- sedan 119,331
- 19,499 high price
- Spring, TX
-
- autoshopper.com
2007 mercedes-benz s-class review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. The outgoing model remained the segment leader in sales even after seven years on the market. Indeed, half of all the cars priced over $100,000 sold in the u. Are still s-class benzes. The exterior design, the interior design, and the onboard controls systems are entirely new, and all of the safety systems have been upgraded and even further integrated. Only a few parts and systems carry over from the previous-generation models, such as the air suspension system, the seven-speed automatic transmission, and most of the safety systems. competition among the best of the mainstream luxury cars is tough, but mercedes may have risen to the top of the class with this ninth generation of s-class models. lineupfor 2007, two models of the s-class are available: the s550 85,400), and the s600 139,900). Each is distinguished mainly by their engines. The gas guzzler tax on the v8 is $1000, and on the v12 version, $3000. the s550 is powered by a completely new engine, the 5. 5-liter v8 that has gone back to a 4-valve-per-cylinder design. Virtually every comfort and convenience item is standard, with a huge option list to ease customization. The s600 adds parktronic front and rear parking radar system, and the newly updated distronic radar-controlled cruise control. The s600 has a new designo mystic white white-and-black interior and exterior design option for $9295, with only one other option, the 19-inch wheels for $1200. the new s-class safety package is unequalled in the class, with all the usual brake and airbag technology upgraded and pre-safe accident-readiness equipment made standard. The brake assist feature has been improved to brake assist plus status, and is fully integrated with parktronic and distronic, respectively the radar-controlled parking and distance-controlling cruise control systems. The system now has two forward-facing radar systems, and can apply the brakes at any speed from zero up to about 125 mph and bring the car to a full stop without driver input. The company says the new system can reduce rear-end collisions in stop-and-go traffic by up to 75 percent. It uses infrared, not thermal imaging as the cadillac's older systems. Using infrared headlamps, a tiny camera picks up and projects clear, sharp images of what's ahead of the car. The picture is displayed in the space normally occupied by the speedometer and tachometer, which change to bar graphs underneath the night vision display when it's activated. Unlike the thermal systems, the mercedes system uses a sharper simos display instead of a ccd, it does not depend on heat generated by engines or humans to create images, and can operate unaffected by temperature extremes. A high-performance amg model with a new 6. 3-liter naturally aspirated v8 replacing the supercharged 5. walkaroundthe new mercedes s-class is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing models, with a wheelbase that is a full three inches longer. Although a short-wheelbase model is available in other markets, as is an s 320 v6 diesel and an s 350 gasoline v6 model, the u. Market will get only the roomier long-wheelbase version with v8 or v12 power, at least for now. the exterior features a completely new, more aerodynamically efficient shape. Most noticeable are the exaggerated fender flares front and rear. New design cues include a more upright grille, new headlamps and new tail lamps, the latter with thick body-colored horizontal bars running through them, all tied together with lower body molding. For the first time in the design history of the s-class, the decklid opening is not contained within the rear fenders, but instead extends out to the side of the body, with a distinctly raised position that looks a bit like the rear end of a 7 series bmw. That was done for exactly the same aerodynamic reasons as on the bmw, to give the air rushing over the long, long roof panel a good place to separate cleanly from the body without causing drag. A side benefit is a huge trunk opening for easy loading. Active bi-xenon headlamps which illuminate around corners, and cornering fog lamps that illuminate the front corner areas of the car, are standard equipment. this is the sportiest-looking s-class ever with this new shape. Despite its increased size, width and height, it has the best aerodynamic rating in the entire luxury class, a 0. 26 coefficient of drag, a figure that is among the best in the world, regardless of vehicle size or class. To keep weight down, the hood, decklid, door skins, and much of the door interiors are all made of various aluminum alloys, while the main body shell is made of high-strength steel. a wide variety of wheel designs and sizes is available to suit each model, with a number of optional wheel and tire combinations. The s550 will come with nine-spoke 18-inch wheels with an optional five-spoke 18-inch alloy wheel or a chrome version of the same wheel or a 19-inch 22-spoke alloy wheel with 255/40r19 front and 275/40r19 rear tires or a 19-inch split spoke design with the same staggered tires. Nothing in the interior of the outgoing car, absolutely nothing, was kept for this new s-class. Every gauge, indicator, switch, lever, display and lamp has been changed. the most striking change is in the comand system in the center of the dash that operates the radio, telephone, entertainment system, navigation system, and vehicle systems. Where the old system was sort of blue on gray, mounted low in the center stack of the console, the new system uses a large, deeply hooded and high-mounted 16:9 ratio full-color display screen, with a console-mounted knob that twists and pushes to change categories and change settings. Everything is done with the twist-and-push controller that operates like the bmw idrive or audi mmi systems, only better. It's far easier to use and understand, even without resorting to reading the manual, far more intuitive than the bmw and audi systems or its predecessor. The driver's door panel is packed with controls for windows and mirrors, including a folding function, and in this case they fumbled. Bucket Seats✔ Tachometer✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Sport Package✔ Navigation System
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