The 'S' is for stunning

The 'S' is for stunning

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The 'S' is for stunning
The 'S' is for stunning
Photos by -Autonet.ca
Staff
Published: 23 06 2005
Mercedes-Benz' S-Class sedan is changing in a big way for the 2007 model year and features several new technical innovations.

A lot of these innovations are used to make the S-Class a much safer vehicle. Take the new brake assist system - radar senses vehicles in front and gives a warning if the gap is too small or the closing speed is too high. If it senses that a collision is imminent, it will apply added braking power if the driver doesn't apply enough.

Also included is a new system called Pre-Safe, which tightens seatbelts and inflates air cushions in the seats if it senses an accident is imminent due to skidding or other factors. Side windows also close if the vehicle senses that a collision is about to occur.

For the sake of pure luxury, the Distronic Plus system makes travelling in stop-and-go traffic easier by taking away the guesswork for the driver. It also uses radar to sense vehicles in front of it and will actually decelerate - to a complete stop if necessary - and accelerate the vehicle as traffic stops and starts.

A night view system is in place on the new S-Class which uses infrared lights (invisible to the human eye and more importantly to drivers in front of the S-Class) to illuminate the road ahead and beam back an image on the instrument cluster so it becomes much easier to see pedestrians, animals or anything else that may be on the road.

The new S-Class is bigger than its predecessor in every way. It will be available in two body lengths (5076 or 5206 millimetres) which are both longer than the previous S-Class. Everything else is larger - head room, leg room, wheelbase, width and height.

Driver and passengers should be further impressed by the interior look of the new S-Class, which features wood and chrome trim and aluminum controls. Mercedes-Benz designed the cockpit based on how often drivers use specific controls. Functions such as the radio, TV-receiver, CD/DVD changer, telephone and navigation system can be used through conventional switches, via buttons on the multifunction steering wheel or with the help of the COMAND system.

Several controls also sit on the steering wheel by way of circular, illuminated five-way buttons which the driver operates by light thumb pressure. A lever to the right of the steering column can manually control the seven-speed automatic transmission. This means there is no shifter typically found by the centre console.

Front seats in the S-Class sedans come standard with 16-way power adjusters and lumbar support. Optional are heated and cooled seats, multicontour seats (front and rear) and dynamic multicontour seats (front), the latter of which contain separate air chambers that inflate and deflate to massage the person sitting in the seat. There are four different speed and intensity settings.

The improved air suspension improves ride comfort in the new S-Class. The driver can choose from either a sporty or more comfort-driven suspension. In sport mode or above 120 km/h the suspension is automatically lowered 20 millimetres to improve handling, aerodynamics and fuel consumption.

The electronic parking brake is activated with the touch of a button and is automatically released when the vehicle begins moving.

The S-Class will be available in four different versions: the S350 with 272-horsepower, the S500 with 388-horsepower, the S320 CDI with 231-horsepower and the S600 with 517-horsepower. There are three engines available for the 2006 model year - a 3.5-litre V6, an 8-cylinder, a V6 diesel and a 12-cylinder. The V6 and V8 engines are available with the seven-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment.

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