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By EWAN
KENNEDY in STUTTGART
18 May 2009
The
styling of the four-year old Mercedes-Benz S-Class was so good
from day one that it hasn't needed a lot to freshen in up for the
final three years of the model cycle. Changes have been restricted
to styling of the headlights and taillights as well as to the
shape of the bumpers and the door mirrors.
Yet despite these apparently minor alterations the stylists have
managed to give it quite a different look, one that ties in neatly
with the other models in the Mercedes passenger car range. Indeed,
so neat is the resemblance between the existing C-Class, the new
E-Class and the facelifted S-Class that the result is a sort of
matching luggage effect. You know the sort of thing we mean,
luggage put out by upmarket makers that rises neatly in size in a
satisfyingly visual effect.
Inside, the shape of the existing S-Class has been so good that
nothing has been tampered with. Instead the designers have added a
range of additional hues to the options of the leather trim.
These, together with the carryover of some existing shades, give
buyers plenty to chose from.
We have spent a full day in Stuttgart, Germany with a number of
new models in the S-Class range. Amongst these was a fascinating
petrol-electric hybrid, a car using lithium-ion batteries for the
first time in a vehicle in this class. Rather than cover this
model here we will produce a full report in the near future.
Others in the new S-Class range will include a variety of engines.
Not all will be coming to Australia when the car is released here
in August, but we expect to receive two S350 models, one with a
turbo-diesel as the CDI, the other the highly regarded V6 petrol
unit.
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Marque Publishing Company
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