Mercedes-Benz S-Class launched

Mercedes-Benz has officially launched its new S-Class flagship. The Toronto (Canada) unveil comes after nearly a year of drip-feeding information to the press.

"We want to offer our customers nothing less than the best car in the world – and thus continue a unique success story," said Dr Uwe Ernstberger, VP of program management for the new Mercedes flagship, as he welcomed the world’s auto press last week on the occasion of the new model's debut.

The new model represents the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz design in three principle areas, named by the manufacturer 'Intelligent Drive', 'Efficient Technology' and 'Essence of Luxury'.

All the very latest and greatest safety aids are bundled together under 'Intelligent Drive', and include:

• PRE-SAFE Brake, which can detect pedestrians and brake for them from speeds up to 50km/h,

• PRE-SAFE Plus, which can detect a fast-approaching car from the rear and warn the driver of the other car to brake by flashing the rear indicators at high frequency, before firmly applying the brakes once the crash is deemed unavoidable,

• PRE-SAFE Impulse, which pulls front-seat occupants away from each other by means of their own seat belts to avoid each occupant inflicting injury on the other in a crash,

• DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot to maintain the car's position in its lane and autonomously follow the vehicle in front at a safe distance,

• Brake Assist Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist to avoid collisions with crossing traffic while reversing,

• Active Lane Keeping Assist to apply brakes on one side to bring the vehicle back into its lane and avoid colliding with an on-coming car,

• Adaptive High Beam Assist to configure on the fly the LED-based high-beam headlight system to save drivers of on-coming vehicles from being dazzled,

• Night View Assist, to alert the driver to the presence of pedestrians and animals near the road at night, while shining a spotlight in the direction of the pedestrian as a warning that the car is approaching,

• Attention Assist to warn the driver that fatigue is setting in.

Efficient Technology embraces a range of measures to improve the S-Class variants' fuel economy and emissions. These include full LED headlight technology and a significantly better drag coefficient of 0.24Cd for most models and 0.23Cd for the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid. The latter is rated at 4.4L/100km in accordance with the NEDC combined-cycle standard.

Not only are the headlight clusters entirely populated with LEDs, every conventional globe in the car has also been replaced by LEDs. There are 56 for the headlights and 35 for the tail lights (not including the four LEDs for the rear fog light). A further 300 LEDs can be found inside, lighting all facets of the interior, among them an ambient lighting array.

As with other S-Class models since the year dot, the new range is available in short or long-wheelbase styles.

The former CL, which was always based on the short-wheelbase S-Class platform will be known henceforth as the S-Class coupe and will be unveiled at the Detroit motor show early next year (Jan 2014). For the first time the S-Class coupe/CL will be offered in convertible form also.

Mercedes-Benz also plans to bring to market an ultra-long-wheelbase version of the S-Class sedan – the Pullman. Versions of the Pullman will replace Mercedes-Benz’s unsuccessful uber-luxury brand Maybach.

In Europe the S-Class will launch initially with a six-variant range starting at just under €80,000 and topping out with the V8-powered S-Class at just under €108,000.

As we reported last week, Australia will see the S-Class launched in the fourth quarter this year. Aussie S-Class buyers will choose from S 350 BlueTEC (diesel) in both short and long wheelbases, the S 500 (petrol V8) also in short or long wheelbase offerings, and the S 63 AMG in short-wheelbase form only.

From the second quarter of next year, the range will be joined by the S 600 (petrol V12) variant in long-wheelbase guise. Mercedes-Benz Australia is confident the S 400 twin-turbo petrol V6 variant in both wheelbases will be added to the range at that time, as will the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid in short wheelbase only.

Mercedes-Benz is not revealing local pricing as yet, but plans to within the next few weeks.

The S 350 BlueTEC is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 developing 190kW and 620Nm. The engine drives through Benz's 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission to the rear wheels and the short-wheelbase variant returns fuel consumption figures ranging from 5.5 to 5.9L/100km. That equates to CO2 emissions figures of 146 to 155g/km.

Powered by a 4.7-litre petrol V8 developing 335kW and 700Nm, the S500 is rated at between 8.6 and 9.1L/100km for fuel economy and 199 to 213g/km for CO2 emissions.

An S 400 Hybrid (petrol/electric) is also available for the North American market, but won't be coming to Australia.

Full review of Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site