Mercedes-Benz unveils important new S-Class

Mercedes has launched the sixth generation of its new S-Class, designated the W222 in short wheelbase and V222 in long wheelbase, at a gala presentation held in Hamburg (Germany). On its introduction, chairman of the board of management of Daimler and head of the Mercedes-Benz Cars unit said, "Rather than being about safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency, comfort or dynamism, our aspirations were 'the best or nothing' in every respect. No other car stands for the Mercedes-Benz brand promise more than the S-Class."

Underlining this, the automaker said in a statement that the vehicle has been designed with three engineering priorities in mind: "Intelligent Drive", "Efficient Technology" and "Essence of Luxury". The former has seen a focus on safety in the areas of both the avoidance and the survival of accidents. Among the key features are the use of stereo cameras and multistage radar sensors that bring all the systems together. Highlights are its Distronic Plus that includes Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, which is designed to support the driver in lane guidance and follow vehicles in slow moving traffic; BAS PLUS, a brake assistance system which combines with Cross-Traffic Assist to detect crossing traffic and pedestrians; its Active Lane Keeping Assist can now detect when the adjacent lane is occupied, notably against oncoming traffic if there is a broken centre line; while Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus allows high beam to be maintained without dazzling traffic by masking out other vehicles in their cone of light. It has also seen the improvement of Night View Assist Plus with the inclusion of a thermal imaging camera, which displays in the speedometer. A spotlight function is able to flash any pedestrians detected ahead. Another feature is Attention Assist, which can warn the driver of inattentiveness and drowsiness in an extended speed range and notify the driver of their current state of fatigue and the driving time since the last break. The Comand navigation system can also indicate rest spots close by.

In the case of an accident, occupants are protected by an even stronger bodyshell with a torsional rigidity around 50% greater than that in the previous generation, which features cast, forged and sheet aluminium and structural foams, as well as high strength steel for the passenger safety cell. Its key PRE-SAFE crash functions have also been improved with improved crash sign recognition giving it the opportunity to prepare the vehicle for such as instance. Particular focus has been on occupants in the rear with the "PRE-SAFE rear package" which involves a seat belt buckle extender, the beltbag and the cushionbag to reduce the stress on the body during the crash.

Efficiency has been a key point for the automaker to address as part of the "Efficient Technology" component of the programme. While the body design offers exceptional aerodynamics, powertrain has been an important focal point as well. The vehicle will be launched with one gasoline (petrol) engine, one diesel engine and one hybrid powertrain. The gasoline engine is a 4.7-litre V-8 turbocharged engine producing 455 hp and 700 Nm of torque, which achieves carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 199 grams per kilometre (g/km). The diesel is a 3.0-litre V-6 engine producing 258 bhp and 620 Nm, and emitting a maximum of 148 g/km of CO2. The hybrid uses a 3.5-litre gasoline engine achieving 147 g/km, although this will be followed later by a 2.1-litre diesel engine hybrid with emissions of 115 g/km. The automaker also noted that in future it will also introduce the S500 plug-in hybrid capable of CO2 emissions levels of just 75 g/km during 2014..

As ever, a main feature of this model has been the luxury on offer to occupants. In order to make the ride as comfortable as possible, Mercedes has developed Road Surface Scan to detect bumps and unevenness in the road surface using the stereo camera, while its Magic Body Control system instantaneously sets up the suspension to deal with the situation. This will be an option on high-end models, although standard equipment includes the continuously operating Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS and an enhanced version of the AIRMATIC air suspension system. Inside the car, occupants benefit from a small improvement to interior space. However, it is in the features where passengers are spoilt with five different rear seating options on offer including "Executive seat" and "First Class Rear", similar to those offered on planes, and the option of "Energizing massage function" using the "hot stone" principal. The climate control system offers the "Air-Balance" package comprising perfume atomisation, ionisation and even more efficient filtration, while the Thermotronic automatic climate control in the rear has two additional zones to improve comfort. Electric heating of the armrests is also offered as a feature.

The dashboard has two high-resolution colour displays to offer information: one offering the driver information in the form of the previous instrument cluster while the other controls the infotainment and comfort functions. As well as this, the dashboard features metallised switch surfaces and solid aluminium controls, including a touch-sensitive telephone keypad. There has also been an update to its voice activation Linguatronic system, with the option of having SMS or e-mails read out. The multimedia system has the option of two new Burmester high end audio systems.

Outlook and implications

Unsurprisingly, the latest iteration of the S-Class has been developed as the pinnacle of luxury and technology, following in the footsteps of the model since its launch in 1972 and even prior to this. This model has had to push the boundaries even further than ever before to keep ahead of this competition. Arguably, its launch is also symbolic of its fight against BMW and the growing pressure from Audi further down its range. The early indications suggest that it will be well placed to fight off the BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 in this regard. Indeed, IHS Automotive anticipates that on its first full year on sale, in 2014, the vehicle will break through the 100,000-unit barrier for the first time ever. This is likely to be due to the growing wealth in high growth markets where many will be attracted by the badge and many features which are attractive to customers here, such as the rear packages. However, the vehicle remains greatly desirable in existing markets such as Europe and North America. This will keep it easily in front of its rivals, and is set to remain so even when these vehicles are replaced later in the decade.

While this launch has only introduced the sedan in short- and long-wheel base forms, its decision to kill of the Maybach brand in 2012 will bring about further variants to compete in the higher echelons. This is likely to hark back to the 600 model of the 1960s, when it was the car of choice for wealthy businessmen, celebrities and world leaders. There are also plans to extend the scope of the broader S-Class range, with the four seat CL coupé to be joined by the CL convertible. There are also the inevitable AMG variants which will raise the appeal of this model even further.