PRE-OWNED WHEELS
2007-13 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Residing at the top of the heap has its advantages. The view is spectacular, the air is rarefied and your station in society’s pecking order is tacitly broadcast.
Such is life with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It has long been synonymous with lavish luxury, granite-like durability and a presence that telegraphs power and privilege as effectively as an Ottawa Senators’ luncheon.
Still, the big sedan had its critics, who called it bloated, sedate and unadventurous.
In the growing $100,000-plus automobile segment, Mercedes recognized it could no longer coast on its storied reputation. Configuration For its fifth generation, the 2007 SClass was cast longer and wider — dimensions emphasized by its swept-back greenhouse and pronounced fender flares, lending it a muscular look.
Canadians got a special shortwheelbase S450 4MATIC entry-level model. With a few inches excised from the wheelbase, the car’s proportions looked slightly more sporting — not a bad thing when your competitors are the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8.
The S450 received the 4.7-L chip off the all-aluminum, 382-hp 5.5-L V8 that powered the S550. The smaller V8 made 335 hp directed through the standard 4MATIC permanent all-wheel-drive system. The S range also offered a 6.2-L V8 with 518 hp underfoot.
All the V8s benefited from fourvalve-per-cylinder heads and a silky seven-speed automatic transmission.
For power that corrupts absolutely, there were two twin-turbo V12s available: a 5.5-L making 510 hp and a 6.0-L with 603 hp. The V12s made do with three valves per cylinder and a stout five-speed autobox. The torque-rich turbo engines spun the rear tires only.
What S-Class owners especially appreciated were the sumptuous delights behind the flagship’s vault-like doors. The vast cabin space was so well-insulated that the horn was a muted, distant trumpet. There was plenty of space for five adults reclining on thrones so decadent a Quaker would have to excuse himself.
The front seats came standard in heated leather and were customizable in 12 power-adjustable directions.
Optional was Drive-Dynamic seating that incorporated seven massage chambers and four program settings. “You have to be careful not to fall asleep when the massage is on,” fretted one owner online.
Accessing the cornucopia of seat functions, heating and cooling preferences, entertainment, navigation and telephone operations was accomplished through Mercedes’ COMAND interface, which worked more intuitively than BMW’s bedevilled iDrive.
Mercedes’ Q-ship has always debuted clever road-going technology. Its adaptive cruise control maintained a set distance away from the vehicle ahead while cruising, braking and accelerating, while Night View Assist featured an infrared dashboard display that picked out nonreflective objects at night.
The S-Class earned a mild restyling for 2010.
The big news was the addition of the S400 BlueHybrid, which used a lithium-ion battery small enough to reside under the hood instead of in the trunk.
A turbodiesel returned to the SClass for the first time in 21 years with the 2012 S350 Bluetec. On the road The S550 was quick, taking 5.3 seconds to attain 96 km/h. For the chronically impatient, the 510-hp S600 could accomplish the task in an astounding 4.2 seconds — as quick as a Lamborghini.
The big Benz came to a stop equally well, taking 49 fade-free metres to scrub off 112 km/h.
The S-Class drives more nimbly than its portly curb weight would suggest.
Adaptive damping and active body control kept cornering attitudes flat, without compromising ride quality.
Fuel economy is better than anyone might rightfully expect.
The transmission has the engine turning at under 1500 r.p.m. around town to save gas.
The V8s typically return 16.5 L/100 km, leaving money on the table for Costco runs. What owners say Mercedes set the bar impossibly high when it re-engineered its flagship sedan and buyers largely found the car met their equally lofty expectations. Online remarks are filled with superlatives and gushing testimonials. At the same time, the high praise is clouded by some unsettling accounts of mechanical failures. A few transmissions, particularly among early 2007 models, exhibited truculent behaviour that led to replacement. and broken engine mounts were concerns. Add to that sundry electrical glitches, fluid leaks, worn suspension bits, drivetrain vibration and some air conditioning failures, and the world’s benchmark automobile starts to sound a little, well, normal. Until you drive one. We would like to know about your ownership experience with these models: Ford Taurus, Hyundai Tucson and Audi A4. Email: Toljagic@ca.inter.net.