By: New Car Test Drive Staff
Photo Credit: Mercedes-Benz

Overview

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the benchmark for luxury sedans. Completely redesigned just a year ago, the Mercedes S550 and S600 are superb automobiles. The S-Class cabins are among the most beautiful interior executions on the market today. These cars are loaded with technology yet the COMAND system is easier to operate than the systems from BMW and Audi. Underway, the S-Class cars are smooth, quiet, and powerful.

The S-Class is made up of the S550 models, which come with a V8 engine, and the S600, which comes with a turbocharged V12. The S550 4MATIC adds the all-weather capability of all-wheel drive. Two AMG versions bring racecar performance to this big luxury sedan.

All of them boast quick acceleration and are comfortable and stable at high speeds. Performance goes up with the more powerful engines, of course. The S600 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, according to Mercedes, which is very quick indeed.

These cars handle remarkably well for big luxury sedans. They are responsive but not darty. The Airmatic air suspension system is tuned toward the sportier end of the spectrum. The Automatic Body Control active suspension option cuts body roll significantly, and you can really feel it working when you throw the car into a fast, sweeping downhill curve. And we found the Brake Assist Plus brakes spectacular in their stopping power and stopping distance performance.

Completely redesigned for 2007, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is unchanged for the 2008 model year except for the inclusion of satellite radio as a standard feature. This latest generation of S-Class are longer, wider and taller than pre-2007 models, with aggressive fender flares that give the big Benz an exotic look.