Mercedes Benz

S-Class/S-Class e/AMG

Whether it’s for driving yourself or being chauffeured around in, the Mercedes S Class is the absolute ultimate in luxury. It drives superbly well and is packed to bursting with all the latest technology too.

Test Drive

Mercedes S 400 d 4MATIC L AMG Line Premium Plus Executive (2022)

Mercedes has unleashed its all-new S-Class and it takes luxury to a whole new level altogether.

Priced from £78,705, the latest flagship model not only looks the business and is packed to bursting with high-end technology, it also ticks all the right boxes when it comes to performance.

There are trim levels called AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus, AMG Line Premium Executive and AMG Line Premium Plus Executive, along with a choice of petrol or diesel powertrains and even a mild hybrid version. Customers can also select from long or short-wheel base and, of course, there is a comprehensive list of options to fully personalise the car.

We tested out the range-topping S 400 d 4MATIC AMG Line Premium Plus Executive model which is available in long-wheel base and powered by a punchy 3.0-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine developing 330hp and 700Nm of torque. This model costs £104,425 and according to WLTP figures can deliver a combined 37.7mpg with carbon emissions of 196g/km.

Despite weighing in at 2.8 tonnes and stretching more than 5.3 metres in length, the S Class can power its way to 62mph from a standing start in just 5.4 seconds and tops out at an electronically-limited 155mph.

The road holding is superb and its even quite agile in busier city centre traffic, but this vehicle is an outstanding cruiser. It eats up motorway miles for fun and comfort levels are sublime for all occupants. That’s not surprising as the car will often be used as a chauffeur-driven limo.

It features a nine-speed automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement and there are various drive modes called Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual that alter the mannerisms and handling. For example, in the sportier modes, the acceleration, steering, gear changes and braking all become more aggressive, while move across to Comfort and it all gets very relaxed and refined – it feels like the car is gliding on air.

It fires along the country lanes and B roads delivering exceptional poise and balance through tight bends and offering confident grip with little sign of body sway. It does feel particularly wide at times, especially on narrow roads where you will be breathing in quite a lot – as if that makes the car smaller!

Comfort levels are magnificent and the space in the back is similar to a first class seat on a flight. Just like the front seats, the rear ones are power adjustable and there is a powered footrest in the back. They also have their own ventilation set-up and memory settings, heated armrests and lots more besides.

A Chauffeur Pack means the front passenger headrest can be folded forward so the view from the back is not obscured and with four-zone air conditioning and 64 shades of ambient lighting, this car caters for all your needs. And should you want more, there is more. That’s because this Mercedes also has noise reduced tyres with foam absorber for added refinement, plus a seat massage system with 10 different programmes. Luxury at its finest then.

The S Class looks amazing too with sweeping light clusters with adaptive high beam assist, a distinctive grille, large chrome air intakes, a front splitter, twin tailpipes, plus 21-inch alloys with grey brake calipers.

The interior boasts the finest Nappa leather upholstery, along with the most recent Mercedes-Benz User Experience infotainment set-up. This sees a 12.8-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display with optional 3D effect. It looks stunning and there is a MBUX tablet too that can be used as a fully-fledged tablet outside the vehicle.

The car’s personal assistant is brought into life by saying ‘Hey Mercedes’ and this can help with all manner of tasks from plotting sat nav routes, finding suitable parking bays, changing the radio and lots more. You can even make requests from the back of the car too.

Creature comforts include full smartphone integration, a fingerprint scanner, a Burmester 3D surround sound system, head-up display, DAB radio and a wealth of other high-end technology to explore.

The boot can hold 550 litres of luggage which is an increase of 20 litres compared to the outgoing car and there are numerous storage options throughout the S class too, including a lockable glovebox, practical central cubby, deep door bins, front and rear cup holders and some handy trays.

There is a generous level of safety kit and driver assist systems, with the latest car featuring a Driving Assistance Package across the range. This introduces updates to a number of safety features such as active distance assist with DISTRONIC to help prevent collisions up to 80mph (previously 37mph). The active lane keeping assist and active evasive steering assist now operates at speeds of up to 67mph improved from 44mph and traffic sign assist now warns the driver if they are about to pass through a red light.

And there is the added reassurance of Mercedes 4MATIC all-wheel drive to keep you motoring in more adverse driving conditions.

All in all, the new S Class is the complete package for anyone searching for ultimate luxury in a car. It’ s amazing to drive but just as rewarding to be chauffeured too.

Test Drive

Mercedes S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid L AMG Line

There are few new vehicles these days that can truly impress me within minutes, but I have just discovered a car that ticks all the right boxes.

And that car is the sublime, beautifully crafted, elegant, sophisticated and athletic Mercedes S 300 Hybrid and it packs a mighty punch too.

It is powered by a 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel engine and a 27bhp electric motor, and for a classy hybrid model it delivers a fabulous driving experience.

The S 300 is guaranteed to stop onlookers in their tracks thanks to its dynamic streamlined styling, twin tailpipes, LED lighting front and rear, electric panoramic sunroof, green tinted glass and 19-inch alloys with brake callipers proudly showing the Mercedes-Benz name. But the test car also boasted AMG styling which really enhances the sporty appeal of the saloon.

The interior is richly equipped with a whole host of technology to be explored. In fact, the more you delve into the features and creature comforts the more you discover along the way.

For example, the seats made from the finest Nappa leather can be heated or cooled. They can be adjusted every which way to find the perfect position and these settings can then be stored in the memory system.

There are even massage options and numerous ambient lighting shades to create the ideal environment.

There is a refrigerated compartment, head-up display, heated steering wheel, a surround sound system for back seat passengers (who also benefit from the seat heating and massaging options), a superb multimedia system with connectivity to all modern devices and a whole lot more besides.

Now this all sounds a little too good to be true and obviously there has to be a negative to report.

And there is – for the S 300 it costs a whopping £103,185 (including the £31k of options) and that’s a heavy price to pay.

However, for that outlay you do get a vehicle boasting sublime comfort which is the ultimate in luxury and the performance isn’t too shabby either!

It can sprint from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds and redlines at an electronically-limited 155mph. But the statistic that really grabs the headlines is fuel economy because according to official figures the S 300 Hybrid can deliver 61.4mpg on a combined run.

During my week-long test I clocked up more than 500 miles and the car was registering an average 53mpg which, although short of the official figure, is still very impressive.

The seven-speed automatic gearbox is both smooth and responsive and you can change gear manually via steering wheel mounted paddles if you want. Tight bends can be attacked with confidence because the car sticks to the Tarmac like glue and there is minimal road, engine or wind noise to speak of.

Another notable feature is how remarkably comfortable the vehicle is. Somehow the car’s highly-efficient suspension seems to iron out all the road’s creases and that means executives can work in comfort in the back of the car without the fear of being thrown around by a string of unexpected potholes!

In fact, the car actually seems to glide along the road and for such a large vehicle (long-wheel-base only) it is wonderfully agile with light but very direct steering.

Storage options are very thorough and the boot – with its capacity of 510 litres – can be opened or closed automatically.

As one would expect, Mercedes has kitted out the S 300 with a comprehensive range of safety specifications, including blind spot assist, night view assist, collision prevention assist, active lane-keeping assist, crosswind assist, numerous airbags and a list that goes on and on.

All in all, the Mercedes S 300 is a fantastic vehicle. Admittedly, the asking price is not cheap, but sometimes quality wins through and this is certainly one of those times.