Overview
Without a doubt the benchmark big luxury saloon, the one Audi, BMW, Lexus, Cadillac and even Jaguar and Maserati must define themselves by and be measured against. This car defines the sector and is the one all others try to topple. And fail to.
Sporty performance and handling are de-emphasised this time – it’s all about comfort, safety and driver assistance. There are two wheelbases, the long one offering astounding back seat comfort. Powertrains include conventional V6 diesel and V8 turbo petrol, and hybrids in both four-cylinder diesel and V6 petrol forms. The body uses a lot of aluminium to pare weight below the last one.
What’s it like to drive?
This is not an engaging drive. It’s all about astounding quietness and ride suppleness. The diesel V6 is perfectly capable of getting along smartly, and the adaptive dampers tauten it where needed. But the steering has no feel – its hallmark is immense directional stability at high speeds. The V8’s fully active suspension is normally even softer but has a selectable mode that will delete roll and understeer.
Options include cameras and radars so your S-Class will follow the car ahead and see lines on the road, automatically accelerating, braking and even steering, though it objects with flashes and bongs if you take your hands off the wheel beyond a few seconds. It’s long-journey driver support, not autonomous self-driving.
The Wheel Deal 