Gratification, opulence and sheer bliss on four wheels

Mercedes-Benz has always been creating expensive luxury coupes and the sensational S-Class is one of them.

While many think of the S-Class as a luxury saloon fit for heads of states and of course rich businessmen, the coupe version has been serving them during the weekends, when owners actually get behind the wheel and engage in some personal motoring.

Not aware that distributor Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) had an S Coupe available for a test drive, I was negotiating to borrow something more spectacular than bread-and-butter models from the company (like the E-Class diesel). And voila! The S 500 Coupe popped up on the list.

Prior to picking it up, I tested another Mercedes – the C 250 Coupe. I liked this one pretty much as an everyday car (except for its uninspiring engine rattle), but after stepping into the lavish S 500 Coupe, the whole world started to change.

Granted, from the outside the S 500 Coupe seems discreet and doesn’t cry out for much attention but it is elegant enough to signal the driver’s status and attitude. I usually wear a simple pair of jeans with a T-shirt, but now I’m beginning to think of enrobing myself in more expensive clothes to match the S 500 Coupe – well, at least to don something more “proper”.

The Coupe’s interior is unique to the S-Class range, leaving other models behind sniffing the dust in terms of luxury and styling. The seats are from another planet, with detailed diamond-pattern embroidery found only in high-end luxury cars. The seats are highly comfortable, and even passengers in the rear can enjoy some room – not plenty, of course, but they won’t be complaining.

The biggest and most pleasant surprise is when you fire up the engine. The twin-turbo V8 wakes up with a throaty growl that signals its character and capability. I was so excited with the S 500 Coupe’s engine sound that I had to video it and post it on Facebook.

It is a big car indeed, measuring more than 5 metres in length and 1.9 metres in width, so I was extra careful when driving down the narrow parking lot in which Mercedes keeps its test cars.

Unlike other new Mercedes models, the S 500 Coupe doesn’t come with the Dynamic Select switch (normal, sport and sport+) but just an economy/sport button for the engine and transmission, and a comfort/sport button for the suspension. Economy and comfort were the preferred modes as I drove down Sathorn with its typically heavy traffic.

The car is fitted with low-profile 19-inch tyres, but provides a highly comfortable ride thanks to its standard Airmatic suspension that effectively irons out shocks and road vibrations. You seem to glide over these cracks and bumps in the road, while the impact from driving over speed bumps is dramatically lowered.

Even in economy mode the S 500 Coupe showed good potential. The twin-turbo 4.7-litre powerplant is actually capable of pumping out 455 horsepower and a massive 700Nm of torque. There’s so much torque that the car often skips the first gear and takes off in second.

Cruising on the poorly maintained outer ring road was expectedly comfortable, with the suspension working wonders while the large amount of torque provided effortless overtaking.

But there comes a time when you want to squeeze all the performance out of this car, and that’s when you hit the Sport mode.

Now floor the throttle from a standstill and the S 500 Coupe slingshots ahead with most of that torque working. Zero to 100km/h takes 4.6 seconds, and the speed keeps increasing until you hit the 250km/h electronically limited top speed.

Acceleration seemed a little slower at higher speeds (compared to smaller sports cars like the Mercedes AMG GTS), but you also need to consider the 2-tonne weight of the car, which is fully equipped with all the luxuries in life.

Despite its size, the S 500 Coupe is capable of cruising efficiently (for a 4.7-litre V8) thanks to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Average fuel consumption is claimed to be 8.6 litres per 100km, but step on the gas with enthusiasm and the figure drops to supercar levels, which did not surprise me.

The suspension set-up (multi-link front and rear) provides trustworthy grip while cornering but you can always feel the weight of the car, while the steering is well-calibrated for its character.

Being a big car also means that the brakes have to work much harder, and at very high speeds braking performance isn’t as convincing, which is another reason to take the S 500 Coupe as a GT (Grand Tourer) rather than a pure sports car.

A GT needs to be quick on the highway and provide enough comfort for long journeys – that’s what the S 500 is great at – but not necessarily quick around the race track. And as icing on the cake, there are tonnes of exciting features to make it an extremely desirable car.

The panoramic sunroof features “Magic Sky Control” borrowed from the Maybach that dims the glass with a press of a button. This is something you got to show your friends.

I got into the menu settings and found out that you can choose between seven colours for the interior lighting (purple was awesome).

The Burmester high-end audio system is also outstanding, turning out great sound quality even from MP3 files, but I was very angry that the perfume bottle for the “AirBalance” air refreshener system was missing.

The trunk has a comfort closing function, so while carrying heavy stuff just a gentle kicking motion under the rear bumper equals “open sesame”.

There’s a surround view camera with guidance. But if you’re fed up with backing up this big Coupe into a tight slot, use Active Parking Assist and you’re as cool as a Ford Focus owner.

Another great feature is the Magic Vision Control windshield wipers – water is sprayed from the wiper blades and wiped right away so you can see the view ahead at all times. It does remind me of high-end vinyl record cleaners – water is sprayed on the record grooves and vacuum sucked for disposal at the same time.

The Coupe also has an intelligent lighting system with Swarovski crystals and all sorts of assists including cornering and high beam.

The list goes on and on to match the hefty Bt15.49-million price tag. And if you wanna spend a bit more, there’s a cabriolet version for Bt16.29 million.

The Mercedes-Benz S 500 Coupe may not be a dramatic sports car that turns heads wherever it goes with its look-at-me design and loud throttle. It’s rather a mature Grand Tourer for those looking for straight-line performance with excellent ride comfort, along with all the luxuries in life.

Mercedes-Benz S 500 Coupe AMG Premium specs

 

Engine: DOHC V8 with 2 turbochargers and intercooler

Displacement: 4,663cc

Bore and stroke: 93x86mm

Compression ratio: 10.5:1

Max power: 455hp/5,250-5,500rpm

Max torque: 700Nm/1,800-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Ratios: n/a

Acceleration 0-100km/h:

4.6 secs

Top speed: 250km/h

Suspension (f/r): multi-link/multi-link

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 12 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/vented disc

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 5,027

Width: 1,899

Height: 1,411

Wheelbase: 2,945

Track (f/r): 1,625/1,632

Weight: approx. 2,000kg

Wheels: 19-in alloys

Tyres: 245/45 R19 (front)/275/40 R19 (rear)

Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres

Price: Bt15.49 million

Distributor: Mercedes-Benz (Thailand)