Diesel does nicely for luxury Benz
Last refresh for S-class brings a smooth new straightsix diesel engine, writes David Linklater.
Captains of industry, take note – they are seldom seen in New Zealand, but full-size super-luxury sedans are still the standardbearers for luxury car brands. Important hero models with massive dimensions and therefore massive presence.
Wafting into view here is the Mercedes-Benz S 350d, powered by a brand-new straight-six turbodiesel engine.
Diesel in a super-luxury sedan, seriously?
Yes, seriously. Diesel might be generally out of favour in New Zealand, but in Europe it’s still a perfectly appropriate power source for a luxury sedan like this. After all, the demands on such a vehicle are often long distances at high speed in relaxed style, with the minimum of fuel stops.
You know, so the driver can get to Geneva fast for that important meeting. Or the rear-seat passenger can do big business on the laptop and not be disturbed.
Anyway, the straight six in the S 350d is a beauty, with 600Nm of torque and a nine-speed transmission to sort the power (which might be about five more than it really needs). It’s super refined as well. This is often the Benz way: introduce an all-new engine to an existing model.
The 350d isn’t your only S-class option. There are also S 560 and AMG S 63 biturbo-petrol models.
This is an entry-level S-class then?
That seems like a tacky way to put it, but yes. There’s a big $43k jump to the S 560 and the S 63 L is on another planet at $324,900.
But being the cheapest S-class has nothing to do with being basic. The S 350d oozes elegance and is fully equipped with everything from amazing Multibeam LED lights to Burmester surround sound to Airmatic suspension.
You can always add a few choice options. Our car had the Exclusive Package ($9900, lots of posh trim including Nappa leather everywhere and old-school highgloss walnut), sun protection ($2250) and 20-inch wheels ($1000). Oh, and power-adjustable outer rear seats for $3425. That’s the fantasy and it is a magnificent way to travel.
But it’s not really the Kiwi way, which is why the S 350d comes in short, not long wheelbase configuration .
Even if you are driving yourself, the S-class is one car that can do a lot to help.
Like the E-class, it has a mindboggling array of Level 2 assistance features: everything from the expected Distronic adaptive cruise with active steering to surprise-and-amaze stuff like Active Lane Change Assist (yes, it can move over by itself), Dynamic Curve Assist for the stability control and Crosswind Assist. If it’s just the one, then yes. There will always be a market for models like this because there will always be luxury car buyers who will want the biggest and most expensive piece of metal on offer.
The S-class is a luxury-car icon and it’s the pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz range (being separate from Mercedes-Maybach of course, which is a whole other level).
Beyond that, for a Kiwi buyer who doesn’t need to be driven and can’t charge across continents at motorway speeds, the case is less clear.
Problem is, car makers no longer reserve the best technology and features for these flagship models.
If there’s something new and amazing ready for production, it gets added to the next production car.
That’s why the humble(ish) A-class was the first Benz to get the flash new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) dashboard and intelligent voice assistant.
So having the most expensive Mercedes does not necessarily mean you have the most advanced machine. In truth, an E-class does most things an S-class can do and surely has almost as much on-road presence.
But an E-class is still not an S-class, which is the flagship M-B model. These things are important
Mercedes-Benz S 350D Base price: Powertrain and performance:
2.9-litre turbo-diesel inline six, 210kW/600Nm, 9-speed automatic, RWD, Combined economy 5.4 litres per 100km, 0-100kmh 6.0 seconds.
5116mm long, 1496mm high, 3035mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 535 litres, 20-inch alloy wheels.
Brand new diesel, understated luxury, lots of technology.
Vital statistics: We like:
$176,900.
We don’t like:
Big step up if you want petrol, is an E-class almost as good now? to some luxury car buyers – it’s called status.
Any other cars I should consider?
The S-class is a very traditional car and tradition dictates that German luxury car makers have a giant sedan to top their model ranges.
The Merc is a little on the back foot against its obvious rivals because it’s the oldest; this generation was launched back in 2013, with a mild update last year. It’s getting to the end of its run and we’ll see an all-new version in 2020.
A brand new Audi A8 was launched last year and it’s the first production car in the world with the potential for Level 3 (autonomous) operation – although that’s not active in New Zealand for now. The current BMW 7-series dates back to 2015 but there’s a major facelift on the way this year.
Actually, Japanese luxury car makers who want to be German luxury car makers have big sedans too. There’s also a new generation of the Lexus LS on sale.
So the bad news is that there’s a surprising amount of newer competition for the Mercedes in what seems like a niche superluxury segment.
The good news is that none of the above have anything like the heritage and history of innovation that comes along with every S-class.