The Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Simply saying the name tells you everything you need to know. This car has stood as the benchmark for luxury and technology for decades – but now with the rapid advancements in technology does the S-Class still stand atop the heap?
Driving Impressions
Ahh it’s good to be back behind the wheel of an S-Class
When I was 16 I had my first real job as a lot attendant at a luxury car dealership and the Porsches and BMWs were cool and sporty, but then I drove my first S-Class and I was blown away
The beauty of the S-Class isn’t derived from sporty aggression – though this S580 boasts a very healthy 4.0TT V8 making 496 hp and 516 lbft. No, the power in the S Class is simply a tool to ease your mind that you have adequate power to deal with whatever the uncivilized world has to throw at you. The beauty of the S-Class is in the ride…
We talk a lot on this channel about V8s and 0-60 and limit handling, but behind the wheel of this car I don’t really care about those things
There’s an energy behind this steering wheel that gently reminds you that life is filled with many such nonsensical frivolities – but here, in your S-Class you are insulated and cocooned from all that riff raff
…An yet….0-60 is still done in 4.4 seconds and it does have a sport mode so it’s not like it’s a slouch…
True elegance is in having power but showing restraint
But honestly, if you’re flooring the car you’re missing the point. The ride here on this car is genuinely something you have to feel to understand. You of course have adaptive, and you can get the magical e-active body control, and the damping is so sophisticated that it’s hard to describe without sounding pretentious…so i’ll just say it’s really dam good
There’s a sense of serenity or peace of mind in the cabin here
Your cardiologist would recommend this car because my heart rate is down like 10 BPM
Another thing that helps put you at ease is knowing you’ve got AWD as standard across the range
AND you can have a rear steer module which will reduce your turning circle to that of the A-Class
So handling places like parking lots just got a lot easier
And it also helps the car feel more stable at higher speeds
So the S580 HAS big power but never boasts about it
It’s got a wonderfully smooth transmission
It’s got incredibly light steering and with the rear steer equipped it feels as light and agile as a car 2 feet shorter and 1000 lbs lighter
But my two favorite things are the pillowy, old school luxury ride
AND the cabin isolation here – this is closer to Rolls Royce than ever before…but with that, let’s step outside and talk finer details
Exterior & Design
I’m always so glad when i get a chance to drive an S-Class – there’s just something about the big, long luxury sedans that still tugs on me
It just goes about being an incredible car without the need to be showy about it…a point well illustrated by the design
Now i will say this is a more jazzy spec with the matching black wheels to the Obsidian black paint
But even still the design isn’t wild or flashy
It doesn’t have dramatic grilles or vents
It’s just kind of a handsome sedan
You do have some details, though lie your triple LED headlights
To signify it is in fact an S-Class and not a C or E
You have an actual 3 pointed star hood ornament which fits the personality well here
And the lower valence is the most aggressive piece of the design
And it looks strong while still retaining a dignified look
And then as we get to the profile I really start to appreciate the wheels
The spokes match the paint
While the outer rim matches the chrome brightwork around the body accents like door handles and window treatments
And speaking of door handles the recess into the door when the car is locked or driving
They’re an electronic release similar to a lot of things we’ve tested recently
And the rear is understatedly handsome
You’ve got a subtle modled lip spoiler
You’ve got some tail lights
And you have dual exhaust with chrome tips
I don’t really like chrome in general but it works really well here
So from a design perspective there’s probably not a lot of kids with S580 posters in their bedroom but that’s kind of the point, but the show gets a lot more exciting inside
Interior & Features
Ahh the interior of the latest S-Class – this is where you can see your money went to work for you.
First, let’s talk about the design
It’s a very modern and minimal aesthetic
The new steering wheel takes a gothic inspiration and the passenger side dash is essentially a sheet of lacquered carbon fiber rimmed in Ambient light and a plethora of air vents
There are 8 air vents and seemingly unlimited ambient lighting options
There are a million colors
There are multitone preset themes
There are moods where the lights will subtly dance and change colors for you
And they’ll even signal pertinent information like climate changes and where they’re happening
I mean, this is another level of ambient lighting that I haven’t seen anywhere
You have a big 12 inch digital gauge cluster and then an even bigger center screen
And the center screen seems to just grow out of the gloss black center console area
And of course it’s running the latest MBUX software which web’ve talked about a lot before and is exceptional
This car gets rid of the touchpad on the center console and also moves the climate controls into the touch screen for a cleaner more minimal look
But the climate functions are always on screen and in the same place so i didn’t have a single problem with it
Just under your climate functions you have a little black square
This reads your finger print for your customized driver profile
Your technology doesn’t stop there of course
Youve got wireless ACP and AA
You’re got amazing 360 cameras
You’ve got Augmented reality navigation and HUD
AND you have a built in dash cam which uses the 360 cameras to keep your car safe
And then we talk about things like the materials and build
All it takes is a simple look at the seats
You’ve got really rich leather
It’s dramatically quilted
It’s heated, cooled ot massages you
AND there’s a new automatic seat positioning thing
Where you tell the car how tall you are and it auto adjusts to your ideal driving position – pretty cool
But let’s talk about the rear
The seats are really spacious in legroom and headroom
The front seats get a nice pano roof and the rear seats get their own sunroof
You’ve also got controls for your window and rear glass shades
And can we appreciate the beautiful burmester speaker covers here
And then finally the trunk – it’s huge and it’s deep and it’s really practical
So no surprise the interior here is packed with impressive technology, but its rolled out in a way that makes sense and adds a feeling of special-ness to the car that you just dont really get anywhere else.
It’s super nice
It’s comfy
And it’s spacious
So lets get into the final thoughts
Conclusion
So the Mercedes-Benz S580. This one with the black wheels and the V8 and all the awesome interior trimmings comes in at about $131,000 – and that’s a LOT of money, but this is a LOT of car
You’re not getting a luxury driving experience like this unless you go up to a Rolls Royce and then we’re talking double or triple the money
I’ve really enjoyed my time with the S580 so thanks to my friends at Mercedes of Milwaukee for letting me have a go