For several decades the luxury car that signifies reaching the top of the ladder has been the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan. With a massive amount of power, grace and sophistication to offer owners the ride of a lifetime the S-Class is the flagship vehicle of Mercedes-Benz. Competing with other flagship vehicles such as the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Lexus LS, the S-Class has been a top performer and has withstood the test of time to be the single most chosen luxury car for CEO’s. With this target customer in mind, the S-Class starts out nearly with a six figure price tag and goes up from there across its entire lineup.
For 2015, the S-Class adds to its lineup with two V12 models, the S600 and the S65 AMG and a plug-in hybrid. The only other addition is a touch-pad controller to replace the keypad giving an upgraded technology to the car. Driving the S-Class is truly the smoothest and softest ride available on any car available today. With excellent ride balance and a suspension that is so adept and soft the car feels as if it’s riding on a cloud. The steering system is so impressive the car almost feels as if it drives itself and the cabin is silent, allowing owners and occupants to choose the noises they hear.
Not including the hybrid, this car has four engines to choose from. The base model S550 offers a 4.7-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine which carries in 449 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission that gives the car a fuel mileage of 17 city/26 hwy mpg for the RWD model and 16 city/26 hwy mpg for the AWD version.
The second engine shows up on the S63 AMG powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that offers 577 horsepower and 664 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is mated to the same seven-speed transmission and is only offered with AWD allowing for a 15 city/23 hwy mpg to be enjoyed.
Next up is the S600 that shows up with a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine giving it 523 horsepower and 612 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is also combined with the seven-speed automatic transmission and shows up as only rear-wheel drive offering a fuel mileage of 13 city/21 hwy mpg.
At the top of the list comes the all new S65 AMG which is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine that offers a monstrous 621 horsepower and 738 lb.-ft. of torque. Matched up with the same seven-speed automatic transmission this beast of a powertrain comes in with a fuel mileage of 13 city/20 hwy mpg. As a large luxury vehicle, this engine will be the choice for anyone who really wants to push the limits of what the car can actually do and have plenty of power from a standstill.
Stepping inside the S-Class sedan the only thing missing is a chauffeur, which some CEO’s can afford to hire for their riding pleasure. The attention to detail regarding the materials, stitching, and features comes in unmatched in the class and this interior has everything needed for impressing a high profile client or simply to enjoy the feeling of success. The car is adorned with a ton of great technology and a pair of massive 12.3-inch high-resolution color screens and plenty of LED lighting. For rear seat passengers there are power-operated reclining and massaging seats available to allow those in the back to feel completely at ease and pampered along any drive.
On the outside, those who won’t be lucky enough to be allowed to enjoy the ride, the S-Class shows what success looks like. With a long and sophisticated profile and a serious amount of appeal, the car is everything that can be expected by the top dog from Mercedes-Benz. The front end shows off with a huge grill that it’s topped by an actual hood ornament, giving a throw-back to luxury models of days gone by. The grill and front have a shapely design and appeal giving the eye a look toward the rear which is nothing short of awesome across the entire vehicle. The wheels are multi-spoked and enticing to allow the final touch of sophistication and elegance.
The standard features offered on the S-Class are simply the top of line in luxury for other models. These features include 16-way power front seats, a 13-speaker Burmester audio system, a navigation system, a power rear sunshade, an in-cabin fragrance system, highly advanced safety features, 24-hour roadside assistance and much more. All features offered as standard fare on the S-Class are designed to help owners show off the car and give other occupants a ride in a very luxurious vehicle that is only able to be purchase by a few lucky owners.
The optional features for the S-Class include massaging, climate-controlled front seats, infrared nighttime vision display and Distronic Plus with radar-based cruise control and autonomous steering, higher grade leather seats, quad-zone climate control, the mbrace plus with apps and access to a Mercedes-Benz concierge service, an executive seating package for the rear seats, a rear cabin refrigerator, dual screen entertainment system and power side shades. Adding any or all of these awesome optional features to this car gives owners and passengers even more opportunities to impress and be impressed along the drive in this outstanding vehicle.
The S-Class starts out its pricing on the S550 with a price of $95,000 with the AWD adding $3,000 to the price tag for the added control. The S63 shows up over $142,000 and the S600 will call for just below $168,000. At the top of the range the S65 AMG comes in with a price near $225,000 before any optional features are added at all. As a car that is made to impress and carry the social and business elite, the S-Class offers a ride that fully pampers any owner or passenger and is the perfect car that can show off and impress for success.
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