Super TestCar reviews - Mercedes-Benz - S-Class - sedan rangeMercedes-Benz modelsOverviewHas Mercedes done enough with its new W221 S-class to stay atop the luxury tree?17 Feb 2006 AN ALL-NEW S-class luxury sedan flagship emerges from the Mercedes-Benz factory but once every seven years and, as a the latest incarnation of what's widely regarded as the world's best car, is cause for celebration. This time around, the all-new W221 boasts the usual array of advanced new technologies the further refine the comfort and driving experience of would-be buyers. Of course, the latest S-class also grows in size, making it closer to the mammoth W140 model that earned the "Schwein Klasse" nickname. And for the long-wheelbase S500L variant, which arrives ahead of the S350 and S600 this year, there's a $6000 price hike. As the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz engineering, is the latest S-class good enough to maintain its place ahead of seriously accomplished rivals such as BMW's 7 Series, Audi's A8, Jaguar's XJ and Lexus LS? Model release date: 1 April 2006 to 1 October 2009 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelThe previous-generation W220 S-class replaced the W140 "Schwein Klasse" Down Under in April 1999, launching with a less powerful 3.2-litre SOHC V6 that produced 165kW and 315Nm in the S320. Also available was the 205kW/400Nm 4.3-litre S430 and S430L V8s, the 225kW/460Nm 5.0-litre S500L V8 and the 270kW/530Nm 5.8-litre V12 S600L (from November 2000). The 180kW/350Nm 3.7-litre SOHC V6 S350 replaced S320 in March 2003 - the same time the 368kW/700Nm supercharged 5.4-litre S55K and the 368kW/800Nm 5.5-litre V12 S600L - arrived - while the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed auto joined the S430 and S500 in March 2004. |
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