The Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2021

 

Mercedes-Benz S class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as the Sonderklasse (German for special class, abbreviated to "S-Klasse"), is a series of luxury sedans, limousines, and armored sedans produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a division of the German company Daimler AG. The S-Class is the designation for Mercedes-Benz's top-of-the-line models and was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116, and has remained in use since. The S-Class is the flagship vehicle of Mercedes-Benz.

The S-Class featured many of the company's latest innovations, including drivetrain technologies, interior features, and safety systems (such as the first seatbelt pretensioners). The S-Class ranked as the world's best-selling luxury sedan. In automotive terms, Sonderklasse means "a specially equipped car." Although it was used colloquially for decades, citation needed after its official application in 1972, six generations of sedans with the official S-Klasse name were produced.

In 1981, the two-door, four-seat S-Class, designated SEC, was introduced, sharing V8 gasoline engines with its four-door version, W126. After the introduction of the new number system, the SEC was simply renamed the S-Class Coupe. For the 1996 model year, the coupe was separated from the S-Class line and named the new CL-Class (in line with the other two-door models: CLK, SL, and SLK); however, the CL-Class was returned to the S-Class model line (as well as the CLK became the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet). The very first S-Class Cabriolet since 1972, internally named A217, was introduced and became the model of a single generation. After production of the W222 ends in 2020, there are no plans for a successor to the C217 coupe and A217 convertible, due to low demand for these models and higher demand for SUV models.

The major revision of the naming scheme in 1991 renamed the S-Class with the prefix "S" which has three digits for engine displacement in "centiliter" without a suffix for fuel type or wheelbase length. Additional information was sometimes affixed to the right side of the trunk, indicating the diesel version (TURBODIESEL or later CDI), hybrid version (HYBRID), all-wheel drive version (4MATIC), AMG and MAYBACH. The second revision in 2015 allows suffixes such as d (diesel), e (plug-in hybrid) and h (mild hybrid) for several years before h is dropped. For the 2018 model year, the model designation and the AMG and MAYBACH labels changed position to the left.

Second generation

The W126 series was introduced in September 1979, launched in March 1980 as the 1980 model and late 1980 as the 1981 model in the United States and Australia, replacing the W116 line. The W126 line featured improved aerodynamics and enlarged aluminum engine blocks. In Australia in 1981, the S-Class W126 won the Wheels Magazine Car of the Year award. The W126 was manufactured from 1979 to 1991 with a mid-cycle update. Coupe models based on the S-Class were reintroduced with the W126 (380/500 SEC). Total sales of the W126 S-Class sedans reached 818,036 units, with an additional 74,060 coupes sold.

In December 1980, the W126 introduced a driver-side airbag, patented by Mercedes-Benz in 1971, as well as passenger-side airbags (in 1988), seatbelt pretensioners and traction control. It was the first production car to be equipped with a standard airbag, and by 1991 only a few other European manufacturers offered an airbag. The interior featured additional courtesy and reading lights, as well as heated seats and a more advanced air conditioning system. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard.

Although the previous generation's top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was not directly replaced, the W126 carried over the 6.9's optional hydropneumatic suspension from the 500SEL. A new cruise control system was also offered. Succeeding the roadster-based coupes, the W126 introduced a two-door variant, the SEC coupe. The W126 S-Class received a mid-cycle update in 1985 that included exterior modifications and engine improvements.

Engines 

Engines for the S-Class W126 included straight 6-cylinder and V8 engines. Most sales came from the diesel model in Europe[citation needed] and the straight-six models in the United States[citation needed], although the V8 models were praised by journalists at the time[citation needed]. The United States initially received only the smaller of the two V8 engines, the 3.8-liter, which proved to be a disaster, both because of timing chain repair problems and because it was severely underpowered, with 0-60 acceleration in 11 seconds and a modest top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). [The 5.0-liter engine was much better, with 0-60 acceleration in 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 222 mph. In the 1986 mid-cycle update of the W126, the straight-six and V8 engines were upgraded on several models at different displacement levels (the six-cylinder was increased from 2.8 to 3.0 liters, the eight-cylinder from 3.8 to 4.2 liters, the four-cylinder from 3.5 to 4.5 liters).

Brakes continue to improve with the new Brake Assist Plus system, which monitors for an impending collision and increases braking if necessary, while the Distronic Plus radar-guided cruise control can now bring the car to a complete stop. This system works in outdoor conditions; a demonstration test Mercedes-Benz conducted in a crash-test hall ended in embarrassment for the company when a new S-Class crashed into the back of a stationary S-Class W220. The incident was later attributed to a radar system malfunction inside the radar-reflecting (i.e., confusing) steel test building where the event was filmed.

The upscale department store Saks Fifth Avenue offered 20 special edition S600 sedans for sale in its 2005 Christmas catalog. The 20 cars, priced at $145,000 each, sold out on November 22, 2005 in less than seven minutes. The Saks Edition S600 sedans featured a mocha black exterior and almond beige interior and were the first examples of the S600 to be sold to private owners. The S600s were equipped with almost all standard options. In 2007, Automobile Magazine named the S-Class W221 one of its 2007 "All-Stars," ahead of rivals Lexus and BMW, and Car and Driver named the S550 the winner of a comparative test of five flagship luxury sedans, as did Motor Trend Magazine in July 2009 in a three-way comparison test, with the other two competitors being the BMW 750Li and the Audi A8L 4.2 Quattro. The S-Class W221 has also received several other automotive awards (see below).

Mercedes-Benz S class 2014

Sixth generation 2014-2020

Officially unveiled in May 2013, the all-new S-Class has a sleeker look than the outgoing model. Interesting features include a large grille inspired by the F700 concept car and LED lights used exclusively inside and out - a first in the automotive industry. Two strong converging character lines give the flanks a more sculpted look, while integrated exhaust tips and a large glass roof (likely optional) highlight the design.

In addition to the sedan, the S-Class spawned a coupe (Mercedes-Benz C217) and a convertible (Mercedes-Benz A217), as well as an extended-wheelbase "Pullman" variant that was longer than the long-wheelbase "L". While the short wheelbase model carries the chassis code W222, the long wheelbase model uses the chassis code V222. Unlike previous generations, Mercedes focused primarily on developing the longer model, as many customers in fast-growing Asian markets prefer to be driven by a driver In 2016, the Mercedes W222 was the last car equipped with an S65 AMG engine.

Equipment 

Inside, almost every surface is covered in "luxury" material - anything that looks like leather is real leather and metal is used rather than any plastic alternative. The entire instrument cluster consists of two large (30.5 cm diagonal) liquid crystal displays with animated graphics. A "heads-up" display and gesture-sensitive touchpad became options in early 2014. It features a new infotainment system.

The W222 debuts optional Magic Body Control, consisting of windshield-mounted stereo cameras that can "read" the road ahead (Road Surface Scan) and communicate with the Active Body Control suspension to prepare it for an uneven road surface. Initially available only on 8-cylinder models and above, Magic Ride Control attempts to insulate the car's body by predicting rather than reacting to road breaks and speed bumps.

Luxury features available in addition to what was offered in the W221 include a choice of massage type for each seat occupant (the W221 offered different intensities of the same type of massage) and two levels of premium audio system from German luxury brand Burmester.

The W222 is equipped with driver assistance systems that allow it to stay on course within a lane and follow a lead vehicle for a short period of time (DISTRONIC PLUS with steering assist, also known as traffic jam assist). It can also slow down or stop dead in its tracks and accelerate depending on the traffic ahead. Mercedes engineers claim to have ridden in a W222 S-Class under controlled conditions that drove autonomously for 50 km, simply by modifying the control settings of the equipment already installed. Such modifications are not available to the general public.

Powertrain 

Like the W221 S500, the S-Class W222 will be equipped with a more powerful twin-turbocharged V8 developing 455 hp (339 kW), while the S600 will be equipped with a twin-turbocharged V12. There is also a diesel-powered S350 BlueTEC version, an S400 hybrid with a 20-kilowatt (27 PS; 27 hp) electric motor and 228 kW (310 PS; 306 hp) V6 engine, a diesel-electric S300 BlueTEC hybrid. An S500 Plug-in Hybrid was then introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) with a 2014 market launch and claimed fuel economy of 3 l/100 km (94 mpg imp; 78 mpg US), CO2 of 69 g/km (3.9 oz/mi), and up to 30 km (19 mi) of emissions-free driving. The S500 Plug-In Hybrid features a 245 kW (334 PS; 329 hp) 3-liter V6 and an 80-kilowatt (110 PS; 110 hp) electric motor. The AMG S63 (twin-turbo V8) and S65 (twin-turbo V12) LWB sedans are also offered. All S-Class models will be equipped with a 7-speed automatic transmission.

Mercedes-Benz Class S  concept

Seventh generation 2020

The W223 was unveiled on 2 September 2020. This generation will not feature a coupe or convertible model as they will instead be replaced by the next generation AMG GT and SL-Class models respectively.The interior of the new model includes up to five displays, AR Head Up Display and an ambient lighting system. Additionally, the W223 S-Class is the first car in the world to come with rear seat airbags that use ambient air, instead of gas that is widely used in automotive airbag systems.

Concept car

n the 1980s, Mercedes-Benz built the world's first driverless cars with the S-Class, in collaboration with the team of Professor Ernst Dickmanns at the Bundeswehr Universität München. The culmination of this effort came in 1995, when Dickmanns' redesigned S-Class autonomous robot made a round trip from Munich, Bavaria, to Copenhagen, Denmark. On the highway, the S-Class robot reached speeds in excess of 175 km/h (109 mph). It suggested and executed passing maneuvers. The car's capabilities left a strong impression on many observers, and are said to have strongly influenced robot car research and funding decisions around the world.

A concept for a future hybrid, the F700 research car, was also unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The F700 featured three normally-opening doors and a fourth door capable of rotating 180 degrees. The concept also featured bulletproof and puncture-proof tires.

Mercedes-Benz has traditionally introduced its safety innovations in the S-Class. For example, the S-Class was the first car in Europe to incorporate airbags. The safety features of the S-Class include innovations in active safety (accident avoidance), passive safety (crash protection) and holistic safety (integration of active and passive safety features). Active safety features include: ABS braking in 1978 (acts to reduce braking distances and improve stopping control; co-developed with Bosch); traction control and (ESP) in 1995 (improves driver control in difficult road conditions); and brake assist (provides full braking power during emergency stops). In 2005, a new infrared night vision feature was introduced (improves visibility at night). Despite popular belief, the S-Class was not the first car to be equipped with ABS braking technology, although it can be credited with popularizing this now widely standard feature (ABS was initially an option on most S-Class W126 models). Active lane keeping became standard in 2011.