DRIVING DREAMS
Mercedes-Benz rolls out its new Dream Car Collection, writes richard augustin
Mercedes-Benz rolls out its new Dream Car Collec
tion
What constitutes as a dream car? For many it’s about owning a prized piece of machinery, something that he or she has had his or her heart on. In the case of Mercedes-Benz, it is about providing its customers the very best on four wheels, vehicles that have literally helped its customers realise their dreams from an automotive standpoint.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia rolled out its first Dream Car Collection in 2015. The original line-up consisted of the Mercedes-AMG GT S, S-Class Coupé and C 63 S, CLS Coupé and E-Class Coupé. Subsequent models were added to the range over the
years with 2018 welcoming the CLSClass Coupé, E-Class Cabriolet and the Mercedes-AMG GT C into the family.
To introduce the new models into the fleet, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia organised a short jaunt down to the beach town of Cherating, allowing some of us in the media and publishing community to get behind the wheel of these new dreamy models. But this was clearly no ordinary media test drive, judging by how the event began.
Mercedes-Benz chose to warm us up for the drive experience by chauffeuring us to Cherating in its new S-Class Sedan. Although most would have preferred to be behind the wheel of the car, sitting at the back and surrounded by comfort and luxury did have its perks. Completely relaxed, it only took a few moments for us to enjoy the experience before drifting off to sleep only to be awakened as we got closer to our destination.
The S-Class might have allowed us to drift into a well-needed slumber, but our senses were now about to be jolted by its siblings. Mercedes-Benz pulled out the stops by providing a fleet of cars for us to take for a spin. But there were many of us and despite having several cars readily available for us to drive, we had to carefully space out our selection. Obviously like any theme park, the most thrilling ride had the longest queue, and in Cherating everyone made a beeline for the Mercedes-AMG GT C. But we didn’t mind so much because we had our eyes firmly on a few other choice machines.
Mercedes-Benz CLS 450
We picked out this sporty and seductive fourdoor coupé sedan because of its athletic looking stance that just oozed sportiness and sophistication. Powered by a new generation 3.0-litre turbo six-inline engine, the CLS 450 offered 367hp and 500Nm of torque on tap, sufficient enough for a century sprint of 4.8 seconds and a top end of 250km/h. The all-wheel-drive machine delivered optimum grip and reassured handling on our drive, and although it could go, this Dream Car sold us on its sporty-yet-refined luxurious interior. With Edition 1 trimming, the model arrived with a Nappa leather interior, a Burmester sound system, widescreen cockpit and an AMG sports steering. At RM698,888, this CLS 450 was also a bargain considering its pedigree.
Mercedes-Benz S 560 Cabriolet
Against a quaint, laidback resort town setting, the RM1.4 million, S 560 was an obvious choice to drive in Cherating. Dropping the top of this two-door convertible was a given, just to get that sensation of driving with the wind in your face. But there was still plenty to admire about this open-top beauty. The S 560 exuded class with a high-quality bright red interior and Swarovski crystals in the headlamps. It was also armed with tech, with semiautonomous systems such as the Active Distance Control Distronic and Active Steering Assist and a pair of 12.3-inch high-resolution displays. But don’t think for one minute that this cabriolet was meant for just cruising. With a 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine delivering 469hp and 700Nm on tap, the S 560 Cabriolet can hold its own with the front-running pack. And the beauty of it is you won’t feel it too as the Airmatic suspension keeps your handling in check at all times.
Mercedes-Maybach S 560
Not all Dream Cars were meant to be driven. Alluded to the fact that there was a Maybach sitting in the parking lot as well, we couldn’t resist requesting for a ride in the luxurious limousine. Based on the S-Class long-wheelbase model, the Mercedes-Maybach S 560 comes with a 20cm extended wheelbase for improved space. The ace up the sleeve for this luxurious model is its opulent interior, which is lathered in luxury and fine craftsmanship.
The Mercedes-Maybach S 560 features Nappa leather upholstery and business-class-designed seats in the rear complete with stowable trays. A dozen motors are installed in each seat to compensate for any body size, and to also relax its passengers with a variety of massage functions.
Despite its size, this Maybach can still achieve the 0-100km/h dash in just under five seconds and a top speed of 250km/h due to the 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine delivering 469hp and 700Nm of torque under the hood. In terms of ride comfort and handling, the Mercedes-Maybach S560 has very few competitors due to its Magic Body Control suspension and Road Surface Scan system. The latter utilises a stereo camera to ‘read’ the road conditions, which allows the suspension to compensate over rough stretches. Impressive features for its RM1,408,888 price tag.
Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+
Our last brush with the Dream Car
The range is about evoking emotion from a vehicle and allowing it to stir our senses,
in return, regardless if it’s about sheer driveability, performance or its luxurious and exquisite refinement – or perhaps, all of the above
collection in Cherating came in the form of the E 63 S 4MATIC+, which cost just a shade over a million ringgit. With an AMGtuned biturbo V8 4.0-litre engine delivering a whopping 612hp and 850Nm of torque, the E 63 S 4MATIC+ represents one of the most powerful E-Class models ever. It is a pure driver’s car no doubt and it can go from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds and flat out at an electronically-governed 250km/h. Despite its brutish performance, the E 63 S 4MATIC+ is still a joy to drive, with its newly-engineered 4MATIC+ system intelligently distributing torque for optimum traction and handling. Inside, the model exuded a fitting sporty pedigree with a motorsport-inspired interior with sports seats, 3-spoke steering wheel and a race timer, which will prove useful to clock those runs when putting all 612 ponies to good use.
Dreams Do Come True
At the end of the drive, we concluded that the Dream Car Collection is more than just about superbly-crafted automobiles and performance machines. The range is about evoking emotion from a vehicle and allowing it to stir our senses, in return, regardless if it’s about sheer driveability, performance or its luxurious and exquisite refinement – or perhaps, all of the above. In that regard, Mercedes-Benz has certainly dotted the ‘i’s and crossed the ‘t’s with the Dream Car Collection. It was fortuitous to have had a little taste of that gamut of emotions driving a selected few of those cars in Cherating. Even though it was for a short while, it was enough to allow our dreams to come true for a few fleeting moments.