‘Training’ the driver towards wellness
A series of running changes simply add to the appeal of what many consider to be the world’s best luxury car, reports Rob Maetzig.
You don’t just drive a Mercedes-benz S-class, you know. What you do is experience it. Ever since the first-generation model was launched way back in 1972, the German luxury sedan known as the Sanderklasse, or ‘‘special class’’, has been a world leader in the introduction of luxury and safety innovations that have quickly made their way down to the lesser models that we all drive.
This is why this Mercedes-benz is considered by many experts to be the best car in the world. Even at its so-called entry level the big sedan is absolutely loaded with specification that is all there to make the journey as luxurious and as safe as possible.
And there’s no better example than an updated version of the current sixth-generation S-class, just arrived in New Zealand.
How about this then? Included in several world firsts in this car is a new function called Energising Comfort Control, which is there is help the wellness of the driver and passengers.
What it does is link together various comfort systems, including climate control, fragrancing, the heated and ventilated seats, lighting and music, to suit the mood of those aboard.
The driver can select any of six pre-determined programmes – Freshness, Warmth, Vitality, Joy, Comfort and Training – and Energising Comfort Control then begins a 10-minute programme that is visualised on the head unit with colour graphics, all backed by suitable music that, if the driver so desires, the system itself selects.
This system also controls the car’s ambient lighting, for instance so the interior features red shades if the driver has selected warmer temperatures in winter, and blue shades for cooler temperatures in summer.
And what is the pre-determined programme called Training? It literally does that. During its 10-minute programme it offers trainings on muscle relaxation, muscle activation, and balance – each with several exercises.
Energising Comfort Control is standard on all the new S-class models apart from the entry S350d, and it is available as an option on that car. What a great feature – and it adds to the plushness (if there’s such a word) of the world’s best-selling luxury sedan.
Not that many of these cars are sold in New Zealand. In fact, during a media reveal of the facelifted S-class in Australia, Mercedes-benz wouldn’t say what the sales figures are for this year. New Zealand general manager Ben Giffin would only say his organisation is happy with S-class results for 2017.
‘‘It was certainly challenging as we ran out of S-class in the third quarter,’’ he said. ‘‘However, based on early customer feedback, we certainly see opportunity to fulfil this demand, and we have forecast a healthy increase in sales in 2018.’’
In an effort to streamline the customer buying experience, with this latest S-class the model selection has been reduced from 12 to just five models.
It begins with the $176,900 S350d which is powered by a new 210kw/600nm 3.0-litre six cylinder diesel, moves up to a $219,900 S560 which is powered by a new 4.0-litre bi-turbo petrol V8 that develops 345kw and 700Nm, and continues on to a $324,900 AMG S63L which has had its 5.5-litre V8 replaced by a new 4.0-litre version with cylinder deactivation that offers more grunt – 450kw and 900Nm.
The S560 will be joined by a long-wheelbase model next year, but prices have yet been announced. And right at the top of
Are sunroofs useful or a waste of time?
Aaah – sunroofs. They can be wonderful on a beautiful sunny day or on a starry summer night – you roll back the glass and experience all the smells, sounds and skyward views on offer as your car cruises through the city or the countryside. And they look great, too.
Oooh – sunroofs. They’re nothing but a pain in the neck – literally. When they are open you have to crane your head backwards to get any view, when you should in fact be concentrating on driving. And not only can they add to the purchase and maintenance cost of any car, but they can take up valuable headroom.
The head would tell you that they’re pretty darned useless. Why would you want to chop a hole in the roof of any car when you’re already surrounded by holes that are filled with glass, most of which you can wind down and up anyway?
Not only that, but you can only open a sunroof when it’s not raining or cold. It all plays havoc with your car’s aerodynamics and your fuel cost will rise. Let’s not even begin to think about the expense of repairing a sunroof if its electrics break down.
But the heart would tell you that sunroofs are cool in more ways than one. They’re cool because the most times they are used is on hot sunny days when there’s nothing better than fresh air and sunshine pouring in from that cavity above your head. They look cool too, giving any car a more sophisticated and expensive look.
And here’s some useless information. Some people say that mobile phone reception is superior in a vehicle with a sunroof, because a car with a completely enclosed roof gets in the way of the signal. We’re not saying if that is right or wrong. We’re just saying...
But back to the silly question. Sunroofs are a bit useless in that they don’t add to the efficiency of any car.
They don’t control interior temperatures like air conditioning does, they don’t contribute to the selection is a 6.0-litre bi-turbo V12-engined long-wheelbase Maybach edition that makes 463kw and 1000Nm, costs $359,900 and is available to special order. overall visibility like windows do, they impact on available headroom, they are potentially expensive to maintain, and when open they can play havoc with fuel consumption.
But then again items such as alloy wheels, tinted glass and leather upholstery are useless too.
Can you drive in jandals?
Aaah – summer holidays. The days when we give our minds and bodies a rest from the daily grind. We give our feet a rest too, getting rid of the shoes and either wearing jandals or go barefoot.
But hang on: is it legal to drive while wearing jandals or with no footwear at all?
The quick answer is that it is not illegal. You are allowed to drive a vehicle wearing just about anything – which is just as well, otherwise motorists would probably be banned from driving in footwear ranging from gumboots to high heels.
But driving in jandals is frowned on by the likes of the police and the Automobile Association, because it can be dangerous, particularly if the weather is wet, which increases the potential for your foot to slip off a vehicle’s pedals – especially the brake pedal.
The law says it is illegal to drive a vehicle in an unsafe manner, and the proverbial jury remains out as to whether wearing a pair of jandals or being barefoot could constitute ‘‘unsafe’’ in the event of an accident.
Road safety experts say if you are wearing jandals, it’s safer to slip them off and drive barefoot. But they add that it is much safer to not drive this way at all, and to wear a decent pair of shoes with treaded soles while operating your vehicle.
And what about motorcycles? The same thing applies. While you must wear a helmet while riding, it’s not illegal to not wear shoes. But the mind does boggle as to what could happen to a bare pair of feet in a crash.
All these prices are several thousands of dollars less than comparable pre-facelift models – for example the previous Maybach edition cost $380,000 and the S560 retailed for $240,000. Yes, all the new models continue to be expensive product, but it is a fact that the value equation has been significantly improved, particularly considering that all the new models carry improved specification.
There are some very impressive things included in that specification, too.
Of real significance are a variety of functions that represent further steps towards semiautonomous driving. These include Distronic Active Proximity Assist which automatically adjusts vehicle speed around other traffic, or even ahead of curves or intersections, to help provide safer driving.
The S-class also has Active Steer Assist, and upgraded Active Lane Change Assist which takes over the lane-change process on motorways even to the extent of checking for surrounding traffic, and Active Emergency Stop Assist. And in heavy stop-go traffic, stops of up to 30 seconds are now possible, after which the car will move off again and follows the traffic ahead.
The car’s lights are rather special, too. Each headlight now has 84 LEDS, which can throw a main beam more than 650 metres. The lights also feature adaptive high-beam assist, which automatically moves them from full beam to dip.
There have been some cosmetic changes as part of the facelift. This latest S-class has a new front end with a re-interpreted grille design, new front bumper and the changed lights, while the rear has new tail-lights that have what Mercedes-benz describes as a stardust effect.
On the inside there are a new steering wheel that now has touch-sensitive controls on it, and two new high-resolution display screens that are covered under one piece of glass to create a single wide-screen cockpit.
And – real luxury – the interior lighting offers no fewer than 64 different colours, just so you can get the interior ambience perfect.
Just the ticket for when you wish to begin your Energising Comfort Control wellness training model. See what we mean when we say you don’t drive this car – but experience it?
Sunroofs are a bit useless in that they don’t add to the efficiency of any car.