The reveal of a new S-Class is a momentous occasion in the land of Mercedes-Benz; not only is it the grandest of all 'Benz saloons, but it's also something of a crystal ball, previewing the future gadgets and technologies that will eventually filter down into the humbler models.
There's a lot of that in the new S-Class; in fact its information pack would likely fill a hard-cover novel. Its aspiration: to be “the best automobile in the world”.
The pressure is on, not least because Mercedes-Benz has given up on its flagship Maybach saloon - meaning that the S-Class will have to please the most discerning of aristocrats.
CLASSIC LUXURY-SEDAN PROPORTIONS
This is probably why Mercedes-Benz designed its new S with a specific focus on the long-wheelbase model, giving it added gravitas with a larger, more upright, distinctly three-dimensional grille, a long bonnet, a flowing, domed roof line and gently slanting rear end.
The new S-Class is not much bigger than the previous model, but the driver gets an extra 12mm headroom, 14mm more shoulder room and 10mm more elbow room, while rear-seat passengers have 14mm more knee room and 9mm more shoulder room.
A short front and longer rear overhang give it classic luxury-sedan proportions, with the signature 'dropping line' adding structure (and even more length) to the profile view, while a strong shoulder-line above the rear wheel hints at performance - after all, plutocrats don't get driven around in slow cars, do they?
The rear windscreen is also an S-Class hallmark feature, curving round into the C pillars as if on a coupé, while new all-LED tail light clusters, completely enclosed by the bodywork, give the rear of the new S-Class a distinctive design signature.
FIRST CLASS CABIN
Mercedes-Benz promises that rear occupants will be seated “in first class”, with the seats and controls all to the same standard as those in front.
Customers can also opt for a Business centre console that combines personal comfort with practical convenience, including a built-in telephone handset, extra stowage compartments and folding tray tables.
There are five different rear seat variants, including an Executive seat with a backrest angle that's adjustable by up to 43.5 degrees, a calf support that can be adjusted for both length and angle, a heel rest and an extra 'comfort cushion' to make 'travelling first class' more than just a slogan.
For further relaxation, you'll be able to count on the Energising massage function, a world-first system based on the hot-stone principal. It uses no less than 14 individually actuated air cushions in the backrest, as well as an integrated warming function, to give you a choice of six massage programmes, two of them using the warming function.
KEEPING YOUR COOL
Then, when you want to cool down, the active seat ventilation system uses reversing fans to speed up the process, first drawing cooler surrounding air on to the seat surface to cool it down a lot faster than with the previous active cooling systems. After four minutes the fans are automatically switched to blower mode to reduce draughts.
Disappointingly, it won't make your coffee for you, but you will find thermo cup-holders that use Peltier technology to cool or warm drinks over a longer period of time.
At the command centre, Jeeves will enjoy two high-resolution TFT colour displays for all driving and infotainment data and the Linguatronic system can now read out e-mails and text messages. What's more, each occupant can use different entertainment systems simultaneously.
TRAVEL SHOW
The interactive navigation functions include so much extra content, it's more like a TV travel show, with an animated compass, a 'drive show' for passenger information as on an aircraft, and Google Maps shown on the rear-seat screens as well as the centre-stack screen.
Information on the traffic situation is shown with hatched lines, rather than with vehicle silhouettes as before, and traffic data showing the situation on the roads is updated in real time, thanks to a new Live Traffic Information service,.
The climate control system covers just about every crevice inside, even the arm rests, and there is a world-first active perfuming system that allows you to individualise the smell of the interior and adjust its intensity.
The standard sound system has ten 'loudspeakers' but if Sir's not satisfied with that, one of two Burmester Surround Sound systems can be ordered.
FEEL IT IN YOUR TUMMY
But whichever sound system you specify you get what Mercedes-Benz call Frontbass: woofers mounted in the firewall, using the almost 40 litres of empty space inside the cross-member and side members as a resonance chamber.
Not only does that give you realistic, feel-it-in-your-tummy bass sound, it also makes the conventional woofers in the doors unnecessary, allowing the designers to move the mid-range speakers upwards and make the door pockets deeper.
There's lots of wood trim, especially on the dashboard and centre console, and the switches have metallised surfaces with pearl-effect paint finishes in on of three colours to suit the car's interior trim.
An interesting new S-Class fact is that it's the first car ever to be built without a single light bulb, in its place you'll find almost 500 LEDs taking care of everything from illuminating the road ahead to the interior ambience. There are 56 LEDs in each headlight, 35 in each tail light cluster, (plus four for the rear foglight) and about 300 in the cabin, including the dashboard and ambient lighting.
SUSPENSION WITH EYES
Another in the long list of optional innovations is what Mercedes calls the world's first suspension system with 'eyes'. Its Road Surface Scan system can detect unevenness ahead by means of a stereo camera, while the Magic Body Control instantaneously sets up the suspension to deal with the new situation.
Naturally, an air suspension system is standard on the new S-Class, as is adaptive damping.
You'd also expect innovations on the safety front, and here the S-Class offers an enhanced Pre-Safe system that can help prevent collisions with pedestrians and vehicles in front in city traffic and diffuse threatening situations caused by the traffic behind.
MULTISTAGE RADAR SENSORS
There's a raft of new assistance systems too, including Distronic Plus with Stop&Go pilot that allows the vehicle to follow vehicles in traffic jams automatically, Cross Traffic Assist that can detect crossing traffic and pedestrians, Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and an enhanced Night View Assist Plus with a new stereo camera and multistage radar sensors, giving the new S-Class 360-degree all-round vision and helping it detect potential dangers on the road.
It then alerts the driver to pedestrians or animals in front of the car by automatically switching from the speedometer to a night-view image and highlighting the source, while a spotlight flashes any pedestrians ahead, attracting the driver's attention to them as well as warning them to get out of the road.
EFFICIENT NEW ENGINES
Despite all of its opulence, the new range is up to 20 percent more efficient than before thanks to a new range of engines that includes two hybrid variants, one of them a diesel.
Naturally, the latter is the biggest fuel miser of them all. This S 300 BlueTec Hybrid model mates a 150kW/500Nm 2143cc turbodiesel to a 20kW/250Nm electric motor. Claimed fuel consumption amounts to just 4.4 litres per 100km, with CO2 emissions of 115g/km.
Set to follow soon is an S 500 Plug-in Hybrid, for which Mercedes-Benz promises consumption of less than four litres per 100km - incredible for a limo.
SOME PUNCH TOO
The other diesel option is an S 350 BlueTec, a three-litre engine good for 190kW/620Nm and consumption of 5.6 litres per 100km.
Moving onto the punchier petrol options, there's a surprisingly efficient (6.3 litres per 100km) S 400 Hybrid that pairs a 225kW/370Nm petrol motor with a 20kW/250Nm electrical boost.
With the AMG version not announced yet, the initial performance flagship will be the S 500 with 335kW on tap at 5250rpm and 700Nm from 1800; expect it to whoosh to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Mercedes claims a 6.8-second time for the S 400 and S 350 and a 7.6-second sprint for the S 300.