A class act

Mercedes-Benz has launched the seventh generation of its flagship S-Class, demonstrating its worldview of a car that merges the concepts of uber luxury and next-generation technology

- VARUN GODINHO

It’s not incorrect to say that Mercedes-Benz is a brand built around the S-Class. Recently, it unveiled a EUR730m Factory 56 in Sindelfingen to begin production of its seventh-generation S-Class model which has been its flagship offering since the seventies.

When you’re ready to invest nearly three-quarters of a billion euros, future intent becomes crystal clear.

The new S-Class features an aluminium hybrid bodyshell. As a stately saloon, it has considerable road presence. The long-wheelbase model is now 34mm longer than the outgoing model, 55mm wider and 12mm taller.

As Britta Seeger, a board member at Daimler AG and head of marketing and sales at Mercedes-Benz recently told Gulf Business, Asian markets prefer the long-wheelbase version as nine out of 10 of its customers there are chauffeured. In the Western and American markets, however, customers prefer to drive themselves and hence opt for a shorter wheelbase variant.

For those in the driver’s seat, there’s much to be had with the six-cylinder 2.9- litre in-line engine that is being offered at launch with the S450 and S500.

With a power output of 367hp and 435hp respectively, they also produce 500Nm and 520Nm of torque, which result in an average 0-100kph time of 5.1 seconds and 4.9 seconds – helped of course, by the nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Both models get a 22hp boost under acceleration due to the EQ Boost thanks to an integrated starter generator. Another upcoming hybrid version of the S-Class will also be able to deliver 100km of electric range. Mercedes added that a V8 version of the car with a 48V mild-hybrid version will follow shortly. Seeger confirmed that plans are afoot, expectedly, to launch an AMG version of the S-Class, and an eagerly anticipated top-drawer Maybach variant too.