The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the largest and most luxurious model in the Mercedes-Benz range. This Class S 2017 is a Class S 2013 update, not a new generation. Changes affect the appearance, range of engines and equipment. It is an alternative to the Audi A8 , the BMW 7 Series and the Jaguar XJ .
There are three body lengths. The standard S class or short battle class measures 5.14 meters in length and its selling price starts from 102 300 euros. The SL Class or long battle class measures 5.27 meters in length and is on sale from 104 800 euros. With the longest body the commercial name of this vehicle changes to Mercedes-Maybach Class S. It measures 5.46 meters in length and its selling price is 154 800 euros.
On the basis of the Class S 2013 there is an even longer version, called Mercedes-Maybach Pullman (measures 6.50 meters in length), of which Mercedes-Benz has not yet reported whether or not it will carry the changes of Class S 2017 .
A Mercedes-Benz S-Class short with a 286 hp diesel engine and four-wheel drive – S 350 d 4MATIC – has a price similar to that of the 7 Series 730d xDrive and significantly higher than the comparable versions of the A8 and XJ. The S Class 560 4MATIC L (469hp long-wheelbase petrol engine) is cheaper than a BMW 750Li xDrive of 449hp and more expensive than a Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI of 435hp ( benchmark ). However, the A8 L W12 of 500 hp is more expensive than this Mercedes-Benz.
Changes in the range of engines are important. There is a new gasoline with 8 cylinders placed in V, 4.0 liters of displacement and supercharging by means of two turbocompressors that has an automatic system of disconnection of cylinders (disconnects four of the eight cylinders when the load exerted on the accelerator is small. Objective is to reduce fuel consumption). From this engine two versions arise: S 560 4MATIC of 469 hp and AMG S 63 4MATIC of 612 hp. These two versions respectively replace the S 500 (455 hp) and S 63 AMG 4MATIC (585 hp) Class S 2013, which also shared a V8 engine with two turbochargers, but with a displacement of 5.5 liters.
The most powerful version is called Mercedes-AMG S 65 L. It is rear-wheel drive and its engine does not change with respect to the version of the same name that it replaces. It is gasoline, has 12 cylinders placed in V, 6.0 liters of displacement and gives 630 CV of maximum power. There are also no changes in consumption or benefits.
In the coming months, the S-Class will be available with a new gasoline engine access to the range of which the only information we have for the moment is that it has 6 cylinders placed in line and that replaces the previous one of the same number of cylinders but Placed in uve (the one that carries the Class S 400 and that gives 333 CV). This engine will debut the novelty of being associated with a 48 V electrical system, combined with an overcharging system with electric compressor and an alternator that also functions as a starter.
The plug-in hybrid version of the S-Class 2017 is associated with a 13.3 kWh battery, larger than the equivalent outgoing version – called S 500 e. Its autonomy in electric mode is, according to Mercedes, of more than 50 km.
The only Diesel engine of the range is also new and is derived in two versions: S 350 d 4MATIC of 286 hp and S 400 d 4MATIC of 340 hp (the latter is the most powerful Diesel tourism ever produced by Mercedes-Benz). The average approved consumption of fuel is 5.5 and 5.6 l / 100 km respectively. The only diesel version of the Class S 2013 has 258 hp (S 350 d).
Changes in the passenger compartment are slight. The design of the steering wheel is new and has the touch controls that Mercedes-Benz introduced for the first time with the Class E 2016 . The screen of the instrumentation and multimedia system are new, the same size as the Class S 2013 (12.3 inches), but with more resolution (Mercedes-Benz does not quote, but they are like the Class E 2016 , Each one must have 1920 by 720 pixels, instead of 1440 by 540 pixels that have the Class S 2013). Another function inherited from the Class E 2016 is the possibility to choose between three different styles to display the information in the instrumentation: Sports, Classic and Progressive. Again, as in the E-Class 2016.
The active speed programmer – which Mercedes-Benz calls DISTRONIC – has a new function called “Active Proximity Control” that takes into account the data of the navigation system to adapt the speed of the vehicle to the curves and intersections in the route. DISTRONIC is also in communication with the traffic sign recognition system – Traffic Sign Assist – and warns the driver if it is running at a higher speed than allowed.
The maintenance system rail -Active Steer ASSIST has a more precise operation moving direction for the vehicle to run down the middle of the lane and up to 130 km / h does not require demarcation signals are perfectly painted lane. This system is not designed for the driver to disengage the steering wheel and if after a few seconds it detects that there is no activity on it, it emits acoustic and audible alarms. If the driver continues to ignore warnings, “Active Emergency Stop Assist”, a system that stops the vehicle, turns on the emergency lights, unlocks the doors and calls the emergency services (the Škoda Superb has a system that does the same).
As in the Class S 2013, the S-Class 2017 can follow the trajectory of the vehicle that circulates ahead in a jam (in the 2013 model this system works up to 30 km / h, in the new one we still do not know if it can be at more speed) . The novelty is that now this system can operate autonomously up to 30 seconds before requiring the intervention of the driver.
Another new system in the Class S 2017 – although not in Mercedes-Benz, since the E-Class 2016 does have it – is “Active Lane Change Assist”, which automatically performs overtaking maneuver on tracks with more than one lane per sense. To activate it, the driver has to press the turn signal lever and in a maximum time of 10 seconds the system will analyze if it is possible to pass without colliding with other vehicles and execute the maneuver.
The remote parking system – Remote Parking Assist – is another system that premiered the E-Class 2016 and is available as a novelty in the S-Class 2017. With it it is possible to park and remove the vehicle both in line and in battery from the outside, That is, without sitting in the driver\’s seat. To do this you have to use a specific application smart mobile phones (smartphones). This system has a mode called “Explore mode” that allows the vehicle to move from the outside in a straight line (with small corrections of direction in case of an obstacle) a maximum longitudinal distance of 15 meters.
The MAGIC BODY CONTROL undercarriage has two new features. On the one hand, the ROAD SURFACE SCAN system – uses a stereoscopic camera to detect the road bumps and prepares the suspension to absorb them in the way that is less noticeable inside; Video in a Class S 2013 – now works up to 180 km / h (130 km / h) and with less light (Mercedes-Benz says that even at dusk and sunrise, but never at night. ). The other innovation is the introduction of the CURVE system, which was already available in the S-Class Coupé. This system tilts the body to the inside of the curve to a maximum of 2.65 degrees. The goal of CURVE is to reduce the feeling of centrifugal force on passengers.
MULTIBEAM LED led headlamps with ULTRA RANGE beam are another novelty in the S-Class. According to Mercedes-Benz, these headlamps give a level of illumination greater than 1 lux at a distance of more than 650 meters, which according to the brand is The maximum allowed by the current legislation, but does not say of which country or continent.