluva pricey ride, but I’m venturing out on a limb to suggest that it’s worth it. The ride is the quietest I’ve ever experienced; the power adjustable seats, with heating and cooling up front, are extremely comfortable; the interior is almost completely wrapped in soft leather and plastics, with only a few hard bits reserved for the lower door panels and seat frames; the central instrument control is easy to use, putting BMW’s iDrive to shame; the rear seating area is cavernous; and the powertrain is sublime.
However, no car is free of faults, including the 2007 S550. Sport mode must be selected for decent throttle response (comfort mode is slow to deliver power); more exhaust noise needs to be allowed into the cabin when the driver is really on the gas; the steering is weighted nicely yet is slow to return to center at times; the trunk is surprisingly small; and though the suspension keeps the S550 solid in corners, the tires squeal with little provocation. And don’t forget the styling – some love it, others don’t. Consider me among the latter, mainly because of what I see as an odd trunk design, which by the way, features uncharacteristically wide gaps.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class – Brian Chee’s Opinion:
Anything that grabs you by the hips as you travel around a corner should have a name. Anything that reveals the difference between successful – and smart people who are also successful – deserves a name. Not a designation, like S550. That’s too cold and calculating for a vehicle that almost earns the 100 grand you’ll pay for it, thanks to a trunk load of technology (see that seat gripper) and a powertrain that is meticulously tuned for the right kind of people.
Smooth and strong, the Mercedes-Benz S550 takes the 382 horsepower it gets from its 5.5-liter V8 engine and delivers acceleration exactly as you want it – carefully, or brutally fast. On the other side of the equation, the brakes grab those wheels and hang on tight, scrubbing off speed quickly – maybe too quickly – and reacting in a strong, sure-handed way. Handling was crisp for the kind of car, though the tires cried out when pushed a little, and there was some detectable body lean. Inside the cabin, it’s the best of Teutonic luxury. Seats are what you’d expect from this type of a car, with more ways to hold or comfort you than one would ever use. As for the rest of the cabin, really, from trim to finish, there’s a lot to love and to appreciate, from the way things
feel at your fingertips to the way they operate.
Among the three expensive vehicles we had at Autobytel the week the Benz was with us, the S550 may not have felt as luxurious, or as esteemed, as the Bentley or Rolls-Royce. But it sure felt like the best value – and the last time I checked, even wealthy people like the notion of getting more. Now, about that name…
Mercedes-Benz S-Class – Ron Perry’s Opinion:
I’m still having difficulty getting past the styling of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, but the rest of the car’s characteristics more than make up for the lack of good looks. The S550 combines comfort and luxury with enough drivability to still be a driver’s car. Acceleration and handling are excellent for such a big car and if you decide to partake in assertive driving, the seats fight the forces of inertia to keep you upright and centered. If you choose to cruise, the quiet cabin, air-conditioned seats with massage and stellar audio system will add greatly to your journey. Need more toys? Pop for Distronic Plus and Night Vision. Materials and build quality are top notch, as expected for a car topping $100,000. It’s hard to imagine anyone needing more than the Mercedes-Benz S550 has to offer. It is, simply, at the top of its segment.
SpecificationsTest Vehicle: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550
Price of Test Vehicle: $104,475 (including $775 destination charge and $1,000 gas guzzler tax)
Engine Size and Type: 5.5-liter V8
Engine Horsepower: 382 at 6,000 rpm
Engine Torque: 391 between 2,800 and 4,000 rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed adaptive automatic
Curb weight, lbs.: 4,270
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 16/24
Observed Fuel Economy: 16.1 mpg
Length: 205.0 inches
Width: 83.3 inches
Wheelbase: 124.5 inches
Height: 58.0 inches
Leg room (front/rear): 41.9/42.3 inches
Head room (front/rear): 37.8/38.5 inches
Max. Seating Capacity: Five
Max. Cargo Volume: 19.8 cu.-ft.
Competitors: Audi A8 L, BMW 750i,
Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas,
Lexus LS 460Photos by Ron Perry
