Geneva show: Mercedes leans into S-Class Coupe

MERCEDES-BENZ’S new flagship S-Class Coupe leans into corners like a motorcycle on its world-first “magic body control” suspension.

Formally unveiled overnight in Europe after official images were leaked on the internet yesterday, the new two-door luxury limousine has been confirmed for Australian launch in the fourth quarter of this year, with a choice of at least three V8 and 12 powertrains, including a stonking AMG-enhanced twin-turbo V12 S65.

The new coupe – faithful to the Concept S-Class Coupe shown at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show – will be officially launched at next month’s Geneva motor show, sitting atop the S-Class sedan range as the new top-shelf model.

Coupe buyers can even order up optional “expressive headlamps” featuring 47 Swarovski crystals.

The coupe takes the automated “magic body control” suspension of the new S-Class to a new level, adding the tilt function for improved passenger comfort.

Daimler AG board member Thomas Weber said the world premiere of the active curve tilting function demonstrated the possibilities offered by Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive.

"The vehicle leans into bends much like a motorcyclist, thereby reducing the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle's occupants,” he said.

“On country roads in particular, this means greater driving pleasure and ride comfort for our customers."The tilting function employs a stereo camera behind the windscreen to detect curves up to 25 metres ahead, in tandem with a transverse acceleration sensor.

Active from 30km/h to 80km/h, the sensors trigger an automatic adjustment to the hydraulic suspension struts, inclining the vehicle up to 2.5 degrees in a fraction of a second, depending on road angle and vehicle speed.

Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific public relations, product and corporate communications senior manager David McCarthy confirmed that Australia will get the S-Class Coupe in late 2014 in three twin-turbo petrol variants – the 335kW/700Nm V8 S500, 430kW/900Nm V8 S63 AMG and 6.0-litre 463kW V12 S65 AMG.

Mr McCarthy said a fourth model, the S600, was still being considered.

Of these models, the S65 powertrain is not available in the new sedan line-up launched in Australia in November.

The variant will become the highest-ranked model in the Mercedes range, with the demise of the AMG-built SLS supercar that is going out of production.

So far, there is no sign of any diesel or six-cylinder petrol variant for Australia.

The S-Class Coupe’s body design is described by Mercedes as “aesthetic sportiness”.

Daimler AG vice-president Gordon Wagener said the new vehicle was “one of the most gorgeous coupes of all times”, representing “the most radical aesthetic departure from its predecessor”.

"The sensuous flowing silhouette in interplay with the clear progressive design language forms a perfect symbiosis and expresses our philosophy of sensual purity with pithy precision," he said.

The coupe is 5027mm long, making it 89mm shorter than the sedan. The width is the same 1899mm, but the wheelbase has been shrunk from 3035mm to 2945mm.

At 1411mm tall, the coupe also sits 85mm lower than the sedan.

Among the luxury features available at an extra cost on the coupe – in Europe at least - are an air-conditioning system that includes "fragrancing" and "ionisation", and electric-heated armrests as a component of the “warmth comfort” package.

A “seat comfort package” includes a massage function “based on the hot-stone principle”.

The driver can choose from seven lighting moods in the cabin, which gets new interior colours including Bengal red, saddle brown and porcelain.