Mercedes S550 Test Drive

[Sal Collaziano]

Some of the things that really stood out to me are:

1. Heated and Active Ventilated Seats
The seats get cooler, faster than most other vehicles with this option. In fact, with most vehicles, you can bearly feel any cooling at all.

2. Electronic Trunk Closer
While nobody really needs this feature - it's a nice touch. Honestly, nobody really needs rain-sensing windshield wipers - but they're nice to have...

3. Keyless Go
This is becoming more popular and it's nice to not have keys dangling around while you're driving - and push button start is very nice. I happen to have a lot of keys - so I like this.

4. Parktronic
Another feature that's not absolutely necessary - but it's nice to know that when somebody is valeting my car, or simply driving instead of me, that they've got all the help they can get to avoid banging up my car. There are varying sounds, lights and a display on the navigation screen. What I really found nice about the navigation screen is how it actually shows you how far you can go without hitting something. The situation around you is made very clear.

5. Drive-Dynamic Multicontour Front Seats with 4-Stage Massage Function
I find this really amazing.. On long trips, the massage of these seats is unreal. I had a 2000 Cadillac DeVille DTS with massaging seats. WORTHLESS. The function on the Mercedes is like an actual REAL massage. There's pretty much no way you're going to get fatigued on a long trip in this car.

For added control when cornering, the system also continuously monitors driving conditions and adjusts air chambers within the seat for added support on the side where you need it to help counteract lateral G-forces. If "Pre-Safe" senses that a collision is imminent, it will inflate the air chambers in the cushions and seat backs to help hold the driver and the front passenger in their positions.

While you're driving around - if you're making hard turns, you can actually feel the seats moving around to keep you held in position. You're not forced to have this setting on - but it's really quite helpful. It actually works.

6. Night View
It just works. And up to 500 feet ahead in darkness to boot. And it works well...

7. Heated and Cooled REAR seats. You can find heated rear seats all over the place - but you don't often find COOLED seats in the back. Why not? I suppose it takes Mercedes to think of your rear seat passengers. Personally, I buy my cars for my passengers first. I don't trust anyone else's driving - and I DON'T want to be a passenger. So I must have "the car" everyone else wants to be a passenger in.

8. Four-Zone Climate Control
No complaints from your passengers... How nice...

9. Power Rear Seats
This isn't all that unusual anymore - and it's quite a nice feature. Especially the way Mercedes has things setup. Eight-way adjustability, dual pneumatic lumbar supports and power head restraints.. It's nice when everything is thought out...

There are other options available - but these are the ones that stood out to me. Beyond all of this - the car does 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. It's roomy and comfortable beyond anything you can ask for in an automobile. There are SIX air conditioning vents for rear seat passengers. Two in the middle behind the front seats, two on the sides near the windows and two on the floor. The building material is, of course, top rate.. The sound system is unbelievable.. You can switch from a subtle, soft ride to a firmer ride with the touch of a button. Either way, the car handles amazingly well - especially for it's size.

For people who like luxury cars, this is the one to aspire for..

[Bravada]

The above just shows it's not only what "features" you have to become truly luxurious, it's about HOW they're executed. The legend of the S-Klasse lives because, whichever generation, however old, you're in, you feel that you are in a state-of-the-art vehicle.

And while I am still lukewarm about STS' styling (much more fond of the more proportional SLS), the S-Klasse is still fugly compared to it. Too bad GM didn't have what it takes to take up the challenge and hit'em while they're weak.

[drew630]

The reason you see such attention to the rear passenger area is because this vehicle is used a lot to be "chauffeured" in. Mercedes is doing this to please the owner, not his passengers.

[Ach]

The S550 is impressive for sure but I still prefer the Audi A8 in this class, notwithstanding its power deficit...the interior and exterior styling are so elegant and classy without being fussy (I don't care for the bloated fenders and Bangle butt on the S-Class).

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Sal Collaziano

For people who like luxury cars, this is the one to aspire for..

And now you know EXACTLY why Cadillac will NEVER become "The Standard of the World."
Cadillac is just not capable of building, engineering, or designing a car that is on the same caliber as S-Class.

Not only does S-Class have the features, it's about how the S-Class is executed into the overall package.
This is the 9th Generation S-Class. With each subsequent generation, Mercedes redefines the meaning of a high-class luxury automobile.

[Sal Collaziano]

It really is amazing how much of an improvement this vehicle is than the last S-Class. This is a new level of luxury. I think Cadillac MIGHT give us a 2006 S430 with the Ultra Luxury Sedan in a few years - IF they make it. By then, Mercedes will be onto a new generation of S-Class that makes the current one "old news".

[PA Dweller]

Why can't Cadillac offer these features?

[drew630]

Originally Posted by PA Dweller

Why can't Cadillac offer these features?

They could but Cadillac would definitely need to raise the starting price of its vehicles. The S550 starts at $87,000.

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by drew630

They could but Cadillac would definitely need to raise the starting price of its vehicles. The S550 starts at $87,000.

Yea but Cadillac is a luxury brand, they should have a vehicle that cost this price. I am for entry vehicles in the mid 30's but they need to have some high end vehicles like MB and BMW.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by PA Dweller

Yea but Cadillac is a luxury brand, they should have a vehicle that cost this price. I am for entry vehicles in the mid 30's but they need to have some high end vehicles like MB and BMW.

Yes yes... we've been down that road before.
GM doesn't have the money to build it.

BUT... GM had a concept car in that realm 5+ years ago....
One has to wonder if the desire to actually build one and compete is actually there.

[FStephenMasek]

GM could build an identical car for significantly less money, given the weak dollar and the shipping costs. However, the lower and middle management "corporate" types there seem to have learned that their pay is secure despite their poor performance.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by drew630

The reason you see such attention to the rear passenger area is because this vehicle is used a lot to be "chauffeured" in. Mercedes is doing this to please the owner, not his passengers.

Not necessarily. A person being chauffeured around doesn't much care about handling and acceleration. As long as they arrive safely, they're content. The S-class has been praised for its handling, and as Sal mentioned, it's very fast to boot.

I met a man who owns a Maybach 57. It's typically regarded as a car for someone with a driver, but he swears that he loves driving it and would never give want to have a driver. And why would he? The car is 3 tons, but it has an auto-leveling suspension and 600 horsepower from a turbocharged V12.

[EldoFan]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

One has to wonder if the desire to actually build one and compete is actually there.

I think the desire itself, is there. I also think that GM is cash strapped and recognizes this....so they resign themselves to 'doing what they can' (or worse). They're inching their way up, with the CTS.....judging by the DT7/DTZ....we'll see how much farther they've come, or how much of a step back they took......

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Yes yes... we've been down that road before.
GM doesn't have the money to build it.

BUT... GM had a concept car in that realm 5+ years ago....
One has to wonder if the desire to actually build one and compete is actually there.

Money is one thing, and a understandable reason. The desire is what I am more worried about. In a few years when GM is profitable again I would like to see a car with such amenities built by Cadillac.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by EldoFan

I think the desire itself, is there. I also think that GM is cash strapped and recognizes this....so they resign themselves to 'doing what they can' (or worse). They're inching their way up, with the CTS.....judging by the DT7/DTZ....we'll see how much farther they've come, or how much of a step back they took......

They weren't "cash strapped" in 2000-2004.
If the desire was there, we never would have gotten the joke that is DTS. We wouldn't have gotten the bland mobile STS.
We wouldn't have gotten the plasticky Saab-wannabe BLS.

DT7 should have arrive 3 years ago... and we all know it.