There's always a buzz around a new-generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Well, it's pretty much the benchmark in the luxury space and every new-gen model raises the bar. The new-gen S-Class was launched in India today and it looks quite dynamic on the outside and futuristic on the inside with a hint of retro charm. It has also upped the ante in the tech & features department with the creature comforts on offer and of course it stands tall in the world of flagships with excellent comfort and opulence levels. Here are the top seven aspects of the new S-Class that make it stand out.
Also Read: 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Launched In India
The 12.8-inch screen is the new S-Class takes centre stage and eliminates 27 knobs.
The massive standalone touchscreen game started by Tesla has caught the fancy of quite a few carmakers and Mercedes-Benz is doing it in the best way possible so far. The new 12.8-inch touchscreen is the magnum opus and brings access to almost every feature at your finger tip. It can even tell where your finger is before you've pressed it and you get haptic feedback as well. You can also activate fingerprint scanner and face ID for added security and if someone does try to fiddle around with the screen, the Mercedes voice activation system won't allow the access until it recognises the "Hey Mercedes" in the voice. Now since the screen pretty much incorporates so many functions, it also helps with 27 fewer knobs and dials on the new S-Class over the outgoing model and integrating climate-control function as well, since it already extends to that area physically.
The driver's screen which is 3D comes with the spatial perception to track your eye movements.
The S-Class features five screens in total- four touchscreens and a 12.3-inch instrument panel for the driver. Some come with the OLED technology and are available with haptic feedback. The driver's screen which is 3D comes with the spatial perception to track your eye movements and offers a whole range your details relating to the vehicle's performance and maintenance along with few infotainment details.
The cockpit of the new S-Class is out of science fiction.
We have already covered all individual seat and creature comforts setting related aspect of the MBUX system but this is the flagship and the MBUX in here has to be smarter than other models of the Benz family and not just cool. To begin with, it works 50 per cent faster in the S-Class and comes with a bandwidth of 41,790 Mb/s. This system identifies 27 different languages. The driver also gets a massive heads-up display with augmented reality which comes very handy during navigation. The display indicates with arrows when you are approaching a turn ahead. The MBUX uses the camera built inside the cabin upper control panel which uses the systems learning algorithms to assist and recognise the wishes and commands of the passenger. It uses the passenger's body language/head movement and reacts using the relevant vehicle function.
The cabin can be had with carbon fibre finish and piano black wood with pinstriping on the dashboard, depending on the finish you choose
The rear seat of the S-Class is where the owners will be spending a lot of their time and it's obvious for Mercedes-Benz to have specific focus in this area. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is longer by 34 mm, wider by 51 mm and taller by 12 mm. The wheelbase has also been extended by 50 mm, along with the front track by 35 mm and the rear track by 51 mm, meaning the grown dimensions make for a more spacious cabin. The new-generation S-Class offers 38 mm more elbow room at the front, while the rear gets 24 mm more legroom and marginally more elbow room and headroom than the outgoing model. Then, the E-Active Body Control system analyses the driving circumstances and adjusts the suspension a thousand times per second. An added bonus is the rear wheel steering movement of 4.5 degrees that gives the driver the comfort of nipping in and out of tight spots and busy traffic.
The new-generation S-Class is longer and wider, making for more room on the inside.
And coming to the seats, now an S-Class is expected to have these individual recliners, but there is more to them. Each seat in the new S-Class come with individual command setting that is feed into latest MBUX system and what it does that the system recognises preferences like recline angles, massage level and also multimedia details for the individual screens at the rear which can be activated with a single command. Comfort levels on the front passenger seat are assisted by up to 19 motors and 10 different massage programs are available on these seats. No need to mention that they are ventilated as well. So basically, you can set the tone of your cabin area including the music, ambient lighting, air conditioning and seat position among a host of other things, just with a single command.
The 64-lighting active ambient lighting builds up on that quite appealingly and also has around 250 LEDs integrated into the driving assistance systems.
The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class looks dashing on the outside and it's pretty much requisite for the cabin to have a sublime effect on the inside and the 64-lighting active ambient lighting builds up on that quite appealingly. The active ambient lighting also has around 250 LEDs integrated into the driving assistance systems, able to reinforce warnings visually and it even has illuminated seat belt buckles avoiding the hassle which hitching the belt when its dark. That is further complemented with about 100 kg of sound insulation for reduced NVH levels and built-in 30-speaker Burmester stereo system along with a built-in vibration pad for you to feel the bass coming from the stereo speakers adding to the first of its kind 4D sound experience.
The 2021 S-Class is the world's fast car to get frontal airbags for the rear-seat passenger
The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the first car to get new frontal backseat airbags and these aren't just extra curtain airbags but are proper full-size airbags that pop out of the front seats, facing the rear passengers. This means passengers in the back seat get the same protection as the driver in a head-on crash. Another lifesaving feature is the pre-safe impulse side system that automatically raises the suspension 8 cm on sensing a side collision. This helps in diverting the energy from the crash away from the doors and into the car's floor which has the most torsional strength and so it protects everyone inside.
All the new assist features in the S-Class
We know that we already have quite a few vehicles in the luxury car market with autonomous tech, but the new S-Class goes a notch up with the driver assistance package 5.0. This can brake, steer, accelerate and change lanes on the road automatically for a short while. The car's intelligent AI makes sure that you are paying attention by using two cameras that constantly monitor your eyes. That said, this is not a fully autonomous system, but the assist package is also active when you have the control in your hands and gives you warnings on sensing any abrupt manoeuvres or if traffic is approaching from other sides.
The new flush-fitting door handles and wing mirrors with aerostripes optimise aerodynamics of the new S-Class.
And finally coming to it! The new S-Class may not look all different on the outside but the Germans have paid special heed in making it one of the most aerodynamically advanced passenger cars around. That primarily starts with its sleek design and flush finish including the new body paint texture making it sleek and more even. Another big change in this direction is the new flush-fitting door handles to optimise airflow on the S-Class while the wing mirrors come with aerostripes, which the company says together help improve airflow and bring the drag coefficient down to just 0.22 cd.
