If you want to know what electronic features you can expect in your small crummy little hatchback 10 years from now, the only place to look is the S500 by Mercedes-Benz. This is the car that sets the future of luxury that will be mandatory and a necessity several years down the line.
The S500 is less of a car and more of gadgets. It’s an electronic haven. The things you get in this as standard are beyond comprehension. It will take you an entire lifetime to figure out this car’s electronics and comfort features. Three years after owning the car, you would probably still be figuring out some basic features from its endless list.
Therefore, the most important part of the car is the interior. The inside of this car looks nothing from this planet. It looks more of an alien spaceship with elegant curves and contours and the discreet mood lightings which can only be from a sci-fi movie based 2000 years from today. The wood on the dash, the chrome on the millions of controls and buttons and the speakers that twist as they come out from the doors when you activate the media, assure you that you are in the year 4014. The giant digital display shows you everything that is going on in the technologically backward world outside with its sensors and cameras.
This long and elegant spaceship comes with airbags all around you, from top, below, side to side and the front so the passengers and the driver are well protected. And then there is something called “Attention Assist Plus” to make sure you never need them in the first place. The seats are fluffy and comfortable as you would expect from it. So being in this car is like being hugged by your grandmother, the safest and most comfortable place to be.
While you’re being all cozy in your grandmother’s arms, you can enjoy the individual dual screens in the back seat to yourself or watch whatever you feel like for example sat-nav, media entertainment, call someone with voice command, or you could take out the foldable tray and finish your work on your laptop, writing, or even finish your meal as you are chilled by the individual air-con vents in the rear with their individual climate controls and be lost in your thoughts. The soundproofing isolates you from the world to nirvana as you control everything as though seated in front. Sitting at the back seat you have control over all functions virtually, except driving the vehicle!
The driver does feel he is the captain of the starship enterprise with all the controls just on his steering wheel. It is like moving along on a cushion of air with the “Airmatic” suspension making it feel like the flying spaceship to justify the looks and design.
The car is not meant to be driven in congested places. The sheer size of the car does make it hard to maneuver and the electronics aren’t much help in the unpredictable Indian environment especially in tight spaces. But give the car an open road, and it races like the cheetah. The throttle response is good. The moment you step on the accelerator, you will be surprised by the power that is generated out of the 300 hp V8 engine. It simply screams for more road as it advances like the wicked dust storm that Delhi so often witnesses. It’s sheer delight. But when you ask the driver to ferry you around, simply ask him to press the speed limit button on one of the levers on the steering wheel. That way, the speed is limited to around 50kmph. You can then sit at the back and simply relax!
Engine
Transmission
Max Power
Max Torque
Fuel Efficiency
4663cc V8 Petrol
7-speed 7G-TRONIC PLUS Automatic
338 bhp@ 5250-5500rpm
700 Nm@ 1800-3500rpm
7.81 kmpl
Suspension: Front/Rear
Kerb Weight
Fuel Tank Capacity
Tyres
Price
Airmatic Suspension
2200 Kg
80 litres
245/45 R 19
Rs 1,39,50,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Energizer and Assurance Intl Limited have collaborated on a new line of automotive oil that will be sourced, manufactured, and distributed in India to complement the existing STP product portfolio in ...
The Uno Minda D-90 horn has a two-year manufacturing warranty and is competitively priced between Rs 295 and Rs 855. It can be conveniently purchased from a variety of top-tier online and offline reta...
A two-stage side airbag from ZF Lifetec uses the milliseconds before an unavoidable crash to build up valuable distance and better protect the occupants.