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Leaving
out a few exotic, limited production cars,
such as Rolls Royce and Bentley, what's
the best sedan money can buy? OK, make
that the best, most prestigious sedan
money can buy. I'll bet the words
Mercedes-Benz came to your lips.
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With the arrival
of the new S-Class cars -- the S430 and S500 -- I
think it's fair to say that this prestigious-best
reputation is once again rooted in a solid
product.The aluminum V8 can hustle this sleek sedan
to 60 m.p.h. in about seven seconds, according to
Mercedes, which is on a par with the other players
in the class.
 Ride
quality is perhaps this car's best dynamic
attribute. And the outstanding aerodynamics of the
new body shell -- the coefficient of drag is an
exemplary 0.27 -- add to the comfort quotient by
reducing wind noise.
Luxurious
comfort, of course, is what this leather-lined car
is all about, and it delivers very well. For
example, even though the exterior dimensions have
been significantly reduced, there's more room
inside the car, particularly in the rear seat
area.
 The
all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is so smart it makes
me feel dumb. Let's say you're driving south and
the early morning sun is beating in the driver's
window. You set the driver's temperature control at
68 degrees, while your passenger sets his or hers
at 72. Make a U-turn, head back the other way and
the climate control system, using a sensor that
reads the sun's location, automatically swaps
temperature settings from one side of the vehicle
to the other.
There are two
versions. The S430 has a 275-horsepower, 4.3-liter
V8, while the S500's 5.0-liter V8 tops out at 302
horsepower.
 Such
sleight-of-hand is but one small example of the
technical prowess found in this latest generation
of Mercedes' flagship, the S-Class.
Not only is this
car a technological benchmark, but it also
represents a new approach for Mercedes-Benz.
Everything but the automatic transmission is new.
While the previous S-Class was big, heavy and
expensive, the new one is shorter, lower and 500
pounds lighter. The interior is bigger than before,
yet prices ($69,700 for the S430 and $77,850 for
the S500) are more than $9,600 and $4,200 less,
respectively, than last year.
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Vehicle
Type:
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front-engine,
rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan
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Base
Price:
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$70,295
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Engine
Type:
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4.3-liter,
V8
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Power
(SAE net):
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275
bhp
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Transmission:
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automatic
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Wheelbase:
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121.5
in
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Length:
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203.1
in
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Curb
Weight:
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4080
lb
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EPA
fuel economy, city driving:
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17-24
mpg
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