2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet Road Test and Review

2017 Mercedes Benz S class Cabriolet profile ・ Photo by Mercedes-Benz

There are few bloodlines, if any, in the automotive world that can match Mercedes-Benz’s vaunted S-Class family. It is opulence incarnate. The brains in Stuttgart have taken the somewhat nebulous concept of luxury and acutely manifested it in leather, fine wood, aluminum and carbon fiber. Then they loaded it with more technology than a Navy frigate. Step into an S-Class — any one of them, of which there are now six — and you immerse yourself in a world of the highest tier. The cabin just smells like money – literally, of crisp, freshly minted $100 bills. It’s an olfactory mélange of money, leather and mahogany. What you might imagine Sumner Redstone’s office might smell like.   

Inspiration

In 2016, no other manufacturer will offer as many convertible options as Daimler — from the cheapest droptop in America (Smart’s Fortwo Cabrio) to one of the most expensive (this S-Class Cabrio). For the S-Class Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz designers took the 2-door S-Class Coupé as the base vehicle and expertly removed the steel roof, replacing it with a collapsible soft-top. It is the first convertible S-Class in 45 years, which in and of itself makes the Cabrio a landmark vehicle. To experience this roofless S-Class in its natural environment, we flew to Nice, France, where the broad, sweeping boulevards and sun kissed coasts of the Cote d’Azur allowed the smooth running land yacht to stretch its legs.

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Trim Levels

Following the Saloon, Long Wheelbase, Coupé, Maybach and Maybach Pullman limousine, now comes the sixth variant of the vaunted S-Class family: the Cabriolet. As previously stated, this is the first convertible S-Class in 45 years and offers open air motoring in a truly spectacular 4-seat setup. While the Coupé on which it is based features decent enough room for rear passengers, the lack of roof on the Cabrio makes the back seat even more comfortable for adults (with the top down, of course). It shares about 60% of its body with the Coupé, but adds an aluminum rear floor for the first time in a S-Class. Not only does this piece enhance stiffness and structure to the droptop, but the lightweight material also cuts precious pounds — a premium in convertibles which tend to gain weight quick when compared to their fixed roof brethren. There are three options of the droptop 4-seater coming to America: the base S550, and two AMG modified versions: the V8-powered S63 and the rare V12-powered S65. How rare, you ask? So rare we weren’t even afforded the opportunity to test one.  

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Design

Any Benz worked on under the auspice of Head Designer Gorden Wagener is all but guaranteed to work aesthetically. The S-Class Coupé is not only one of the better-looking vehicles to wear a Tristar, but it is also one of the most alluring fullsize coupes on the market. The S-Class Cabrio, however, has a bit more of a challenge. With the roof exorcised, the silhouette loses its windswept profile, looking a bit like it's been scalped by an angry Bavarian. But what it loses in aesthetic purity it gains in open-air driving pleasures. There are fine Benz touches throughout, like a black diamond grille, horizontal LED taillights, a low greenhouse, two tailpipe trims, 19-inch alloy rims and an optional Intelligent Light System that features LED headlamps and direction lights fitted with actual Swarovski crystals. Yes, real Swarovski crystals. There are 14 paint finishes and four soft-top colors (black, dark blue, beige and dark red) to mix and match. Ours had a gorgeous matte gunmetal finish, with a burgundy cap. The combo was elegant, yet slightly menacing.

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Luxury

This is the S-Class, so what do you expect? While more expensive luxo-barges might exist with Bentley or Rolls-Royce badges on the hood, nothing epitomizes luxury quite like Mercedes-Benz’s flagship vehicle. Merc sells more S-Classes in the US than BMW, Audi, Lexus and Jaguar sell 7-Series, A8s, LSs and XJs combined. In this rarefied stratosphere, popularity is akin to anointment. Mercedes-Benz claim they have built the “world’s most comfortable convertible,” and although it is a vague boast, it is also a bold one. And difficult to argue, although the Bentley GTC and Rolls-Royce Dawn might have something to say in the matter. Regardless, the Cabriolet’s interior is hard to beat.

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Luxury (continued)

There is buttery soft Designo Nappa leather swaddled throughout, from the seats to the doors and across the wide dashboard. The seats alone are a thing of beauty: impeccably stitched with perforated leather, each bucket flaunts more detailing than a $15,000 coat at Barneys. One word of note: the seats on the AMG cars are very tightly bolstered. If comfort is your priority, then the S550 is probably your best bet. There’s also a ridiculous amount of tech charged with keeping temperature just right — so you can drive the S-Cabrio in chilly autumn weather, top down, and still feel like you’re rolling in the French Riviera. If that’s not true luxury — the very domination of nature — I’m not sure what is. But more on that later. There’s also a standard Burmester sound system, as well as a 1,540-watt/24-speaker upgrade.

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AIRMATIC Suspension

What lends the S-Cabrio its comfort more than any other technology is the AIRMATIC semi-active air suspension. The system features infinitely variable damping, so the Cabrio can be set to waft over potholes and speedbumps with nary a jiggle of your cranium, or be tightened up for a sportier performance-oriented mode with less roll. Combined with the long 117-inch wheelbase, the end result is a terminally comfortable boulevard cruiser.

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Convertible

With a pull of the switch on the center console, the driver can open or close the ragtop at speeds up to 37 mph. It takes about 20 seconds for either direction, in a complex movement that neatly tucks the cloth in a designated space in the trunk. When down, the rim around the cabin is elegantly crowned in a shiny chrome ring that brings a sense of cohesiveness to the design. As for the roof itself, it is made from 3-layer acoustic canvas engineered to keep the cabin as quiet as possible — a challenge for most soft-top vehicles. Double glazed windows (including the rear glass window) and specially sealed doors further block out wind and road noise to preserve the hardtop S-Class’s world-class cabin serenity. Benz engineers claim the Cabrio with the top up is as quiet as the Coupé. Impressive.

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Powertrain Options

There are three engines available in the S-Class Cabriolet, and two transmissions. The “base” Mercedes S550 is paired with a biturbo 4.7-liter V8 generating 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a smooth 9-speed “9G-TRONIC” automatic transmission that optimizes fuel efficiency. The AMG S63 is powered by a much more punishing 5.5-liter V8 with 577 burly horses and 664 pound-feet of torque. At the top of the range rules the V12-powered AMG S65, with 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque boiling from its twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter lump. Both of the AMGs come with Benz’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive, favoring a 67/33 rear/front power split for a more sporty RWD driving dynamic. Instead of the 9-speed tranny on the S550, both AMG vehicles feature a quick-shifting 7-speed auto with paddle shifters.

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Safety Technology

Like the Saloon that launched the latest volley of S-Classes, the new Cabriolet is loaded with safety tech and assistance systems engineered not only to ease the labor of commuting but also to save lives. There’s the litany of proprietary Benz tech in their “Intelligent Drive” systems that reads like a alien shopping list: PRE-SAFE Brake with pedestrian detection, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Brake Assist BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus, etc. What this means is the S-Class Cabrio can do all sorts of things: nudge you to keep you in your lane, detect pedestrians crossing your way (and brake accordingly), allow you to see via infrared night vision (e.g. road hazards, upcoming corners, people, animals, etc), and it can sense a collision coming from ahead and brake from speeds as low as 3 mph. Their PRE-SAFE PLUS system also recognizes the possibility of a rear-end collision and warns those following you by quickly flashing the rear hazard warning lights. If the car behind you doesn’t slow sufficiently, the S-Class Cabrio acknowledges this and prepares for a rear-end collision by locking the brakes and tightening your belt straps, all to limit whiplash.

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Warm in Any Weather

What’s the fun in having a 6-figure convertible if you can only use it when it’s warm out? Merc made sure to outfit its flagship convertible with plenty of ways to stay toasty, even in chilly weather with the top down. We already mentioned the Aircap system that keeps air flowing around and outside the cabin, but other touches include heated seats, armrests and steering wheel, plus the famous Airscarf — vents that blow warm air onto your neck from the headrests. The seats and Airscarf are standard, the others come with the Warmth Comfort package. Something called the Thermotronic intelligent climate control uses 12 sensors and 18 actuators to keep the temperature in the S-Class Cabrio eerily consistent. It judges sunlight, humidity, exterior temperature and whether the top is up or down to calculate the climate, and automatically adjusts without any human interaction. It has two different climate zones, can set the footwell temperature between five levels, and blows the air in three different manners (diffuse, medium and focused). Who knew blowing hot air could be so difficult?

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