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NEWS
S-Class convertible confirmed
Ocean Drive concept moves towards reality as Mercedes-Benz readies soft-top S-ClassMercedes-Benz will top off its S-Class range with a limited production convertible. It's official... Almost!
Based on the latest S-Class coupe and drawing inspiration from the German luxury marque's 2007 Ocean Drive ragtop concept (pictured), the two-door four-seater has been signed off from Benz's top brass as one of six eventual S-Class variants.
It is expected to arrive in 2016 or 2017 and kick off the mid-life freshening for the just-released S-Class line-up.
Senior Mercedes-Benz executives on-hand for last week's launch of the S coupe would not comment officially on the soft-top. Instead, they prefaced any statements with "hypothetically" and a smile.
One of the subjects discussed was the use of exotic materials in the construction of the new vehicle.
Large four-place convertibles pose significant challenges for vehicle engineers in terms of structural rigidity. In the S-Class, this challenge is magnified given the weight, refinement and performance potential of top variants.
Mercedes-Benz insiders confirmed the combination steel and alloy structure of the new coupe has been optimised to allow an 'evolution' into a full-convertible. Changes for the soft-top will include the use of more hot stamped steel and die-cast aluminium elements within the vehicle's body-in-white.
Interestingly, it's also suggested Mercedes-Benz will use bonded carbon-fibre sections to massively increase stiffness of the open car with only minimal weight gains. Benz's AMG division has already experimented with similar strategies.
Like its E-Class counterpart, the open S-Class will use a cloth soft-top. Parts of the roof frame/skeleton will also use carbon-fibre.
Mercedes insiders confirmed the car maker was rethinking the use of folding hardtops for future models. The next all-new SL will dump its folding hardtop and return to a classic soft roof, they said.
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Written byMike Sinclair
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