As the long-time flagship model of Mercedes Benz, the S-Class has in many ways set the bar for flagship sedans across all luxury automakers. While at home in Boston, I took the opportunity to drive an S500 that my parents currently own.
My initial impressions of the car were that it was paradoxical in many ways:
- Undeniably large and bulky, yet sleek exterior
- Luxurious, yet somewhat unrefined on the road
Driving dynamics:
I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy driving this car beyond the straight and smooth roads of the freeways. There was a good amount of body roll in any type of turn (even with "Sport Mode" suspension on) and stopping power left much to be desired. I feel like in many ways, the weight of this car was slightly neglected by MB engineers when considering suspension and brake choices. But point it towards a straight road, step on the accelerator, and the 5.0 24-valve V8 comes to life, outputting a remarkably smooth 302 horsepower with a nice, even torque-curve.
Bottom line:
As the car that Princess Diana used to get around town, the S-Class is certainly fit for royalty. It's appointments are luxurious and there's enough room to seat five extremely comfortably. However, the non-AMG version S-class is definitely not a driver's car. It's a luxury cruiser for older individuals, which is precisely the target market MB was trying to hit (not to mention the only target market that could afford such a car). If, for whatever reason, you want a true driver's car the size of an S-class, I'd definitely spring for the S55 AMG version or alternatively, buy a BMW 750iL.
Other notes:
The S-Class is due for a 2007 re-design.
Price: $86,000 (base)
Primary competitors:
- Audi A8
- BMW 750iL
- Lexus LS450
