New Mercedes-Benz S-Class In Depth (Part 2)
Superlative in design and technology
September 12, 2005 8:01 PM
Filed Under: German, Mercedes-Benz
Press Release
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Superlative in design and technology
Mercedes-Benz presents its new top-of-the-range model: the S-Class. In autumn 2005 this luxury car will be appearing at company-owned outlets and dealerships.
As in the preceding series, the new S-Class will introduce technical innovations which make the flagship Mercedes model an example for others to follow. Pioneering safety features and exemplary comfort are once again the outstanding attributes of the S-Class. The new S-Class also sets standards with its agile handling, while offering an even more effortless driving experience thanks to new, more powerful engines. It is replacing a model series which is the world No. 1 in the luxury class, with around 500,000 units sold.
For more than five decades, the letter "S" in the model designation of Mercedes cars has signified a special aura, intelligent technology and the highest quality. The new S-Class not only continues this tradition, but lends a new meaning to it. A dozen technical innovations are entering series production for the first time on board the new S-Class - from Brake Assist PLUS with radar sensors to dynamic multicontour seats with an extended massage function, from night view assist with the latest infra-red technology to the new COMAND system, and from anticipatory PRE-SAFE® occupant protection to the Active Body Control suspension system.
The new flagship model by Mercedes-Benz is larger than its predecessor in every respect. There is a choice of two body lengths - 5076 or 5206 millimetres - which is 33 and 43 millimetres more, respectively, than the previous S-Class. The wheelbase has increased by 70/80 millimetres to 3035/3165 millimetres. In addition, the body is now 16 mm wider and 29 mm higher than previously. These new dimensions create the basis for an interior space concept which offers all the passengers first-class comfort.
Suspension: AIRMATIC and ABC for even greater comfort with agile handling
The running gear with its standard, improved air suspension system AIRMATIC likewise makes a major contribution to the high level of ride comfort in the new S-Class. Mercedes-Benz combines this with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS), which continuously regulates the shock absorber characteristics and takes the road conditions, driving style and vehicle load into account. The system adapts the damping forces for each individual wheel to the current situation within just 50 milliseconds.
The Adaptive Damping System was further improved by means of degressive shock absorber characteristics. This provides a greater ratio between the compression and rebound damping forces, thereby contributing greatly to the agile handling characteristics of the saloon. Thanks to an improved calculation process, the system also detects the road surface conditions more precisely, and these are taken into account for adaptive control of the shock absorbers.
The "S/C/M" key in the centre console is another special feature of the new S-Class. This enables the driver to alter the characteristics of the saloon from "comfortable" to "sporty", and to adjust the suspension, vehicle level and transmission mode individually. From 120 km/h and in the Sport mode, the suspension is automatically lowered by up to 20 millimetres to further improve the handling, aerodynamics and fuel consumption.
The Active Body Control active suspension system (standard on the S 600) is widely regarded as a milestone in automotive engineering. For installation in the new S-Class it has been further improved. Body movements under hard driving are reduced by 60 percent compared with the previous model. As a result, the S-Class combines new dimensions in sporty handling with equally noticeable gains in comfort.
Performance: over 26 percent more output from the new V8 engine
The engines for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class are new or further developments which offer up to 26 percent more output and up to 15 percent more torque compared to the preceding series. Fuel consumption has been reduced by up to nine percent.
Together with the luxury saloon, a new 5.5-litre eight-cylinder will be premiered in autumn 2005 which generates 285 kW/388 hp and is among the most powerful engines in its displacement class. Maximum torque is also significantly improved compared with the previous V8 engine; it has increased to 530 Newton metres, and is available within a wide engine speed range between 2800 and 4800 rpm. As a result the eight-cylinder powerplant offers driving pleasure more typical of a sports car. The new S 500 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds (previous model: 6.3 seconds). Despite the 26 percent increase in output, the NEDC (combined) fuel consumption of 11.7 to 11.9 litres per 100 kilometres remains at the same, favourable level as the preceding series.
The two six-cylinder engines for the new S-Class are likewise new developments. The S 350 is powered by the 200 kW/272 hp V6 engine, which delivers around eleven percent more output while saving one litre of fuel per 100 kilometres. The combined NEDC fuel consumption is 10.1 to 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres. The new S 350 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, and is therefore 0.3 seconds faster than its predecessor.
From the first quarter of 2006 the new 173 kW/235 hp V6 diesel engine will be added to the range available for the S-Class. This supersedes the previous in-line six-cylinder unit of the S 320 CDI, improving output by 15 percent. Maximum torque is increased from 500 to 540 Newton metres, which is available from 1600 rpm for outstanding flexibility. This up-to-date direct-injection diesel unit consumes 8.3 to 8.5 litres of fuel per 100 km (combined consumption) and is equipped with a maintenance-free particulate filter as standard.
The new top-of-the-line model in the S-Class will also be available from the first quarter of 2006. Thanks to an improved bi-turbo engine, the twelve-cylinder S 600 Saloon develops an output of 380 kW/517 hp - 12 kW/17 hp more than previously. Maximum torque has increased from 800 to 830 Newton metres, while fuel consumpption has decreased by 0.5 to 14.3 litres per 100 kilometres. The V12 engine accelerates the S-Class from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds.
The V6 and V8 models in the new S-Class are equipped as standard with the 7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic transmission, which is unique worldwide. A further innovation is DIRECT SELECT, an attractively styled steering-column selector lever which can be gently judged to operate the 7G-TRONIC.
Safety: Brake Assist with radar and latest-generation PRE-SAFE®
Mercedes-Benz has improved well-proven safety systems such as Brake Assist and PRE-SAFE® even further for the new S-Class. These high-tech innovations greatly help to prevent accidents, improve occupant protection and assist the driver. The new Brake Assist PLUS system (BAS PLUS) registers vehicles ahead by radar and gives a warning if the gap is too small or the closing speed is too high. If a collision threatens, Brake Assist PLUS calculates the ideal braking assistance in fractions of a second and makes this available immediately - even if the driver applies too little pressure to the brake pedal. This significantly reduces the incidence of rear-end collisions.
Mercedes-Benz combines Brake Assist PLUS with the equally unique PRE-SAFE® occupant protection system, which offers even more safety functions on board the new S-Class. PRE-SAFE® recognises potential accident situations as they arise: if braking deceleration exceeds a certain level or a skid is imminent, the system tensions the front seat belts as a precaution and inflates air cushions in the multi-contour seats to envelop and support the driver, front passenger and rear seat occupants.
This combination of the new Brake Assist PLUS system and PRE-SAFE® is a further enhancement to occupant protection. Mercedes-Benz is the world's first and only automotive brand with a comprehensive safety system of this kind, which goes into action as soon as an accident risk is detected.
DISTRONIC PLUS: new assistance system for stop-and-go traffic
Brake Assist PLUS is available in combination with the likewise improved DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control system. This radar-supported system now operates at all speeds between zero and 200 km/h, and ensures even greater driver convenience. In stop-and-go traffic DISTRONIC PLUS keeps the new S-Class at the desired distance from the vehicle ahead, automatically brakes the Saloon to a standstill if necessary and accelerates it back to the programmed speed when the traffic starts moving again. In this way the assistance system reduces the driver's workload and provides considerable benefits in driver-fitness safety.
The equipment package consisting of Brake Assist PLUS and DISTRONIC PLUS also includes park assist, which is based on radar technology. This system provides early warning of an impending collision when reversing.
Night view assist: more safety at night with infrared headlamps
With the innovative night view assist system which is premiered in the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has made a further, major contribution to reducing the risk of accidents during the hours of darkness. This system is based on infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye and will therefore not dazzle oncoming traffic. Two infrared headlamps illuminate the road, significantly extending the driver's range of vision when on low beam. An infrared camera mounted on the inside of the windscreen records the reflected image of the road ahead and displays this in the instrument cluster.
Bodyshell: High-tech steels for maximum safety
The bodyshell creates important conditions for the comfort, dynamism, durability and other major attributes of the new S-Class. The static torsional rigidity of the body - an indicator for safe and comfortable handling - has improved by around twelve percent compared to the previous S-Class, for example. Approx. half of the bodyshell components are of high or higher-strength, high-tech steel alloys which offer maximum strength with minimum weight - an unprecedented level in car engineering. The bonnet, front wings, boot lid and other components are made of aluminium.
High-quality recyclates and renewable raw materials play an important role in the materials efficiency of the S-Class. 27 components in the new S-Class with a combined weight of around 43 kilograms are made from natural materials. Compared to the preceding model series, this is an increase of approx. 73 percent in the total weight of components made from renewable raw materials. The new luxury saloon by Mercedes-Benz is the world's first automobile to possess an environmental certification. This confirms the environment-oriented development process for the S-Class, during which significant progress was made in several aspects. This environmental certification also makes the flagship Mercedes model an example and trendsetter in car development where ecological aspects are concerned.
Interior: Control concept with COMAND controller and direct access buttons
Getting in, driving and feeling at ease - this is the unique experience offered by the new S-Class. From the very first moment, man and machine enter into a harmonious relationship in the new S-Class.
This is also ensured by the newly developed and well-proven control concept. The key characteristic is rapid access to functions which are used particularly frequently. The system is therefore specifically designed for redundancy: depending on his preferred habits, the driver is able to control functions such as the radio, TV tuner, CD/DVD changer, telephone and navigation system either using conventional switches, via buttons on the multifunction steering wheel or with the help of the improved COMAND system. The direct control switches in the centre console are so ergonomically positioned that the driver is able to operate them conveniently and without looking down.
The innovative "Cockpit Management and Data System" - COMAND for short - has likewise been redesigned and now offers even more features. In addition to the familiar telematic and audio units, various vehicle functions which previously required individual switches have now been integrated into the system. The central operating unit is the new COMAND controller on the transmission tunnel. It is used to select the main and sub-menus with which the required functions are activated. The handrest can be flipped up to reveal the telephone keypad.
The large, pivoting COMAND colour display is positioned at the same level as the instrument cluster and is therefore even more visible to the driver. The COMAND system in the new S-Class includes a radio, CD/DVD player and a port for computer memory cards (PCMCIA cards) as standard. On request Mercedes-Benz will equip COMAND with a Europe-wide navigation system whose data are now stored on a hard disc. This allows even faster route calculation than before.
Seats: improved multicontour technology and innovative back massage function
Mercedes customers in the new S-Class are able to adapt the seats to their personal comfort requirements, as electrically adjustable 12-way front seats with lumbar supports are standard equipment. High-comfort heated seats with active ventilation, multicontour seats (front and rear) and dynamic multicontour seats (front) are also available as optional equipment.
Mercedes-Benz has improved this multicontour technology even further. The front seats are now equipped with eleven air chambers which enable the seat contours to be individually adjusted. New piezo valves on the air chambers operate much more rapidly than the previous technology, noticeably improving the dynamic response function of the multicontour seat. Depending on the steering angle, lateral acceleration and road speed, the piezo valves vary the inflation pressure and volume of the air chambers in the sides of the backrests within fractions of a second, providing the driver and front passenger with even better lateral support.
The dynamic multicontour seat is also equipped with separate air chambers in the backrest which are successively inflated and deflated in a programmed sequence. Passengers in the new S-Class can therefore enjoy a gentle back massage which stimulates the back muscles, assists the blood circulation and therefore helps to prevent premature fatigue. The Mercedes multicontour seat - available for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers - bears the seal of approval of "Aktion Gesunder Rücken", a German organisation which tests products for spine-friendly design.
Driver-fitness safety: less stress in the S-Class
The high level of comfort and modern technology in the new S-Class relieve driver stress and have a positive effect on driver fitness. This is confirmed by a comparative scientific study between the S-Class and competing models on an approx. 500 km route, during which specialists from DaimlerChrysler Research measured typical stress indicators. Under the same driving and traffic conditions, the average heart rate of drivers in the Mercedes saloon was up to six percent (or five beats per minute) lower than that of drivers in competing models.
In the view of specialists, this is a clear indication of the high stress-relieving safety provided by the Mercedes flagship model. It enables the driver to concentrate on the traffic situation and maintains his performance reserves for safe, confident responses in critical situations. The first-class comfort of the S-Class therefore not only benefits personal wellbeing, but also general road safety.
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Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
At a glance
Technical highlights of the new S-Class*
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Active Body Control: This active suspension system is even more efficient than before. It provides maximum comfort and handling dynamics. |
Optional, standard in theS 600 |
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Active Light System: The headlamps follow the driver's steering movements. |
Optional in conjunction with bi-xenon headlamps |
|
ADAPTIVE BRAKE: This newly developed braking system assists the driver when moving off on gradients and in city traffic. |
Standard |
|
Adaptive brake lights: Flashing brake lights warn vehicles behind in an emergency braking situation. |
Standard |
|
Adaptive front airbags: The front airbags deploy in two stages, depending on accident severity. |
Standard |
|
Aerodynamics: With a Cd-value of only 0.26, the new S-Class is among the most aerodynamically efficient cars. |
Standard |
|
AIRMATIC: The air suspension system has been developed further for improved comfort and dynamism. It works together with the Adaptive Damping System. |
Standard |
|
Aluminium: The doors, bonnet, front wings, boot lid and other components are made from this lightweight material. |
Standard |
|
Automatic climate control: This newly developed system has four temperature zones and offers numerous adjustments for individual climatic comfort. |
Standard |
|
Belt force limiters: This technology reduces the belt forces acting on the occupants during a crash. |
Standard for the front and outer rear seats |
|
Belt tensioners: Seat belt slack is instantly taken up during a crash. |
Standard for all seats |
|
Bi-xenon headlamps: Gas-discharge lamps for dipped and high beam improve safety at night. |
Optional |
|
Brake Assist PLUS: This radar-based system recognises potential rear-end collisions and calculates the brake servo assistance required to prevent an accident. Optimal brake pressure is immediately available. |
Optional in conjunction with DISTRONIC PLUS |
|
Child seat recognition: A transponder system automatically recognises whether a rear-facing child seat is installed, and deactivates the front passenger airbag if this is the case. |
Standard |
|
COMAND: The system integrates operation of the radio, DVD-player and telephone. |
Standard |
|
Cornering light: More safety at junctions and when travelling at low speed through tight bends. |
Optional in conjunction with bi-xenon headlamps |
|
Crash boxes: Impact-absorbing elements in the front end can be inexpensively replaced following a minor crash. |
Standard |
|
Crash sensors: Eleven sensors supply data about the type and severity of the impact during an accident. They include front sensors positioned well forward, pressure sensors in the doors and a rollover sensor. |
Standard |
|
DISTRONIC PLUS: This improved proximity control system brakes the S-Class to a standstill in stop-and-go traffic. |
Optional |
|
Dynamic multicontour seat: Thanks to new piezo valves, the seat responds to steering movements even more quickly and provides perfect lateral support. |
Optional |
|
Ecology: The new S-Class is the first car to possess an environmental certification, which confirms the environment-oriented development process of the Saloon. |
Standard |
|
ESP®: This safety system has new functions such as trailer stabilisation and warns of pressure loss in the tyres. |
Standard |
|
Headlamp Assist: A sensor on the windscreen detects failing light and automatically switches on the headlamps. |
Standard |
|
High-tech steel: High-strength and ultra high-strength steels improve safety and rigidity. Half of all the bodyshell components are made from such high-tech steels. |
Standard |
|
KEYLESS-GO: The doors and boot lid can be opened without a key. |
Optional |
|
LINGUATRONIC: The voice control system operates the radio, navigation system and telephone. |
Optional |
|
Massage function: Seven air chambers in the backrest are inflated and deflated in sequence to massage the back muscles. |
Optional in conjunction with dynamic multicontour seats |
|
Multicontour seat: Air chambers enable the seat contours to be adjusted to the individual occupant. |
Optional |
|
Multifunction steering wheel: Steering wheel keys are used to control the radio, telephone, navigation system and other units. |
Standard |
|
Navigation: The data for the Europe-wide navigation system COMAND APS are stored on a hard disc, making even faster route calculation possible. |
Optional |
|
NECK-PRO: The sensor-controlled front head restraints are moved forward during a rear-end collision. |
Optional |
|
Night view assist: Infrared headlamps and a cockpit display considerably improve the driver's vision at night. |
Optional in conjunction with bi-xenon headlamps |
|
Paintwork: Nano-technology makes the paintwork more scratch-resistant and ensures a glossier sheen. |
Standard |
|
Panoramic sliding roof: This new development has twice the usual area of glass. |
Optional |
|
Park assist: This system assists the driver when parking and warns of an impending collision when reversing. |
Optional in conjunction with DISTRONIC PLUS |
|
Parking brake: The parking brake is easy to operate thanks to an electric motor. |
Standard |
|
Particulate filter: This system developed by Mercedes-Benz operates without additives and significantly reduces the already low particulate emissions. |
Standard |
|
Pedestrian protection: Mercedes-Benz has designed the bonnet, wings, bumpers and other components so that they absorb impact energy in the event of a collision with a pedestrian. |
Standard |
|
PRE-SAFE®: Anticipatory safety measures are taken to protect the occupants if an accident risk is detected. |
Standard |
|
Reversing camera: The area behind the S-Class is shown in the COMAND display, and coloured directional lines show a precisely calculated path into a parking space. |
Optional |
|
Seat ventilation: This further improved technology is based on six fans in the seat cushion and backrest. |
Optional |
|
Seven-speed automatic transmission 7G-TRONIC: The world's only automatic car transmission with seven ratios is combined with DIRECT SELECT electronic control. |
Standard in the V6 and V8 models |
|
Sidebags: These side airbags (front and rear) reduce the risk of injury in a lateral collision. |
Standard |
|
Sound system: A multi-channel system with innovative digital technology provides surround-sound on every seat. |
Optional |
|
TV reception: The tuner receives both digital TV programmes (DVB-T) and analogue broadcasts. |
Optional |
|
Windowbags: This large airbag extends from the A to the C-pillar like a curtain during a crash, reducing the risk of head injuries. |
Standard |
*Selection
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Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Model range
Peak of perfection
- Technological pacemaker equipped with a dozen innovations
- Six-, eight- and twelve-cylinder engines developing up to 380 kW/517 hp
- New and further improved high-tech systems fitted as standard
- Twelve-cylinder S 600 specified as standard with active suspension
- AMG bodystyling and designo equipment packages for added individuality
A new generation at the cutting edge of automotive technology – Mercedes-Benz presents the new S-Class.
The new top-of-the-line model range from Mercedes-Benz is once again a technological pacemaker, with pioneering innovations geared to enhanced safety, comfort and practicality. Like their predecessors, the new models will influence the future of automotive development.
Production of the new S-Class's successful predecessor, which began in 1998, totalled approximately 500,000 units, making this the best-selling luxury saloon model of all time. Along the way the previous S-Class picked up some four dozen international prizes and awards. It was repeatedly voted "best car", "most innovative saloon and "best-looking car in the world". It also won the German "Federal Product Design Award".
So the advances achieved by Mercedes-Benz in the new S-Class start from a high baseline. Approximately a dozen technical innovations are going into volume production for the first time in this new model. The fascinating design language meanwhile conveys assurance, self-confidence and elegance right from the start. It sets trends for the future and defines a new Mercedes-Benz style.
The new luxury saloon from Mercedes-Benz is also quick to impress with its new dimensions in ride comfort. Every trip is an experience to remember – for all the senses. With its luxurious fine wood and chrome trim, attractively contoured aluminium controls and carefully coordinated colours, the interior ambience produces an immediate feeling of wellbeing. The dashboard, with its sophisticated, sweeping lines, is yet another masterpiece by the Mercedes designers, for whom form and function are ideals which share equal status. Accordingly the cockpit not only conveys a feeling of security, but is also excellently laid-out and practical.
The new S-Class offers customers a choice of two body versions and four engines. At launch, in autumn 2005, two petrol-engined models will be available: the S 350 and S 500. The six-cylinder S 320 CDI diesel model and the V12 S 600 will follow in the first quarter of 2006. Power ratings will then extend from 173 kW/235 hp through to 380 kW/517 hp. The V6 and V8 models are also available in a version with 130 millimetres longer wheelbase. The S 600 is available in the long-wheelbase version only.
Standard equipment: nothing but the best
New and further improved high-tech systems geared to enhanced safety and comfort are specified as standard on the new S-Class. They include the ADAPTIVE BRAKE, second-generation PRE-SAFE®, AIRMATIC air suspension with Adaptive Damping System, twelve-way power-adjustable seats, the COMAND system with DVD player, the DIRECT SELECT gearshift and automatic climate control. Highlights of the standard equipment list include:
- Adaptive driver and passenger airbags
- Adaptive brake light
- AIRMATIC with Adaptive Damping System
- 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission (for V6 and V8 models)
- Brake Assist
- ADAPTIVE BRAKE
- COMAND system with CD/DVD player and PCMCIA slot
- Diesel particulate filter (for S 320 CDI)
- DIRECT SELECT gearshift
- ESP®
- Electric parking brake
- Belt force limiters on front and outer rear seats
- Belt tensioners on all seats
- Automatic climate control
- 17-inch seven-spoke light-alloy wheels
- Multifunction steering wheel
- Speed-sensitive steering
- PRE-SAFE®
- Two-stage rain sensor
- Tyre pressure loss warning system
- Front and outer rear seatbelts with automatic comfort-fit feature
- Sidebags front and rear
- Doorhold
- Front seats with lumbar supports and electric adjustment for height and longitudinal position
- Windowbags
The standard specification of the V8 S 500 includes additional top-level features such as:
- Tinted, sound-insulating, infrared-reflecting laminated glass all round
- Automatically dimming rear-view mirror and driver's side exterior mirror
- Leather upholstery
- 17-inch 5-spoke light-alloy wheels
- Memory package for front seats, steering wheel and exterior mirrors
- Metallic paintwork
- Heated front seats
Additional standard specification on the long-wheelbase version of the new S-Class includes:
- Leather upholstery
- Roller blind for rear windscreen, electrically operated
- Tilting/sliding gass sunroof, electric, with PRE-SAFE® function
- Front passenger seat electrically adjustable from the rear
- Rear seat bench with electrically adjustable outer seats; outer seats and outer head restraints with PRE-SAFE® positioning function
- Heated front and rear seats
AMG bodystyling for the S-Class creates an even more powerful and dynamic look
Two optional packages from Mercedes-AMG - AMG bodystyling and AMG light-alloy wheels – give the new S-Class an even sportier and more distinctive look. The AMG equipment features give this potent yet elegant top-of-the-line Mercedes model series an even greater air of power and authority.
AMG bodystyling, consisting of front and rear aprons and side skirts, is designed in the typical AMG mould: at the front, the restyled bumper with large air intakes, black honeycomb grille and chrome-rimmed fog lamps all add to the sporty theme and give the new "made by AMG" S-Class an even wider and lower-slung appearance. The distinctively styled side skirts continue the lines of the front apron and provide a link between the front apron and the rear apron. At the rear, the styling comes to a powerful conclusion in the striking bumper design, with further highlights provided by two large, oval, chromed AMG tailpipes (not for the S 320 CDI and S 600).
The new 19 and 20-inch AMG light-alloy wheels, available in two different 5-spoke designs, likewise follow a sporty theme. The high-sheen 19-inch AMG wheels are 8.5 J x 19 at the front, with 255/40 R 19 wide-base tyres, and 9.5 J x 19 at the rear, with 275/40 R 19 tyres. The sterling-silver 20-inch AMG light-alloy wheels which will be available from spring 2006 are size 8.5 J x 20 at the front and 9.5 J x 20 at the rear and carry 255/35 R 20 and 275/35 R 20 tyres. As well as filling the wheel arches perfectly and being decidedly sporty in appearance, the AMG alloy wheels also provide further enhanced handling characteristics.
AMG bodystyling and the handsome AMG light-alloy wheels are available for all engine versions and both wheelbase versions of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
designo: individually tailored range of colours, leather and select woods
Available from spring 2006, the designo interior equipment packages cater for even the most demanding customer tastes. They enhance the interior of the new S-Class with specially chosen combinations of designo leather upholstery and designo trim parts. Two different "Editions" are available:
- The designo Edition I equipment package puts the accent on contrast: the very soft pastel yellow designo aniline leather on the seats and armrests com-bines with trim parts in deep-black high-gloss piano laquer and the Alcantara roof lining in anthracite to create unusual highlights in a predominantly black interior.
- designo Edition II creates a tasteful lounge atmosphere. This classic combination consists of designo aniline leather upholstery in armagnac, high-class trim parts in designo natural maple grain and the Alcantara roof lining in anthracite.
In both Editions, the seats comprise distinctive ten-rib vertical fluting, double top-stitching and designo metal badges in the front and rear backrests. The designo equipment packages also include black velour floor mats with edging in black designo leather and designo metal badges.
The designo equipment packages are available for both the V6 and the V8 models in the new S-Class. It is also possible to configure a designo interior individually, from a wide range of paint colours, leather colours and trim parts.
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Design
Effortless style
- Design language sets trends for the future
- Harmonious interplay of lines and surfaces taken to new levels
- Meticulous attention to craftsmanship and detail in the interior
Creating a new design for the most popular luxury saloon in the world was quite a challenge for the Mercedes designers. They applied their talent, enthusiasm and highly developed sense of style and elegance in developing a fresh and contemporary design for the latest generation of this luxury-class trendsetter. The new model sets bold new trends for the future and is at the same time rooted in the traditions of the oldest automotive brand in the world. It is clear at the very first glance that the new S-Class is a confident, elegant and dynamic vehicle whose high standards of design are an eloquent corroboration of its role as an innovator. The new saloon also incorporates a healthy measure of passion, which gives it charisma and sets it apart.
The designers have pared the styling down to essentials, opting for clearly defined lines and restful surfaces. These features, taken together with the impressive front end with its dynamic V shape and the angular yet at the same time wide and harmoniously styled wheel arches give the new S-Class the appearance of an elegant sculpture and provide a new and modern interpretation of perfection. The styling of the new luxury saloon is consistently progressive, dynamic and emotional and at the same time conveys a strong sense of prestige, presence and timelessness.
To preserve the elegant styling which has always been a keynote of the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has created a design which is innovative but does not lose sight of the past. For example ever since the earliest times, the typical "face" of a Mer-cedes has been one of the defining stylistic features of this brand. Like earlier models before it, the new S-Class refines and develops the typical front-end styling. For example this part of the vehicle has a considerably more prominent "V"shape than its predecessor, which gives a particularly powerful and confident appearance, but without being in any way aggressive. In this way it communicates the strength of character and high standards of this state-of-the-art vehicle.
The centrepiece and defining feature of the S-Class front end is the radiator grille, which features a wide chrome surround and stresses the traditional elements of Mercedes-Benz radiator grille design. The brightly finished surround and the V-shape give it a very dominant and three-dimensional appearance. This impression is accentuated by the powerful, angular contours which frame the bonnet and the large, precision-sculpted clear-lens headlamps which wrap round a long way into the sides.
The projector-beam headlamps are mounted in cylinders which are designed to resemble the lens of a high-quality camera, thereby accentuating the high-tech character and substance of this vehicle. These headlamps, which in sunlight sparkle like gemstones, also give the new S-Class a distinctive and impressive nighttime appearance. Another aspect of the lighting design – the direction indicators which under their clear lenses precisely continue the powerful curvature of the front wings –again demonstrates the attention to detail which is typical of this luxury saloon. It is features like these which demonstrate that for the Mercedes designers, form and function have equal importance.
Further key features of the front-end styling of the new S-Class are the fog lamps, mounted in chrome housings at the edge of the bumper and reprising the dynamic styling of the headlamps, and a slat in the lower air intake which resembles a small front spoiler. This slat is painted black on the V6 models. On the V8 and V12 models it is body-coloured.
From the front, the A-pillars appear particularly slender. This effect was created by painting the rain channel next to the front windscreen black, so that visually it appears to be part of the glass area. The impression of slenderness is even more pronounced when the optional two-part panoramic sunroof is specified. The panoramic sunroof results in a stylistically continuous glass surface running from the bottom edge of the front windscreen right through to the bottom edge of the rear windscreen.
Powerful, elongated body with rippling muscles
In side view, the new S-Class's sporting genes are even more in evidence. The lines of the body slope upwards from front to rear, conveying a sense of forward-flowing energy at all times, even when the vehicle is stationary. This dynamic impression is reinforced by the extended curvature of the roof, which gives the saloon an elegant, coupé-esque, agile appearance, regardless of its actual size. The arching roof line is so deftly designed that it is able to evoke strength and spaciousness without making the vehicle appear heavy.
This effect is further reinforced by the taut shoulderline which rises in a dynamic sweep from front to rear. Growing organically out of the front wings and continuing along the waistline into the rear, this shoulder line creates a strong sense of stylistic unity. The superior-quality chrome edging around the side window areas and a chrome trim strip above the side sills give further emphasis to the dynamic lines of this Mercedes-Benz saloon.
Typical brand styling idioms include a discreet side feature line rising upwards from front to rear and finishing neatly in the upper outer corner of the rear light unit. As well as imparting additional dynamism, this also provides elegant structuring of the side surfaces. This clear demarcation of the side surfaces – the designers chose not to fit side rub strips – results in a fascinating play of light whatever the ambient light conditions.
The eye is also caught by the wide wheel arches, which house 17-inch seven-spoke light-alloy wheels and size 235/55 tyres. The wheel arches are like the toned, rippling muscles of a trained athlete, an effect which is further enhanced by the powerful, elongated body. They make not only the wheels but the body as a whole appear tauter, giving the new S-Class a broad and confident stance from all angles.
The rear – harmonious conclusion of an ambitious design concept
The taut curve of the roof ends in restful side surfaces. Somewhat distinct from the rest of the body, these surfaces flow gently on into the boot lid, ensuring that the rear section forms a harmoniously integrated component of the overall design. The high boot lid meanwhile not only provides well-balanced overall proportions but also meets aerodynamic requirements.
The "V" shape of the boot lid, and the slanting sides of the rear light units, bear the unmistakable signature of Mercedes-Benz design. The horizontal structuring of the rear lights, which together with the general horizontal styling of the rear end emphasises the sense of width, likewise continues a Mercedes-Benz design tradition. However, this heritage has received a new interpretation. For the first time, two body-coloured highlights with thin chrome surrounds separate the red and white areas of the outer lenses, a touch which emphasises the elegance and exclusiveness of this saloon.
For more attentive observers, another typical example of the superior design quality of the new luxury saloon from Mercedes-Benz can be seen in the following feature: the line of the chrome strip at the edge of the boot lid continues though one of the highlights in the rear lights, then describes a line around the rear lights before coming full circle by returning to the bumper – proof once again that perfection is in the detail.
Interior: first-class materials and precision craftsmanship
On entering the vehicle, it is immediately clear that the assured, clearly defined and modern styling and persona of the S-Class exterior has been successfully carried over into the interior. High-quality materials create an elegant and welcoming interior. However, the designers' aim was not only to create a pleasant and luxurious ambience but also to offer high ergonomic standards which support the driver in every way. Examples include design of the controls for easy and reliable operation, a seat design which helps to prevent fatigue and a concentration-enhancing light and colour scheme. In other words, in the new luxury saloon from Mercedes-Benz elegance goes hand in hand with physiological safety.
The first impression is of horizontal lines and surfaces which are both restful and also create a sense of visual depth, thereby giving all occupants a sense of opulent spaciousness and safety.
A single-piece wood trim strip extends right the way across the dashboard and continues into the doors. The curved, three-dimensional design of the trim strip and the sharply defined refractive edge are produced in an elaborate manufacturing process which relies heavily on hand craftsmanship. A special coating technique imparts a brilliant finish which shows off the wood to optimum effect. In the middle of this centrally positioned wood trim strip a metallised surface has been inserted, creating a precise "inlaid" effect. The metallised surface incorporates air outlets and a quadratic analogue clock with elegant dial. This time piece, surrounded by an elegant chrome frame, has the air of a valuable piece of jewellery, and forms an agreeable counterpoint to the high-tech equipment features.
The discreet chrome embellishment on the lower edges of the wood trim parts meets high standards of styling and craftsmanship. Optionally, underneath these chrome features, a discreet all-round downward-directed ambient lighting strip can be fitted, which creates a special lighting ambience inside the new S-Class.
High-class wood trim is also used extensively on the centre front armrests and rear armrests. As well as stressing the luxurious character of the interior, this also enhances its stylistic unity and coherence, since all parts of the interior are visibly part of an integrated design.
In part, the elegant interior appearance is due to perfectly coodinated use of materials. Besides various select woods, other first-class materials include aluminium and leather. One example of the meticulous craftsmanship is the striking quilting seams on the instrument hoods. Wherever they offer the best solution, plastics too are used in the Mercedes-Benz flagship. For example the fine leather grain effect on the dashboard and centre console can only be achieved by applying a high-quality polyurethane moulded skin. This advanced technique is able to adapt to the very tight radii which are indispensable if the best possible impression of quality is to be presented.
The seat covers likewise meet the highest standards. In addition to high-quality fabrics there is a choice of two different leather upholsteries. The leather upholstery is relatively loose-fitting, which creates a ruffled effect and immediately creates a comfortable and inviting appearance – a pleasant visual impression which is confirmed by touching the soft surface of the new PASSION leather.
If the customer opts for Exclusive Passion leather, the fine nappa leather is used throughout the cockpit area. Using this material it has for the first time been possible to produce an invisible passenger airbag tear seam. A special tear line on the underside of the leather ensures that the airbag deploys correctly in a serious collision.
Two large colour displays in the centre of the dashboard
Both technically and stylistically, the newly developed control and display system used in the new S-Class is in keeping with the refined and assured character of this luxury saloon, combining first-class materials and elegant ambience with clarity of appearance and outstanding practicality. Two eight-inch colour displays are positioned at the centre of the dashboard. One serves as a speedometer as well as displaying many other types of information which need to be sited directly in the driver's line of vision. The second display, located to the side of the first and near to the centre of the vehicle, serves as the screen for the further improved control and display system COMAND.
These displays and controls too received attention from the Mercedes designers. The technical term for this branch of styling is "user interface design". Together with the engineers, the designers found new ways to present the large array of important information and programming functions as elegantly and unambiguously as possible. The result is intuitive operation and enhanced driver wellbeing.
On the first display, the analogue animated speedometer is tastefully surrounded by an unobtrusive grey circle. If the driver accesses information which will be shown in the central area of this display, the speedometer needle is dimmed for unimpaired visibility. The driver controls the relevant functions by gentle thumb pressure on two circular five-way buttons on the further improved multifunction steering wheel.
Moving on to the COMAND display, here the designers have created a new, simple and clearly structured menu system featuring large, clearly legible characters. Modern colours and clear, photorealistic graphics make accessing the menus a visual delight. Thus in the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has implemented a highly advanced control and display system in which elegance and cleverly thought-out functionality are neatly dovetailed.
Elegantly contrasting silver and black
Consistent, high-class styling is a hallmark of the switches and controls, too. All switches, buttons and rotary controls are of aluminium or, like the air outlets, are metallised with a finely ribbed surface. They form an elegant contrast with black-painted, glossy surfaces with internally illuminated symbols.
In addition to their decidedly elegant appearance, the switches and controls are also outstanding from the functional point of view. This is apparent every time they are operated. All the controls have a clearly defined pressure point which is also signalled by a discreet audible click. In this way every single control embodies the feel, sound and attention to detail which the customer expects of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Colours and materials: exclusive leather and select woods
As well as providing high standards of comfort, the seats in the new S-Class are also designed to provide effective support if an energetic driving style is adopted. The seats are loosely upholstered, which accentuates the soft feel of the new leather materials used in the S-Class. The high-quality PASSION aniline leather upholstery, also available in "Exclusive PASSION" version, was specially developed for the new S-Class and even in the luxury class sets new standards. The key to its natural appearance, its softness and its pleasant feel is that only the finest raw material has been used.
When matching the interior colour scheme and ambience of their Mercedes-Benz S-Class to their own personal tastes, customers can now resort to an even wider range of possibilities than with the previous model. The dashboard can be black at the top and lighter underneath, or can be offered in four other interior colours in a graduated range of tones which produce interesting colour effects.
In addition to the various types of leather and five interior colours, three different types of wood trim are also available, including for the first time a matt version. This opens up further possibilities for combining materials and colours to suit a wide range of personal tastes. The base-version black interior with fabric upholstery is combined with polished "calyptus" wood. Optionally, light burr walnut (silk matt) and dark brown burr walnut (high-gloss) are also available. To make the decision easier, the Mercedes-Benz designers have come up with three ready-compiled colour scheme "recommendations" to cater for different sty-listic requirements:
- All-black interior for vehicles used as a luxury business saloon
- Classically elegant light-coloured, grey or beige interior in a graduated range of tones
- Interior in two contrasting colours – black/basalt grey or black/sand beige/black – for a particularly sporty feel and added individuality.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Body and Passive Safety
New Masterpiece
- About 50 per cent of all panels made of ultra-high-strength high-tech steels
- PRE-SAFE® as standard equipment with additional preventive safety functions
- Pressure sensors for rapid activation of the side and window airbags
- Sophisticated safety features at the front end to protect pedestrians
- Aerodynamics and aero-acoustics improved even more
- High-intensity projection-beam headlights and flashing stop lights
Safety, comfort, dynamics and longevity - these and other outstanding features of the new S-Class are based to an important degree on its body shell. It acts as a sturdy backbone that reinforces the chassis, ensures precise handling and prevents uncomfortable vibrations. It also fulfils the most stringent Mercedes safety guidelines and features an intelligent lightweight design, exemplary aerodynamics and noticeable improvements in the area of acoustics. The high design quality of the new flagship Mercedes model likewise owes a great deal to the body technology - with its carefully formed panels, precise joins and exact surfaces.
In other words, the body shell of the new S-Class is a perfect example of the successful integration of a great variety of approaches, aims and requirements. Ultramodern development methods - from crash simulation to digital production planning - helped the Sindelfingen engineers reconcile conflicting objectives and achieve new first-class results. For instance, the static torsional rigidity of the body shell - an indicator of safe and comfortable handling - was improved by about twelve per cent relative to the previous S-Class. The flexural strength is about six per cent higher than that of the predecessor model.
These figures are the result of a careful selection of materials according to the proven Mercedes principle “the right material in the right place.� Steel, aluminium and plastic are the components of the material mix, with steel continuing to play the main role. But here too, the technology is changing: Conventional deep-drawing steels are becoming less important, and in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class they make up only about 30 per cent of the total. Instead, the experts in Sindelfingen are preferring high or ultrahigh-strength steel alloys, because they achieve a maximum of rigidity with a minimum of weight. Whereas these steels accounted for only six per cent of those used in the predecessor model, for example, they make up about 43 per cent of the total in the new S-Class.
In addition, ultra-high-strength alloys are used for the areas of the body important for passenger protection. These steels are shaped when they are still hot and therefore achieve an extremely high tensile strength of up to 1,500 megapascals, which is three times stronger than conventional steels. The side members and B-pillars are made of these ultra-high-strength steels.
In all, high-tech steel alloys make up about 50 per cent of the body in the new S-Class - a peak value in passenger car technology.
Mercedes-Benz uses the lightweight material aluminium in the places where it provides the most benefits relative to steel. In the new S Class, these areas are as follows:
- bonnet
- front wings
- doors
- boot lid
- front module carrier
- rear module carrier
- rear wall behind the rear backrest
- rear centre piece
The contribution of aluminium to the lightweight design of the new S-Class can be seen in the example of the bonnet. It is about eight kilograms lighter than a similar component made of steel.
The spare wheel well is likewise made of a lightweight material: improved glass mat thermoplastic (GMT).
Greater use of plastic recyclates and natural materials
High-quality recyclates and renewable raw materials also play an important role in the new S-Class. To close the material cycle and impart some momentum to the process of recycling high-quality automotive plastics, 45 plastic components with a total weight of about 21 kilograms have been approved for use as recyclates. In terms of weight, there has thus been a four per cent increase in the amount of recyclate components relative to the predecessor model. Recyclable components can be found in all parts of the body - from the underfloor panelling to the wire troughs, from the washer fluid container to the strut moulding.
Mercedes-Benz backs up its pioneering role in the use of renewable raw materials in automotive design by utilizing cotton, wool, natural latex, fibres of wood, flax and coconut, and olive pits. Natural materials of this sort are used to make 27 components that weigh roughly 43 kilograms in all, an increase of about 73 per cent compared to the predecessor model.
By making greater use of renewable raw materials, Mercedes-Benz is conserving resources and contributing to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. And compared with conventional materials, natural fibres also offer other advantages, such as lower component weight, better fracture behaviour in collisions, good recycling properties and high comfort.
The S-Class is the world’s first car with an environmental protection certification. The certification attests to the environmentally oriented development process of the saloon, which satisfies the requirements of the international ISO standard 14062. Verification of this is provided by the certification office of TÜV Management Service GmbH.
Adhesive bonds for maximum load-bearing capacity
In addition to the high-tech materials, the combination of modern bonding technologies also contributes to the exemplary torsional and flexural strength of the body. A new high-strength structural adhesive supplements conventional methods like spot and laser welding and low-stress clinching. The adhesive produces a flat bond between the sheet metal flanges, significantly increasing load-bearing capacity and power transmission in areas with a safety function. The total length of the high-strength adhesive seams in the body shell of the new S-Class is 180 metres, more than twice that of the predecessor model.
The precise design of the body components, the low-stress joining technology and the modern spot and laser welding methods largely eliminate the need for additional soldered joints and the MAG (“metal active gas�) weld seams at the junction points of the panels - an important contribution to the durability of the body.
Repair-friendly body modules at the front and rear sections
For the new S-Class, the Sindelfingen engineers again adopted the proven module design for the rear and front sections, but they improved on this design in some matters of detail. The bumper cross members of the modules now consist of high-strength aluminium extrusion profiles. They are connected to the side members via steel crashboxes and designed in such a way that the energy of impact is first absorbed by the aluminium sections and the crash boxes at low collision speeds. The portions of the body shell behind them thus remain undamaged. In addition, the sturdy cross members take on the job of transferring energy to the non-stressed side of the body structure during an offset frontal impact.
The front and rear modules are bolted to the body and can be replaced without elaborate and costly welding work during accident repairs. The individual components within the modules are likewise connected to one another by bolts.
Distribution of impact forces to several planes
The front module and the frame-type integral support, to which the engine, front axle and steering are attached, connect the front side members with the second side member plane above the wheel housings. During a frontal collision, this gives rise to two important paths along which forces and loads are transmitted, which is one of the major reasons for the exemplary passenger protection of the S-Class. Similarly, the solid, multi-layer side skirts can absorb large forces and divert the impact energy past the occupant cell. In serious offset collisions, the front wheel receives support from a specially designed wheel impact element that forms a forward extension of the side skirt.
Likewise new in the S-Class is the concept of the continuous bulkhead cross member. In a frontal collision on one side, it distributes the impact forces over a large area, into the centre tunnel and the side members at the sides. An additional upper member increases the stiffness of the bulkhead and reduces the extent to which the pedals are pushed into the passenger compartment during a front-end impact.
The new V engines of the S-Class make an important contribution to passenger safety as well. Because of their compact design, they allow greater deformation in the frame front-end structure during a front-end impact, reducing the strains on the passengers. For the first time, the cardan shaft has likewise been equipped with special deformation elements.
The distribution of the impact forces onto several vertical and horizontal planes specifically designed to carry certain amounts of load not only helps keep passengers safe; it also makes collisions with smaller vehicles less “uneven�. The front-end structure of the new S Class is designed in such a way that it purposefully dissipates collision energy for the other vehicle, too.
Sturdy underbody structure with eight side member sections
The occupant cell proves to be almost completely resistant to deformation in front, rear or side collisions or when overturning. Passengers can thus be assured of an intact space even when the speed of collision is high. High-strength steels and panels with greater material strength play an important role here, as does the installation of additional support members.
A complex and carefully designed underbody structure forms the sturdy foundation of the passenger safety provided in the new vehicle. Eight side member sections, four cross members and a three-part tunnel reinforcement stabilize the passenger compartment in a crash and ensure that impact forces are distributed over a large area. By way of comparison, the predecessor model of the new S-Class was equipped with two continuous side members in the underbody area.
Instead of being flat, the sheet metal panels between this multiple-piece supporting structure have a new, asymmetric, arched structure. This structure was precisely calculated and lends the panels a great deal of rigidity, about five times as much as in the predecessor model. Greater rigidity simultaneously means less vibration: The arched structure reduces vibrations to a minimum and thus makes an audible contribution to the exemplary driving comfort of the new S-Class.
Mercedes has a patent on the asymmetrically arched floor pan, which was developed by the Sindelfingen engineers together with their colleagues from Daimler-Chrysler research. It is based on insights from the field of bionics.
Side structure made of ultra-high-strength steel for the first time
In a side crash, the main elements that come into play to stabilize the occupant cell are the sturdy side skirts, the B-pillars, the four cross members in the underbody section and a solid steel section below the dashboard. For the first time, Mercedes-Benz is producing the sills and B-pillars with ultra-high-strength steel alloys, which are far superior to all other materials in terms of their tensile strength. By connecting the B-pillars to the structure of the roof frame over a large area, the Mercedes engineers can not only avoid using a transverse piece in the middle of the roof but also reduce the cross section of the A-pillars and thereby improve visibility for the driver.
The doors are made of an aluminium-steel combination with interior frames of aluminium die castings and extrusion profiles to reinforce the window frames. The protection from lateral impacts is improved by high-tensile steel reinforcing sections on the inside. The Mercedes engineers paid extra attention to the door hinges as well and developed special high-strength fastening surfaces. This results in a sturdy coupling in the side structure that provides effective protection to passengers during a lateral collision.
In addition to a high level of safety, the doors of the new S-Class have functions which make access and egress more convenient. A newly developed hydraulic system ensures that from an opening angle of 15 degrees the doors are arrested in any position � even on gradients or in strong winds. When needed, an electric servo-locking mechanism closes all the doors (and the boot lid).
Rear structure for extreme impact stresses
As with front and side impacts, the new S-Class satisfies the most stringent safety requirements for rear crashes too, such as the new U.S. laws specifying an offset crash (70 per cent) with an impact speed of 80 km/h.
The occupant cell remains largely undamaged despite this extremely heavy strain, thanks to the meticulously designed deformation zone in the rear. In addition to the aluminium transverse section and the steel crash boxes of the bolted rear module, it consists of two sturdy side members and a cross member in the area of the boot floor. The suspension sub-frame of the rear axle likewise forms an energy-absorbing plane in the event of an impact. The fuel tank is located in the protected area in front of the rear axle.
Still greater commitment to pedestrian safety
Another focus of development for the safety systems of the new S-Class was the issue of pedestrian protection. It is not new for Mercedes-Benz. The engineers of the Stuttgart-based automotive brand have long been making efforts to reduce the risk of injury to the “weakest� road users - pedestrians and those on two-wheeled vehicles. Bodies with flat surfaces, energy-absorbing bumpers, laminated glass windshields, collapsible exterior mirrors, rounded door handles and “recessed� windshield wipers are only a few of the details of the Mercedes passenger cars that serve this purpose. Mercedes’ active safety innovations such as the BAS Brake Assist also make an important contribution to passenger safety, because they can prevent accidents involving pedestrians from happening in the first place or else significantly reduce the speed of impact. Studies conducted by the Sindelfingen engineers confirm this.
With the new S-Class, the long-standing Mercedes commitment to pedestrian safety reaches a new high point:
- The bottom side of the bonnet was designed in such a way that it deforms to absorb the impact energy in the event of an accident involving a pedestrian. A newly developed, flexible hinge supports the deformation of the engine bonnet to reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians and cyclists during an accident.
- The front wings are connected to the upper side members by a special fastening element. It has a precisely calculated rigidity and bends according to design during an impact.
- The deformation space between the engine bonnet and the assemblies below it was enlarged in two ways: Firstly, through the new external contour of the saloon, which is about 22 millimetres higher in the front section than in the predecessor model. Secondly, the engine, shock absorber towers, reservoirs and control equipment were placed up to 13 millimetres lower.
- The Mercedes engineers have also reduced the overall height of the wind-shield wiper system in order to enlarge the deformation space.
- The front bumper of the new S-Class features a flush-fitting spoiler lip with a foam filling, so the pedestrian is evenly cushioned right away.
PRE-SAFE®: second generation with inflatable seat cushions
The predecessor model of the S-Class ushered in a new era of passenger car safety with the preventive passenger-safety system PRE-SAFE® and intelligent restraint systems that adapt to the current passenger and accident situation. Mercedes-Benz has now refined this pioneering concept still further: through a newly developed crash sensor system for early identification of the type and seriousness of an accident, and through additional PRE-SAFE® functions.
Since its world premiere in 2002, the preventive passenger-safety system PRE-SAFE® has proven itself in over 140,000 S Class saloons. It is fitted as standard equipment once more in the new top-of-the-line model from Mercedes. PRE-SAFE® recognizes a potential accident situation in its early stages, and prepares the vehicle and its occupants for the expected impact. If, for example, the vehicle is in danger of skidding, or the driver is forced to brake hard, PRE-SAFE® will tighten the front seatbelts as a precautionary measure and also adjust the passenger seat into the most favourable position. If necessary, it will even close the vehicle’s sunroof. The system also adjusts the electronically controlled indi-vidual seats in the rear of the vehicle.
Such precautionary measures ensure that seatbelts and airbags offer the best possible protection in the event of an impact. If the accident is averted, PRE-SAFE® releases the seatbelt tensioners again and the passengers can return their seats and the sunroof to their original positions. The system is then ready to go into action again if necessary.
The PRE-SAFE® early recognition system for accidents is based on a unique combination of active and passive safety elements. PRE-SAFE® is networked with standard-equipment safety systems such as Brake Assist (BAS) and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®), whose sensors are able to recognize potentially dangerous driving manoeuvres. This data is transferred to an electronic control unit that activates the preventive passenger protection when certain thresholds are exceeded.
For the second generation of this unique safety system, the Mercedes engineers have further refined the interaction between active and passive safety features. This means, for instance, that the radar-based PLUS brake assistant linked up with PRE-SAFE® makes it possible to recognize potential dangerous situations before they actually occur and implement precautionary protection measures for vehicle occupants more quickly than was previously the case. The S-Class thus once more opens up new dimensions of passenger car safety. No other car offers such a comprehensive safety system that goes into action even before an accident occurs.
Whereas in the past PRE-SAFE® operated in response to emergency or panic braking - in reaction to a reflexive step on the brake pedal - the system in the new S-Class can be triggered when the PLUS brake assistant has calculated an impending rear-end collision using the radar system and a certain deceleration threshold is exceeded during the braking process. The system will then tighten the front seatbelts and adjust the front and rear passenger seats as precautionary measures, thereby preparing occupants for a possible impact in such a way that seatbelts and airbags can provide the best possible protection.
Mercedes-Benz is supplementing the aforementioned proven PRE-SAFE® features in the new S-Class with additional precautionary features. These will prepare occupants for potential accidents even more extensively � always with the overall objective of ensuring that seatbelts, seatbelt tensioners, belt force limiters and airbags will all work perfectly in the event of a crash.
- A newly developed multi-contour seat makes it possible to more effectively fix the position of the driver, front passenger and rear occupants, and thus significantly restrict dangerous movements of the upper body in a crash. When the PRE-SAFE® control unit recognizes a dangerous driving situation, it will activate within seconds air cushions in the seats (front) and backrests (front and rear), which envelop and support vehicle occupants. Crash tests conducted at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre show that this new PRE-SAFE® feature and the precautionary tightening of seatbelts increase the distance between the occupants’ shoulders and the door trim by up to 40 millimetres at a lateral acceleration of 0.6 g. This enables the sidebag to provide even more protection.
- Mercedes engineers have also once again improved the brand’s standard windowbags by incorporating an additional precautionary feature: If the new S-Class is in danger of skidding and an accident thus appears likely, PRE-SAFE® automatically closes the side windows, which hold up the windowbags that inflate in the event of a side impact or rollover. This new PRE-SAFE® feature also reduces the risk of occupants being thrown from the vehicle or objects flying into the car from outside.
Safety tailored to body size
If the accident is unavoidable, a powerful restraint system goes into action to protect the occupants in a way appropriate to the need and the situation. Using various sensors, a computer evaluates not only the seriousness of the accident but, for the first time, data regarding what sort of front-seat passenger is involved as well. If the sensor in the seat cushion has identified a small passenger, it deploys - depending on the type of accident - only the first airbag stage initially so that the air cushion is less inflated. If, on the other hand, it senses a larger passenger, both airbag stages are deployed.
In addition, the new S-Class comes with the proven automatic child-seat identification feature that deactivates the front passenger seat airbag when a Reboard child seat with transponder has been recognized. If the front passenger seat remains unoccupied, the airbag, sidebag and seat-belt tensioner on the passenger side are deactivated.
With this enhanced technology, Mercedes-Benz is starting a new trend in safety engineering. Through a restraint system attuned to individual parameters of the passengers, in the event of an accident all the passengers can be protected even better than previously.
Up-front sensors and pressure detectors for precise accident identification
The Sindelfingen engineers have further perfected the crash sensors as well. The new S-Class has a total of eleven installed sensors that provide immediate data on the type and seriousness of a collision:
- Front-end impact: In addition to the central sensor in the airbag control unit, the S-Class is equipped with “up-front� sensors. Because of their exposed position in the front module, they detect the strength of an impact even earlier and with even more precision, so that the time between the crash and the activation of airbags and seat-belt tensioners can be reduced even further. The seat belts can thus be tightened very early so that the passengers are connected to the occupant cell during an impact and also undergo the decelerations of the body structure.
- Side impact: New pressure sensors notify the control unit rapidly and precisely when there is a side collision in the door area. The sensors react when the air between the outer and the interior panelling of the doors is compressed during an impact. Additional side sensors are installed in the B-pillars of the new S-Class.
- Rear impact: The central crash sensor in the interior of the new S-Class detects a rear collision and supplies the information needed to activate the NECK-PRO headrests. When the accident is relatively major, the buckle retractors are triggered in the front and back to fix the passengers in place in the seats.
- Rollover: In side rollovers, a rollover sensor integrated into the airbag control unit can activate the seat-belt tensioners and windowbags.
Seat-belt force limiters for front and rear passengers
In addition to the two-stage frontal airbags for the driver and the front-seat passenger, the standard occupant safety system of the new S-Class also includes six lateral air cushions: two sidebags in the front-seat backrests, two sidebags in the rear side panelling and two large windowbags.
All the passengers have three-point automatic seat belts. The driver and front passenger seats and the outer seats in the rear are also equipped with seat-belt tensioners and belt force limiters. The force limiter of the front belt straps is adaptive: After attaining a certain maximum level of force, the force limiters switch to a lower level of force – the belts are loosened so that front passengers can plunge deeper into the airbags. This reduces the impact on the chests of the occupants.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Body and Passive Safety (cont.)
Crash-responsive headrests with additional comfort features
The crash-responsive NECK-PRO headrests are another special feature of the safety system of the new S-Class. They reduce the risk of whiplash injuries in a rear collision. Once the sensors have determined that such a collision has occurred and that the impact has exceeded a defined level, the pre-stressed springs in the headrest are released. As a result, the headrest is shifted some 40 millimetres forward and 30 millimetres upward within a split second. In this way, the heads of the front-seat passengers receive support at an early stage.
After NECK-PRO has been activated, the headrests can be pushed back to their original position by hand, using the supplied tool, after which they are once more immediately ready for use. Mercedes-Benz is offering the NECK-PRO feature for driver and front passenger as an option in conjunction with extra-comfortable headrests.
The extensive passenger-restraint system of the new S-Class at a glance:
|
|
Driver and front-seat passenger |
Rear passengers |
|
Three-point seat belts with automatic belt height adjustment |
o |
o |
|
Seat-belt tensioners |
o |
- |
|
Belt force limiters |
o |
o |
|
PRE-SAFE® |
o | |
|
Headrest height and angle adjustable |
o |
o |
|
Front airbags |
o |
-- |
|
Sidebags |
o |
o |
|
Windowbags |
o | |
|
Automatic child seat detection |
o |
-- |
|
Front passenger detection with weight classification |
o |
-- |
o = As standard equipment
Mercedes safety after the accident too
The comprehensive Mercedes safety system PRO-SAFE also takes into account the phase after the traffic accident. To prevent follow-on damage, the fuel supply of the engine is automatically blocked in the new S-Class in accidents above a certain severity. The hazard warning signal also switches on to warn drivers approaching from behind and to prevent new accidents.
After an accident in which airbags are deployed, all the side windows open just enough to leave a narrow space through which the interior can be ventilated. At the same time, the door locks are automatically released so that injured passengers can be rescued more quickly. Specially designed crash joints prevent the front and rear doors from becoming deeply wedged during an impact. The passengers can also open the doors after an accident, because Mercedes-Benz uses cables that remain intact after deformation for the internal activation of the door locks. The new S-Class is the first Mercedes passenger car to have markings on the front and rear windows showing the emergency services places where they can cut through the A- and C-pillars in the event of a serious accident to quickly reach injured passengers and provide them with medical care.
Long-term protection: fully galvanized body and paint with nanoparticles
Mercedes-Benz has developed an effective package of features to provide the body with long-term protection against corrosion. It is based on fully galvanized body panels which, depending on their area of use - at the doors, for instance, and at the side rails in the front, side and rear areas - also have a double-sided organic coating. This coating also contains rust-resistant zinc pigments. In addition, regions of the body structure that are subject to severe strains are protected with cavity sealing - the front side members, the upper side rail plane of the front-end structure, the side skirts and the rear wheel housings, for example.
The Mercedes-Benz experts also prevent corrosion by sealing the weld seams. The seam sealing comprises not only the bonnet, doors, boot lid, rear wheel housings and fuel-tank flap but also a great many of the welded joints on the underbody structure of the new S-Class. Thanks to the broad sections of plastic laminate used for the underbody panelling, the Mercedes engineers were able to do without the conventional PVC underbody protection. The underbody panelling protects the body from small stones, moisture and dirt.
Like all Mercedes passenger cars, the new S-Class is protected by a 30-year MobiloLife warranty. Similarly, with the more scratch-resistant clear coat based on nanotechnology, Mercedes-Benz makes another contribution to top quality and value over the long term. The innovative paint system, which was introduced first by the Stuttgart-based automotive brand, is a standard feature of the new S-Class. It is used in both metallic and solid paint schemes.
Remarkable advances in the area of nanotechnology have allowed tiny ceramic particles � each less than a millionth of a millimetre in size � to be integrated into the molecular structure of the binding agent. The nanoparticles provide a three-fold improvement in the scratch resistance of the paintwork and ensure visibly enhanced gloss over an extended period of time.
Aerodynamics: new paragon of the upper-range segment
In recent years, the aerodynamics engineers of Mercedes-Benz have proven many times that they are masters of their craft. The cars bearing the Mercedes star are among the most aerodynamic and responsive passenger cars in the world. With the new S-Class, the Sindelfingen experts achieved another aerodynamic tour de force. Despite the larger tires and wheel housings and the higher demands placed on the engine cooling system and the interior air conditioning, the saloon attains an even better Cd value than the predecessor model: Cd 0.26. That makes the new high-end Mercedes model the shining ideal of the upper-range segment in regard to aerodynamics as well.
The Cd value is the result of painstaking detail work that began long before the construction of the first prototype. Using ultra-modern simulation techniques and models on the scale of 1:4, engineers and designers first developed a basic shape that set the future direction both stylistically and also in terms of aerodynamics engineering. Starting from this basis, there followed additional fine tuning of all the body details, until finally the definitive design of the new S-Class was developed and a 1:1 prototype model also passed its crucial test in the wind tunnel.
From the beginning, the Mercedes engineers carried on their aerodynamics development using the latest measuring methods, which allow a very true-to-life analysis of the airflow conditions on and under the body. Chief among these is the road simulation: All the wind tunnel tests for the new S-Class - from the first 1:4 model to the series-standard pilot production car - took place with moving wheels so that the aerodynamic interplay between road, tires and body could be studied even for high-speed highway driving.
The Mercedes specialists used the insights gained from these series of tests to optimise the form and function of various body elements:
- The front wheel spoilers were extended to reduce the impact pressure of the airstream in front of the tires;
- The three-part lining of the engine compartment was extended to the rear edge of the transmission, ensuring a turbulence-free air flow;
- The panelling of the main underfloor covers the fuel tank too;
- The moulding of the spare wheel well was shaped in such a way that it guides the airflow in the rear upward and improves the “caster�.
Other body details deserve mention here as well, such as the aerodynamic styling of the front apron, the A- and C-pillars, the exterior mirrors and the boot lid. All of these help reduce drag. The air suspension, which comes as standard, makes a major contribution as well by automatically lowering the body by up to 20 millimetres in two stages at speeds above 120 km/h, thereby reducing drag by over four per cent.
The aerodynamic characteristics of the new S-Class at a glance:
|
Drag coefficient (Cd) |
0.26 – 0.28 |
|
Front surface area (A) |
2.40 – 2.41 |
|
Aerodynamic drag area (Cd x A) |
0.62 – 0.67 |
|
Front axle lift (Clf) |
0.06 – 0.10 |
|
Rear axle lift (Clr) |
0.09 – 0.11 |
Good aerodynamics contributes to driving safety too
The good lift factors at the front and rear axles show that the exemplary aerodynamics of the new S Class not only enable a new record Cd value but also have a positive effect on driving safety. They are up to 14 per cent lower than the corresponding figures of the predecessor model and constitute reliable indicators of high braking stability, secure road-holding and low crosswind sensitivity.
The aerodynamics also makes an important contribution to road safety through design details that give the driver an unclouded view through the front side windows during rain. The Mercedes engineers achieve this by deliberately guiding the rainwater backwards, downwards or to the side. In the new S-Class, the side windows, mirror glass and door handles remain for the most part clean, because the rainwater hitting the front window collects in run-off tracks on the A-pillars, is led from there backwards over the roof with the help of the airflow, and then flows downward and away in a channel on the trailing edge of the roof. The housings of the exterior mirrors are shaped in such a way that rainwater flows outward and drips away in a narrow surrounding groove.
Aero-acoustics: details crafted for minimal noise emissions
The aero-acoustic properties were a further focus of the work in the wind tunnel. The objective of the Mercedes engineers was to minimize the wind noise that results from the flow of air around the body and its external fittings or from vibrations induced in the body panels. And the Sindelfingen specialists achieved this objective. The new S-Class offers a distinct improvement with regard to noise levels. In fact, it is one of the quietest cars in the world and one of the most pleasing acoustically.
The aero-acoustic experts and body developers worked together closely early on in the concept phase of the saloon and created the structural conditions necessary for a marked reduction in noise levels - for instance, through a more rigid body-in-white, reinforced outer panelling and a new door design with mutually independent inner and outer modules. Starting from this firm foundation, they then successfully optimised details in the wind tunnel.
In the wind tunnel tests, the Mercedes engineers tracked down troublesome wind noise using a newly developed measuring technique: A three-metre-high concave acoustic mirror equipped with several highly sensitive microphones and a video camera scans entire sections of the body and helps localize troublesome sources of noise. At the side windows, for example, the microphones at the focal point of the concave mirror recorded all the wind noise from the entire body, and the sources of noise were represented on a computer monitor in colour according to volume (level) and frequency. Since the camera image is transmitted to the computer at the same time, the positions of critical noise sources can be precisely determined. That makes optimisation measures easier and more effective.
One result of these aero-acoustic measurements using the concave mirror is the housing of the outside mirror. The narrow bridge that connects the mirror housing to the door was designed in such a way that wind noise due to the airflow over the bridge is eliminated or compensated for. In addition, the door gaps are multiply sealed. In important areas, up to four levels of sealing ensure that no wind noise is audible in the passenger compartment. Similarly, the shape of the A-pillars and the special rubber seal between the rear window and boot lid are also a result of the noise analyses in the aero-acoustic wind tunnel. For the tilt/slide sunroof and the new “Panorama� sunroof, the Mercedes experts developed serrated wind deflectors. Their notches generate air swirls running lengthwise, and these effectively suppress the annoying booming noise that would otherwise occur when a sunroof is open.
Windshield wipers: aero-technology with two motors
Mercedes-Benz developed the windshield wiper system of the new S-Class in the wind tunnel also. Hence the name “Aero wipers�: Instead of the jointed system on which the wiper blade element is hung in conventional wiper blades, the wind-shield wipers of the flagship Mercedes model consist of a single piece of rubber with an integrated spoiler and spring rails positioned on the outside. They ensure an even distribution of the contact pressure. This results in a significantly better wiping effect, and drivers will also notice that the wipers make even less noise.
To prevent the windshield wipers from freezing in place, they are warmed by an electrical heating system when in the retracted position. The four washer fluid nozzles are heated as well.
The windshield wipers on the driver and front passenger side are driven by two separate motors and have different patterns of movement. Whereas the left wind-shield wiper moves on a fixed axis of rotation, its right counterpart also makes a lifting movement in order to clean a large section of the window.
The rain sensor, which controls the windshield wipers in accordance with the intensity of the rain, comes as standard equipment in the flagship Mercedes model and can be adjusted to one of two settings using the multifunction lever on the steering column.
Windowpanes: silver foil as infrared reflector
The new S-Class is typically equipped with green-tinted safety glass when it comes off the assembly line. For Mercedes customers who want even more effective protection against the sun, engineers have developed an infrared-reflecting compound glass featuring an invisible coating of pure silver. It not only filters out the ultraviolet rays of the sun but also reflects the infrared light in the solar spectrum that heats up the passenger compartment. The result is that, compared to glass with a conventional green tint, the overall transmission of energy into the interior is reduced from 60 to approximately 47 per cent, thanks to the infrared reflection at the windshield.
Additional protection from the sun is provided by the blinds for the side windows in the back and the rear window, also available as an option. They are electrically operated.
Sunroofs: open-air effect through Panorama glass plane
In addition to the glass tilting/sliding sunroof with the automatic PRE-SAFE® closure feature, Mercedes-Benz is offering the owners of the long-wheelbase version an extra that guarantees special open-air enjoyment: the Panorama sunroof.
The name can be taken literally, because compared with the tilt/slide sunroof, the glass pane of the new development is almost twice as large - it extends from the front windshield to the rear window of the S-Class. At the push of a button, the front part of the roof rises and shifts backward over the immobile glass section while a glass louver erected in front serves as a wind deflector. As with the tilt/slide sunroof, the movable half of this sunroof can be set at different heights. The Panorama sunroof can also be controlled remotely via the electronic key, as with the conventional version.
Extruded aluminium profiles make up the sturdy frame structure of the newly developed sunroof, which is bonded to the roof frame as a fully prefabricated module. Aluminium mouldings with black paintwork cover the side gap between the body and the glass elements on both sides. The Mercedes engineers use the bridge element midway between the two halves of the roof to accommodate the vanity mirrors for the rear passengers. For protection from the sun, there are electrically operated blinds on the inner sides of both panes of glass. They can be drawn shut or opened independently of one another.
Light: bi-xenon technology in combination with curve and cornering light
The headlamps of the S-Class incorporate state-of-the-art lighting technology and make an important contribution to road safety. For the dipped headlights, high-luminosity halogen projection-beam lights come as standard equipment; separate H9 reflector lights are used for the full-beam lights. The indicator lights and side-lights are likewise accommodated in the elegantly proportioned headlight housing, while the fog lamps are integrated into the bumper fascia. Thanks to the driving light assistance system at the windshield, which comes as standard, the head-lights and tail lights switch on automatically when it gets dark, when rain or snow hinders visibility, or when the S-Class enters a tunnel.
The optional bi-xenon headlights also come with two new lighting features that provide a significant improvement in driving safety after dark:
- The active curve light improves the illumination of the traffic lane by up to 90 per cent. Whereas conventional dimmed headlights are able to provide illumination for a distance of some 30 metres when entering a curve with a radius of 190 metres, the new headlight feature extends this range to about 55 metres. Since the way the light is cast corresponds to the steering angle, the driver sees the course of a curve earlier than when using conventional dipped headlights. The active curve light works when the headlights are set to either dipped or full beam.
- The cornering light is automatically activated when the indicator is switched on or the steering wheel is rotated for a turn. It illuminates the area in front of the vehicle up to 65 degrees to the side and to an extent of about 30 metres. The cornering light thus illuminates areas of the road that remain dark when conventional headlight technology is used during turns. The advantage of this is that it makes pedestrians and cyclists next to the vehicle clearly visible even in darkness. The cornering light also gives drivers better orientation when they take curves at slow speeds (up to 70 km/h). The halogen reflector for the cornering light is located in the housing of the main headlamp.
The equipment package with bi-xenon headlights, curve lights and cornering lights also includes a dynamic headlight levelling control and a headlamp-cleaning system using a high-pressure water jet.
Flashing brake light for preventing rear-end collisions
The tail lights of the S Class are elegantly separated by two chrome-trimmed body-coloured mouldings. They divide the segments for rear fog lamps, indicator lights, rear lights and brake lights.
The adaptive brake light here is a special technical feature Mercedes-Benz has developed to help prevent rear-end collisions: If the driver has to brake hard at a speed of more than 50 km/h, or if he receives support from the BAS Brake Assist in an emergency, the brake lights of the new S Class flash and warn the drivers behind. If the S-Class then comes to a standstill after such an emergency stop, the brake lights once more shine continuously and the hazard warning signal switches on.
Mercedes engineers have tested the effectiveness of this blinking light on the road. The studies show that drivers’ braking reaction time can be shortened by up to 0.2 seconds on average if a blinking red warning light is substituted for a conventional brake light in emergency braking situations. As a result, the braking distance can be reduced by approximately 4.4 metres at a speed of 80 km/h, and by as much as around 5.5 metres at 100 km/h.
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Driver assistance systems
Intelligent co-pilots
- DISTRONIC PLUS: proximity control at all speeds between zero and 200 km/h
- Brake Assist PLUS: radar sensor for early detection of an accident risk
- Park assist: radar-assisted parking and reversing
- Night view assist: infrared headlamps for improved long-range visibility
In 1998 a long-held dream for many drivers was fulfilled in the S-Class with the DISTRONIC autonomous intelligent cruise control system: an electronic co-pilot which keeps the car at a set speed and at a set distance from the vehicle ahead – for more convenience and less stress. Mercedes-Benz was the world’s first auto-mobile manufacturer to offer its customers such a system.
Mercedes-Benz has developed this highly efficient assistance system even further for the new S-Class, hence the name DISTRONIC PLUS.
By combining the previous DISTRONIC radar (77 GHz) with a newly developed close-range radar (24 GHz), which is also used for Brake Assist PLUS, Mercedes engineers have been able to extend the working range of the proximity control system even further, so that it can now scan a distance of anything from 0.2 to 150 metres. While the 77-Gigahertz radar monitors the road ahead over a long distance, the signals from the 24-Gigahertz sensors have a range of around 30 metres and monitor the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. The electronic control unit analyses the information received from both radar systems and calculates the engine, automatic transmission and braking parameters required for proximity control.
In addition, the speed range for this control function has been increased from the previous 30 - 180 km/h to zero - 200 km/h. This means that when the traffic tails back, DISTRONIC PLUS automatically brakes the S-Class to a standstill and accelerates back to the set speed as soon as the traffic situation allows. To move off automatically, the driver only needs to operate the DISTRONIC stalk on the steering column or briefly depress the accelerator.
As before, the required interval can be set according to the traffic flow and density: using a control function on the DISTRONIC stalk, the driver is able to variably adjust the time lapse between one and two seconds if required by the traffic situation. The medium setting corresponds to a time lapse of 1.5 seconds, representing a gap of around 42 metres at a speed of 100 km/h. The target and actual distances between the S-Class and the vehicle ahead are shown in the central display of the instrument cluster.
Automatic braking to a standstill
As more dynamic proximity control intervention is often required at lower speeds, i.e. in stop-and-go traffic with frequent starting and braking, the acceleration and deceleration values of the system have been reconfigured. Depending on the speed, automatic deceleration of up to four m/s² (previously two m/s²) is now possible. If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that heavier braking is required, a warning light appears in the instrument cluster. This is accompanied by an audibile warning which tells the driver to watch the traffic situation and apply the brakes himself if necessary.
The electronic proximity control system can be activated independently of DISTRONIC PLUS. In this case too, the system continuously monitors the distance from the vehicles ahead and gives the driver an audibile warning if he is approaching another vehicle too rapidly at a speed of more than 30 km//h, and lights up a warning lamp if the gap is too small.
Brake Assist PLUS: two radar systems looking ahead
It was in 1992 that Mercedes engineers conducting tests in the driving simulator found that while the majority of male and female drivers operate the brake pedal rapidly in an emergency situation, they often do not do so with sufficient force. The braking performance is therefore not used to the full, and the braking distance is considerably increased. These findings led to the development of Brake Assist, which first entered series production in 1996 and has been standard equipment in all Mercedes cars since 1997.
The technology interprets a certain speed with which the brake pedal is depressed as an emergency braking situation, and builds up the maximum braking assistance within fractions of a second. This significantly shortens the vehicle’s braking distance – by up to 45 percent at 100 km/h on a dry road surface, for example.
Mercedes-Benz has expanded Brake Assist into an anticipatory system which assists the driver even more effectively than before in critical situations. The system is based on radar technology: it registers the distance from vehicles ahead, warns the driver if the gap is too small and calculates the necessary brake force assistance if a rear-end collision threatens. If traffic tails back and the driver is obliged to operate the brake pedal, the new Brake Assist PLUS instantly builds up the braking pressure required to manage the situation.
While a conventional Brake Assist system requires reflex braking, the new system already detects the driver’s braking intention as soon as the pedal is depressed and automatically optimises the brake pressure. This meets one of the major conditions for preventing rear-end collisions, namely the best possible deceleration for the situation in hand.
In addition to the 77-Gigahertz long-range proximity control radar, the anticipatory system Brake Assist PLUS, part of the DISTRONIC PLUS package, also uses a newly developed 24-Gigahertz short-range radar system. These systems complement each other: while the long-range DISTRONIC radar is configured to monitor three lanes of a motorway up to a maximum distance of 150 metres with an opening angle of nine degrees, the new 24-Gigahertz radar registers the situation immediately ahead of the vehicle with an angle of 80 degrees and a range of 30 metres.
Accident rate reduced by three quarters
Mercedes-Benz has intensively tested the effectiveness of this innovative technology in the driving simulator and in practical trials:
- 100 male and female drivers took part in a series of tests in the driving simulator. They each completed a 40-minute journey with several critical situations on motorways and extra-urban roads in which it was only possible to avoid accidents by hard braking. The average accident rate, 44 percent in tests with conventional brake technology, was reduced by three quarters with Brake Assist Plus, to 11 percent.
- More than 200 male and female drivers took part in practical trials in Europe and the USA, covering a total of more than 450,000 kilometres in 24 test cars. These journeys were recorded with the help of the latest measuring and video technology. Evaluation of the data and video sequences showed that Brake Assist PLUS also makes a major contribution to safety under real conditions.
Park assist: collision warning when reversing
Mercedes-Benz also uses the latest radar technology for the new park assist in the S-Class, which is available in conjunction with DISTRONIC PLUS and Brake Assist PLUS. This system uses the four close-range sensors at the front and two radar sensors in the rear bumper to assist the driver when parking or warn him of obstacles when reversing.
The newly developed system operates with a much greater range and coverage than PARKTRONIC, which is based on ultrasound technology. The radar sensors of park assist operate up to a distance of eleven metres and have an opening angle of 40 degrees, which means that the driver is warned of an impending collision much sooner. This is an advantage which becomes particularly obvious when reversing over a longer distance. In this case the system is active from a speed of seven km/h, and warns the driver with an audibile signal if a collision threatens. This allows enough time to prevent the collision with firm operation of the brake pedal.
When parking the vehicle, the system assists the driver within a speed range from zero to 16 km/h. When moving forward, the colour display in the instrument cluster shows two segments which indicate the distance from an obstacle within the range of the radar sensors on the left and right sides, thereby allowing the vehicle to be parked with absolute precision. When the first red segment lights up an intermittent warning is also sounded. A constant warning note is sounded when the second red segment is reached, informing the driver that the minimum distance has been reached. When reversing, a display in the rear roof lining is switched on and indicates the distance from any obstacles – once again for each side of the vehicle and with an acoustic warning over the last few centimetres.
Reversing camera provides precise guidance into parking slots
Optionally, the new S-Class can be supplied with the proven PARKTRONIC ultra-sound-based parking system. A special reversing camera provides further assistance. The reversing camera, mounted in the boot lid above the licence plate, is activated automatically when the driver engages selector position "R". It projects an image of the area behind the vehicle onto the COMAND display. Based on the vehicle dimensions, speed and steering angle, a control unit calculates the optimal path the vehicle should take into the parking slot. Coloured lines are super-imposed on the camera image to guide the driver.
Night view assist: significantly increased range of vision in the dark
The risk of serious injury in road traffic is much greater in twilight and in the dark than during daylight hours. Although average traffic density is reduced to only around 15 percent at night, more than one in three fatal traffic accidents occur at this time.
Mercedes-Benz has therefore been working for many years to improve nighttime driving safety. New developments like the xenon low-beam light (1995), bi-xenon headlamps (1999), the Active Light System (2003) and the cornering light (2004) have all made important contributions. Night view assist, which will make its European debut in the new S-Class and will be available as an option in conjunction with bi-xenon headlamps and Active Light System, is a further milestone in this field of automotive technology. Thus the package of lighting systems available for the new top-of-the-line Mercedes model is currently unrivalled in terms of lighting power and performance.
In the dark, the newly developed night view assist system provides the driver with a much greater range of vision than conventional low-beam headlamps, enabling the course of the road, pedestrians, cyclists and obstacles to be recognised much sooner. At the same time the system relieves driver stress during tiring journeys at night, keeping the driver fit enough to respond rapidly and appropriately in critical situations.
Infrared beams in the headlamps, camera on the windscreen
The innovative system has six main components:
- The driver activates the system by means of a switch to the left of the rotary light switch. It must be dark outside and the low-beam headlamps must be switched on.
- Two special searchlights in the headlamp housings illuminate the road ahead with invisible infrared light. When night view assist is active, these are automatically switched on when a speed of 15 km/h is reached, and remain on when braking down to about 10 km/h. Night view assist is not operational when reversing.
- An infrared-sensitive camera on the inside of the windscreen records the scene ahead of the vehicle. A lens shade protects the camera against extraneous light reflections.
- An electronic control unit processes the image from the infrared camera and transfers it to the display in the instrument cluster as a clear greyscale image.
As soon as night view assist is activated, the display in the centre of the instru-ment cluster switches over to show the camera image. The large eight-inch display is directly in the driver’s field of vision, and he can use it like the speedometer and cockpit instruments to glance down regularly, monitor the situation ahead of the S-Class as shown by the infrared image and adjust his driving accordingly. When the system is switched on, the speed indication changes from a dial instrument to a horizontal, bar-type display at the lower edge of the camera image.
Significantly increased safety in critical situations
Mercedes engineers examined the capabilities of this technology in a series of trials. During comparative test drives with low-beam bi-xenon headlamps and the new night view assist system, the male and female test drivers recognised obsta-cles in the road much sooner when assisted by the infrared light system. During tests, drivers were already able to discern test dummies at the roadside dressed in light-coloured clothing at a range of around 210 metres, which is about 41 metres sooner than with low-beam bi-xenon headlamps. The system proves even more effective in the case of pedestrians in dark clothing. In these situations the night view assist system already enabled the drivers to identify the test dummies at a range of around 164 metres, compared with only at about 72 metres when driving with low-beam bi-xenon headlamps alone. This represents a safety improvement of no less than 125 percent.
Even when the headlamps of oncoming vehicles dazzle the driver and severely obscure the view, visibility is much better with this assistance system: a test dummy in light-coloured clothing standing at the road edge 50 metres behind an oncoming vehicle was detected from an average distance of 140 metres with the help of night view assist – around 53 metres sooner than with low-beam bi-xenon headlamps.
LINGUATRONIC: voice control for radio, audio and navigation systems
For a number of years now, this Mercedes-Benz-developed voice control system has been establishing itself as an important assistance system which enhances both safety and convenience. In the new S-Class, the driver can use LINGUATRONIC (optional) to control the telephone, audio system and navigation system. After activating LINGUATRONIC using a button on the steering wheel, all the driver has to do is say the word - or words - and the radio will search for or store another station, switch to the next track on a CD or enter the desired destination in the navigation system. In this way LINGUATRONIC reduces driver stress, allowing him to devote more attention to the road and traffic conditions.
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Interior
Man and machine in harmony
- Integrated control systems instead of additional buttons and switches
- Redundancy concept for instant operation
- Instrument cluster and COMAND display at the same viewing level
- Debut of new digital technology delivering flawless sound reproduction
- Multicontour seat including back massage function with seven air chambers
- Automatic climate control with extensive scope for individual adjustment
Getting in and feeling good – in the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has added another aspect to this conceptual and design aim for its car interiors: getting in, feeling good – and mastering the technology at once.
This is made possible by a newly developed control concept as the interface be-tween man and vehicle. It is based on extensive ergonomic and perceptual psychology studies, and takes into account the findings from many months of acceptance testing conducted with Mercedes customers all over the world. In other words, it is not the latest technical advances but male and female drivers that provided the impulses for the control and display systems.
The effort devoted to the development of a new control concept shows how seri-ously Mercedes-Benz takes this task. And for very good reasons, as new technolo-gies for even more individual comfort, telematics and tele-communications, as well as information and entertainment, require new thinking where automotive control concepts are concerned. During the development of the control system for the new S-Class the Mercedes engineers therefore worked together closely with the psychologists and behavioural scientists at DaimlerChrysler Research, who conduct research into the human factors involved in driving as well as the techni-cal and functional aspects – the fine interaction between intuitive understanding of the control function and the emotional experience when handling the technol-ogy. Both are important prerequisites for safety, wellbeing and driving enjoyment. A major contribution was also made by the designers, who created the various switches, controls and displays and painstakingly blended them into the overall design concept for the Mercedes flagship model. The result is a harmonious com-bination of ergonomics and aesthetic appeal: every switch, every control and every display signals precision and careful attention to detail.
The key aims in the development of the operating concept for the new S-Class we-re adaptation and integration, i.e. tailoring technology to the needs of people as effectively as possible (adaptation) in order to optimise safety and enhance comfort, and ensuring clearly and logically arranged controls (integration).
Mercedes engineers have moved the infrequently used seat and climate control adjustment functions, which were operated using separate switches or buttons in the outgoing model, into central control systems. This means that the functional-ity of tried and tested control and display instruments such as the multifunction steering wheel - in combination with the central display - in the cockpit and the COMAND system has been further enhanced and extended.
The Sindelfingen-based experts have grouped together other functions, for which switches and buttons are still the most effective solution, into functionally related control clusters. These control clusters can be found in the door trim, instrument panel and roof lining. The principle behind the modifications is "everything in its place".
Direct access buttons for immediate access to important functions
Rapid access to frequently used functions is a major characteristic of the intelli-gent control concept in the S-Class. This means that the driver is not required to relearn, is able to retain old habits and feels at home immediately. The control system is designed for redundancy: the radio, TV tuner, CD/DVD changer, tele-phone and navigation system can be accessed either via the new COMAND con-troller and its menu structure, or directly using keys. The relevant control keys are ergonomically located in front of the controller, so that the driver can operate them by feel without having to look down. The "Return" key takes the driver back to the next-higher menu level.
The buttons and controls on both sides of the COMAND controller are just as easily accessible. The buttons on the right switch the system on or off, regulate the sound volume or activate the mute function, while the switch array on the left allows the driver to select the transmission mode and adjust the rear head re-straints. There is also an individually programmable button for specific functions chosen by the driver. It can be programmed to operate the rear window blind, activate the interior monitoring and tow-away protection system or repeat the rou-te recommendations given by the navigation system, for example.
Operation of the standard automatic climate control system is also possible in two ways, i.e. on a redundancy basis: using the COMAND controller and menu-based control via the colour display, or by means of an attractively styled switch array beneath the air vents. The COMAND system allows further individual climate adjustments such as air distribution, footwell adjustment and air conditioning for the rear.
The new functions which are now also controlled via COMAND include individual adjustment of the standard lumbar supports and multicontour seats (optional). The display shows a photo-quality image of the seat with the different air cush-ions highlighted in colour. These can be individually selected using the controller, then adjusted as required. As before, all other seat adjustments and functions are grouped into clearly arranged control clusters in the doors.
Other systems for which separate switches were previously necessary, e.g. the rear window blind, tow-away protection and interior monitoring, can also be oper-ated via COMAND in the new S-Class.
Colour cockpit display with clear menu-controlled functions
The steering wheel and instrument cluster are the primary areas in the newly de-veloped control concept of the S-Class. These integrate all the important informa-tion and functions required by the driver. The centrepiece is an eight-inch (16 : 9) high-resolution colour display with the latest TFT (Thin Film Transistor) technol-ogy for an impressively clear image. There is a graphically animated dial speed-ometer whose needle is partially overlapped to highlight the information pre-sented by the central display. The graphics computer generates a text bar on the lower edge of the TFT display, where up to seven main menus – depending on the equipment levels specified and – and various sub-menus governing individual set-tings, displays and control functions can be accessed:
- Trip: Odometer and trip recorder, trip computer, range, digital speed-ometer.
- Navi: Directional instructions (indicated by arrows) by the navigation system.
- Audio: Radio programme, TV programme, title display for CD player, CD changer and video DVD.
- Telephone: Number dialled, caller number, telephone directory.
- Assistance: Distance display for DISTRONIC, proximity warning, settings for reversing camera.
- Service: Tyre pressure control, ASSYST PLUS, messages.
- Settings: Daytime driving lights, digital secondary speedometer, SPEED-TRONIC, activation of radar sensors.
Five-way buttons on the steering wheel for rapid, intuitive operation
For rapid selection of these functions Mercedes-Benz has developed the controls on the standard multifunction steering wheel further, using circular, illuminated five-way buttons which the driver operates by light thumb pressure. The relevant selection or setting is confirmed by pressing the "OK" key at the centre of the disc. A separate "Return" key enables the driver to return to the next-higher menu level immediately.
The five-way button on the right of the multifunction steering wheel is used to regu-late the sound volume (vertical) and operate the car phone (horizontal). Below this there is an additional button with which the driver can activate the LINGUATRONIC voice control system (optional). A few verbal commands are then enough to oper-ate the car phone, audio equipment and navigation system.
The primary control layout which the driver has directly within his reach and field of vision includes the newly designed lever on the steering column. As before, cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS (optional), the windscreen wipers, indicators, steering wheel heating system (optional) and steering wheel position are controlled from here. In line with the principle of "everything in its place", the control function for setting the desired inter-vehicle distance has been integrated into the DISTRONIC lever, rather than on the centre console as in the preceding model.
Another new feature which improves operating convenience and allows a thor-oughly up-to-date cockpit design is DIRECT SELECT – the electronic gearshift which allows the standard 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission to be operated by nudging an attractively styled lever on the right of the steering col-umn. Thanks to this technology, Mercedes engineers were able to dispense with the usual shift lever on the centre console and redesign the tunnel covering.
Dimensional concept: greater spaciousness for all passengers
As with the operating concept for the new S-Class, the Mercedes engineers also followed a clear principle in creating the dimensions for the interior: the car had to adapt to the people inside it, rather than vice versa. With this aim in mind, they developed an interior whose spaciousness and ergonomics are rooted in scientific research findings. The result is an outstanding feeling of space, freedom of mo-vement and comfort over long journeys for the passengers.
At 5076 / 5206 millimetres in length, the body of the new S-Class is 33 / 43 millimetres longer, 16 millimetres wider and 29 millimetres taller than its prede-cessor. The new car's wheelbase is 70 / 80 millimetres longer, measuring 3035 / 3165 millimetres.
Passengers in the new S-Class thus benefit from even greater spaciousness. There is as much as 39 millimetres of extra shoulder room and elbow room, while head-room improves by up to another five millimetres. Effective legroom, which is a key aspect of seating comfort, increases by five millimetres for both the driver and front passenger and by 24 millimetres for the rear passengers. In the long-wheelbase model, meanwhile, there is an amazing 52 millimetres of extra leg-room in the rear compartment.
COMAND: screen within the driver’s field of vision and a new controller
With the "Cockpit Management and Data System" – COMAND for short – Mercedes-Benz started a new era in systems operation when the predecessor to the new S-Class was launched in 1998. COMAND is the processing and control centre for a whole range of functions; it is a car radio, CD/DVD player, TV tuner and navigation unit all in one. It also facilitates the operation of the car phone by means of a special keypad and clear displays.
The system has been further developed for the new S-Class and its styling en-hanced. The technical advances achieved as part of this upgrade have produced a considerable increase in the system's capabilities, for in addition to the familiar telematic and audio units, various vehicle functions which previously required individual switches have now been fully integrated. Two new features are imme-diately obvious:
- The large, eight-inch 16 : 9 colour display is now positioned at the same height as the instrument cluster, and therefore even more favourably within the field of vision of the driver and front passenger. In addition, the display can be electrically pivoted by ten degrees to the left or right.
- The new aluminium COMAND controller with padded handrest serves as the mechanical and electronic interface between the front occupants and COMAND. The main and sub-menus for the control system are selected by ro-tating or nudging the controller, which is then pressed to confirm the relevant function. A geared electric motor assists the movements of the controller and provides tactile feedback. The rotary function is automatically locked when the end of a display sequence has been reached, for example. If a car phone is fitted ex factory, the padded handrest can be flipped up to reveal the tele-phone keypad.
Clear menu control and photo-quality images
A new operating concept, up-to-date colours and clear, photo-quality graphics also make the COMAND menu selection procedure a gratifying visual experience. The screen content is horizontally divided into separate areas which are easily ac-cessed using the controller. As in the central display in the instrument cluster, the system is accessed via a menu bar which contains up to five main functions:
- Navi: Road map, destination input, destination memory
- Audio: Radio, CD player or changer, DVD audio, MP3, rear entertainment (optional), auxiliary port
- Tel: Telephone, address book, news
- Video: TV reception, DVD video, auxiliary port
- Vehicle: Rear blind, exterior mirrors (convenience settings), easy entry and exit (steering wheel), delayed switch-off, ambient lighting (op-tional), locator lighting, automatic locking, interior monitoring, tow-away protection, boot lid stop (with optional remote boot lid closing).
Calling up one of the menus activates further menu bars on the lower edge of the COMAND display. When the radio is switched on, for example, these allow addi-tional settings to be accessed, including sound, balance/fader, waveband and a list of stations. The newly designed radio dial clearly displays radio stations, which the driver or front passenger can change by rotating the controller. The usage principle behind the menus is straightforward and easy to get to grips with: functions or lists arranged under the sub-menus are called up by pressing the controller, while ele-ments within the lists are activated by turning the controller, nudging it up or down, or pressing it. To close one of the lists, it is sufficient to move the controller to the side or press the "Return" button in front of the controller.
A radio, CD player and PC card player in one
The COMAND system in the S-Class combines the latest audio, video and navigation technology. The following functions are included in the standard configuration:
- Radio: SW, MW, LW and FM reception. Twin FM tuner with RDS/TMC. Automatic station memory for all receivable radio programmes. 20 station memory presets per waveband.
- Amplifier: Four x 25 watts. Ten loudspeakers.
- CD/DVD: Single deck for music CDs and for audio or video DVDs. Also for MP3 formats.
- PC cards: Slot for PCMCIA cards below the CD/DVD player.
- Auxiliary: Port for external equipment in the glove compartment.
All navigation information on a computer hard disc
COMAND can be ordered with a navigation system as an option. In addition to the satellite receiver (Global Positioning System) and yaw-rate sensor, this system al-so contains a 20-gigabyte hard drive, which allows impressively high-speed ac-cess to navigation data and even quicker route calculation than with a DVD-based navigation system. During the route guidance procedure, the navigation system provides even more precise information than ever and recommends which lane the driver should get into on a motorway, for example. Audible traffic congestion reports are also an option, meaning that the driver no longer has to read this in-formation on the display and can therefore focus more effectively on what's hap-pening on the road ahead.
A TV tuner is also available as an optional extra for the COMAND system. This is able to receive both terrestrial digital signals (DVB-T) and analogue programmes. For safety reasons the TV image in the COMAND display is blanked out when the car is on the move; TV reception is always possible in the rear if the entertain-ment system (optional) is specified.
Rear: controller and direct access buttons on the armrest
Passengers in the rear of the new S-Class are not deprived of the advantages of-fered by the new controller and direct access buttons. If the S-Class is equipped with single multicontour rear seats and the rear-entertainment system (optional), the controller is located on the folding armrest between the single seats. All the functions of the entertainment system can be controlled from here: CD/DVD play-er, TV tuner, two auxiliary ports for external equipment and the picture and sound adjustments. Direct access buttons allow individual adjustment of the mul-ticontour seats (optional) in the rear.
Sound system: world premiere for in-car digital audio technology
The sound system developed specially for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class (op-tional) offers a live concert-quality musical experience. Mercedes-Benz sound en-gineers joined forces with audio experts harman/kardon® to introduce technology never before seen in a car and create a whole new three-dimensional sound ex-perience. The system delivers a previously inconceivable natural 360-degree mu-sical experience for all passengers, even when acoustic conditions inside the car are far from perfect. And that applies when using either DVDs or CDs and for both 5.1 surround-sound and standard stereo recordings.
A whole series of carefully coordinated technical modifications paved the way for this impressive stride forward. For example, DTCP (Digital Transmission Content Protection) technology is celebrating its world premiere in the new Mercedes Saloon. This digital encoding technique allows copy-protected transmission of sig-nals from the source to the amplifier via an optical fibre-optic cable. This allows all signals to be transmitted and processed digitally. Since this technology avoids the need for digital signals to be converted into analogue, passengers in the new S-Class can enjoy both the latest multi-channel DVD audio and DVD video for-mats, as well as DTS CDs, to their full potential for the first time in a car. "LOGIC7®" professional surround sound technology from harman/kardon® ensures unbeatable sound quality for all passengers. Special digital algorithms al-low this innovation to generate significantly more homogenous sound output than other high-quality sound systems. The surround data is distributed precisely over a 13-channel system architecture - developed specially for the S-Class - which mir-rors the original recording. This gives the driver and passengers the impression that the sound source is further away from the loudspeakers than is actually the case. In other words, they are given the feeling of being in a larger room with a sound source which is further away from them and experience natural surround sound from every seat.
A 600-watts amplifier located in the rear of the car ensures that the music signals are distributed to optimum effect. It is fitted with a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), which uses its PC-level performance to control the sound frequency and thus de-liver a more balanced sound impression.
Innovative metal matrix speakers ensure premium sound quality.
Among the factors influencing sound quality are not only signal processing and transmission, but also innovative metal matrix loudspeakers which were devel-oped specially for the S-Class. The rigidity-to-weight ratio of their sophisticated membranes is three times greater than conventional loudspeakers. This gives them extra sensitivity.
The flagship Mercedes model is fitted with 14 of these high-output speakers. A 200 x 320-millimetre oval subwoofer on the parcel shelf teams up with another two 200-millimetre bass loudspeakers in the front doors, each of which is flanked by a 100-millimetre mid-range loudspeaker, to deliver high-class bass output. An additional 43-millimetre tweeter sends out the higher frequencies to the left and right at the front. In the centre of the car is a 100-millimetre diameter mid-range speaker, while a 165-millimetre woofer/mid-range speaker and a tweeter are fitted in each of the rear doors. In addition to the powerful subwoofer, another two mid-range speakers in the parcel shelf ensure the interior of the new S-Class is flooded with sound. The amplifier supplies the eleven main channels – centre, front left/right, side left/right and rear left/right – with 40 watts of power each, the door woofers with 80 watts and the subwoofer in the parcel shelf with 160 watts.
First-class comfort made to measure
Relaxed and fatigue-free driving was one of the principal goals during the develop-ment of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The seats in the luxury saloon make a ma-jor contribution to this. A team of engineers paid detailed attention to all aspects of seating comfort and used long years of experience to realise concepts with which this flagship model by Mercedes sets new standards. In addition, specialists from the DaimlerChrysler Research department conducted a series of studies to analyse the requirements and wishes of Mercedes customers with respect to seating com-fort. Several months of practical trials in various climatic zones around the world, static tests and reports by orthopaedic specialists, sports physicians and physio-therapists rounded off this sophisticated development programme.
A new 12-way seat already offers the driver and front passenger outstanding com-fort even in the standard version. The fore-and-aft position, backrest and cushion angle, seat height, head restraint and seat cushion depth are electrically adjust-able – independently and variably, so that each occupant is able to choose the best individual seating position. This also applies to comfort and support for the lower back, as pneumatic two-way lumbar supports are also standard equipment for the front seats. These enable the driver and front passenger to adapt the back-rest contours to their own anatomy, relieving stress on the back muscles.
To ensure that the chosen seating position does not need to be readopted after every change of driver or front passenger, the S 500 and S 600 are both equipped with a memory function as standard. Both front seats are able to store up to three memory positions. Pressing one of the memory keys in the door panel causes the driver’s seat, steering wheel and exterior mirrors to move to the stored positions automatically. Things are even more convenient with the key memory function: the microchips in the electronic ignition key and the magnetic cards of the induc-tive KEYLESS-GO system also have two memory positions for seat adjustment. This means that the seats automatically move to the chosen positions as soon as the doors are unlocked.
As a new feature, the electric seat adjustment can be switched over so that the driver can also operate the front passenger seat if required.
Not only the numerous adjustment functions are outstanding, but also the wide adjustment ranges. This ensures that occupants of very different sizes will find the new S-Class extremely comfortable. Details:
- Fore-and-aft adjustment: 290 millimetres
- Seat height: 85 millimetres
- Seat cushion length: 65 millimetres
- Head restraint height: 85 millimetres
- Seat cushion angle: +/- four degrees
- Backrest angle: 51 degrees
A combination of a spring core and foam material
The technical construction of the newly developed seats for the S-Class meets the traditionally high standards of quality maintained by the Mercedes-Benz brand in this area. The seats are based on a spring core and a covering made from breath-able Pullmaflex suspension padding, natural fibre/rubberised fibre and additional elements in porous polyurethane foam material. In addition, the seat cover is lined with a fleece material. This combination has already proved its effectiveness resoundingly in both the outgoing S-Class and countless in-depth tests. The tech-nology has yielded extremely impressive results, particularly as far as climatic comfort and durability are concerned. The seat anchoring is underpinned by a new concept. Instead of being mounted on conventional frames bolted to the floor section, the driver's and front passenger seat are fixed to side members attached to the sills and the transmission tunnel. This keeps the central areas under the seats free, adding to the space available for the rear passengers' feet.
Crash-responsive comfort head restraints with movable side bolsters
Softly padded luxury head restraints with manually adjustable side bolsters are optionally available for the front and outer rear seats of the S-Class. These enable passengers to rest their heads comfortably, and with good support from the newly developed head restraint. The luxury head restraint also incorporates intelligent NECK-PRO technology: in the event of a rear-end collision, the head restraint is immediately moved 44 millimetres forwards and 30 millimetres upwards by a pretensioned spring to give early support to the head of the seat occupant.
Six fans in the seat padding
The seat development specialists at Mercedes are not only concerned with classic comfort characteristics such as the springs and padding, but also with the all-round wellbeing of the car’s occupants. The materials and structure of a Mercedes seat must ensure comfort in all weather and temperature conditions. This is en-sured by breathable materials and the high-quality fabric or leather upholstery used for S-Class seats. Even more climatic comfort is provided by actively venti-lated luxury seats, which celebrated their world premiere in the outgoing S-Class: miniature fans in the seat cushion and backrest take in cool air at floor level and evenly distribute this via an air-permeable fabric under the surface of the seat. This gentle airflow ensures that the occupants remain cool and comfort-able even at high outside temperatures.
Specialists have now improved this technology even further. The heated, actively ven-tilated luxury seats (optional) in the new S-Class are equipped with even more effi-cient fan controllers which regulate likewise improved mini-fans in the seat cushion (4) and backrest (2) of each front seat. The upholstery materials have also been modi-fied to improve the efficiency of the heating and ventilation functions even further. The heating elements are now located directly beneath the seat covers.
Active seat ventilation is also available for the rear, if the S-Class is equipped with leather upholstery and electrically adjustable outer rear seats.
Multicontour seat with eleven air chambers for individual seating comfort
Like active seat ventilation, the multicontour seat is a very successful Mercedes invention which greatly contributes to the high level of long-distance comfort in cars bearing the Mercedes star. Multicontour means that the occupants are able to adapt the contours of the seat to their individual anatomical or comfort require-ments. This is made possible by air chambers within the seat padding.
A new-generation multicontour seat is celebrating its premiere in the new S-Class. This has even more functions – and therefore provides even greater comfort. While the previous multicontour seat featured six air chambers, the driver and front passenger are now able to adjust five zones in their seats with the help of eleven air chambers. These are
- the two side bolsters of the seat cushion;
- the thigh support which adjusts the leg position;
- the lumbar support, which is also height-adjustable;
- the two side bolsters of the seat backrest;
- the shoulder support.
The firmness of the seats can also be adjusted to vary the spring and damping characteristics individually. Three stages are available which inflate the air chambers in the seat cushion to varying degrees. The firmness of the seats is likewise programmed using the COMAND controller and the colour display for the control system.
Seat pneumatics with fast piezo valves for PRE-SAFE®
Thanks to new piezo valves, the pneumatics of the multicontour system operate even more quietly and precisely than before. Moreover, the valves are now in a decentralised configuration and therefore respond more rapidly, which means that for the first time, the multicontour seats can also be integrated into the PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system: if PRE-SAFE® detects the risk of a collision, it not only tensions the front seat belts but also inflates the air chambers in the side bolsters of the seat cushions and backrests as a precaution. These bolsters enclose and support the occupants, also increasing the distance to the interior door panels during an impact and enabling the sidebag to fulfil its protective function more effectively. The air chambers also boast impressive new technology which allows the movement of the chambers to be altered more pre-cisely and quickly, and thus to be adjusted more effectively to the seat contours.
Multicontour technology with the PRE-SAFE® function is now also available as an option for the rear seat unit with electrically adjustable outer seats. The multicon-tour driver’s seat, front passenger's seat and rear seat have received a seal of ap-proval from a German association for the promotion of spinal health.
Lateral support tailored to the driving situation and pleasant back massage function
S-Class customers can enjoy the ultimate in seat comfort by specifying the dy-namic variant of the multicontour seat, which also boasts the extra benefits of a unique massage function. Distributed piezo valves for the air chambers noticeably improve the dynamic function of the multicontour seat by responding more rap-idly to steering movements.
The pressure and volume of the side air chambers in the seat backrests are ad-justed in a matter of seconds according to the steering angle, lateral acceleration and speed of the car in order to offer the driver and front passenger even better lateral support. The chambers respond to the driving situation in hand, the system pumping more air into the chambers on the right-hand side of the backrest in left-hand corners, for example, while the left-hand chambers are given extra air through right-hand bends. This two-stage adjustable dynamic multicontour func-tion relieves stress on muscles and thus enhances relaxation.
The massage function for the dynamic multicontour seat is also a completely new development by Mercedes specialists. This no longer makes use of the air cham-bers with which the seat contours are adjusted, but rather a separate package of air chambers which is directly integrated into the seat padding. This means that the massage is independent of the seat contour position, maintaining the individ-ual comfort settings.
A micro-computer controls the seven separate massage air chambers. This inflates and empties the air chambers according to a fixed programme, which passengers in the new S-Class perceive as a pleasant, pulsing motion across the entire back. This stimulates the muscles, improves the circulation and helps to prevent early fatigue. The massage programme lasts for five minutes and can be restarted at any time once the cycle has finished. The intensity and speed of the massage function can also be individually adjusted, from "slow and gentle" to "fast and powerful".
Large range of options for tailor-made comfort in the rear
Multicontour seats with massage function can be ordered as an option for the rear of the new Mercedes saloon as well, provided that electrically adjustable outer rear seats have been specified (these are fitted as standard in long-wheelbase models). Passengers can select from two massage programs. This option opens up the benefits of the new S-Class' full range of comfort and relaxation-enhancing seat innovations to rear passengers. The following is an overview of the seat op-tions for the rear of the luxury saloon:
- Seat unit with electrically adjustable outer seats and PRE-SAFE® positioning function
- Single-seat look
- Memory function
- Luxury seats with heating and active ventilation
- Multicontour seats with massage function
- Luxury head restraints for the outer seats
- Folding table integrated into the backrest of the driver’s and/or front passen-ger seat
- Refrigerator compartment (with its own cooling compressor) in the backrest of the centre seat, with space for up to four bottles of sparkling wine.
Climate control: four temperature zones ensure individual comfort.
The numerous series of tests conducted by the passenger car development de-partment at Mercedes-Benz and the DaimlerChrysler Research department pro-vide clear evidence that a high-performance air conditioning system is one of the most important elements in keeping a driver alert and focused over long journeys. A driver's powers of concentration and reactions are influenced critically by the climate inside the vehicle. The air conditioning system therefore makes an impor-tant contribution to driver-fitness safety. This area of vehicle development is tak-ing on ever greater importance at Mercedes-Benz, as it affects the safety and com-fort of a vehicle in equal measure.
The automatic climate control system inside the S-Class is a totally new develop-ment and meets the highest standards. A sophisticated system of sensors and powerful microprocessors ensure that the desired temperature is established and remains constant whatever the driving situation or weather outside. And that's not all. Each passenger can adjust the temperature in their area of the car indi-vidually, the system working according to a new concept based on four independ-ently controlled temperature zones. The engineers refer to upper and lower tem-perature zones:
- The two lower zones correspond to the air vents in the front and rear foot-wells, the outlets in the B-pillars and the two central vents in the rear.
- The upper temperature zones include the vents in the centre of the dashboard and the defroster outlets on the driver's and front passenger side of the car.
Whereas conventional air conditioning systems work according to pre-programmed stratification of head and footwell temperatures, the new zone con-cept in the S-Class now allows continuous adjustment of the temperature stratifi-cation inside the car. Flaps in the climate control unit are responsible for regulat-ing the temperature in the four zones, ensuring a mixture of cold and warm air and thus controlling the desired airflow temperatures. A total of 15 electro motors control these cold and warm-air flaps in the mixture zones and the air outlet flaps for the vents.
Personalised settings are also possible in automatic mode
The automatic climate control system also offers a range of other individual adjustment options, which the driver and front passenger can select using the COMAND controller and the COMAND display. One example is the footwell temperature. The system features five settings which can be selected to raise the outflow temperature specifically in the footwell area.
Since the definition of what constitutes climatic comfort is highly subjective, even in automatic mode the system in the new S-Class works according to individual settings and preferences. In addition to individually adjustable footwell heating, there are three different types of ventilation to choose from, which the driver and front passenger can select using the COMAND controller:
- Medium airflow: This setting is equivalent to the previous automatic mode on a Mercedes air conditioning system.
- Diffuse airflow: This mode delivers the lightest possible airflow. The cooled or warmed air is not channelled directly towards the passengers, but flows predominantly out of the defroster vents in the dashboard, the air outlets in the footwells and from the direct ventilation level.
- Focused airflow: In this setting, the automatic climate control pushes out larger quantities of air and channels it mainly through the vents in the direct ventilation level.
In the heating or cooling phase, these individually selectable settings are deacti-vated for a short time in order to warm or cool the interior quickly with the quan-tity of air and temperature necessary.
In the interests of raising individual comfort levels still further, the air condition-ing system in the new S-Class now allows the driver and passengers to adjust the quantity of air separately for the left and right-hand side of the car, as well as the temperature and air distribution. They can do this at the touch of a button on the attractively styled dashboard control panel or by going into the climate control menu bar on the COMAND display.
The heat output of a modern house
The high output potential of the standard air conditioning system ensures that the interior is cooled down quickly in summer, but also that passengers are kept warm and cosy inside the S-Class in winter - even in Arctic temperatures. In so doing, the quantity of air pumped into the interior of the saloon in heating mode reaches a peak level of around 480 kilograms per hour out on the road. Heating power stands at 9.7 kilowatts - that's roughly equivalent to the output of a central heating system in a modern house.
In the S 320 CDI diesel model, a heat exchanger with three integrated PTC (Posi-tive Temperature Coefficient) heating elements is also activated if the outside temperature so requires. This adds 1.5 kilowatts of heating power to the heater core. The CDI six-cylinder engine is extremely fuel efficient by virtue of its ex-tremely high thermal efficiency, but it gives off significantly less heat under par-tial loads than other engines. This is why the contribution of the PTC heating ele-ments is required.
In order to cool the interior, the automatic climate control boosts maximum air output to 600 kilograms per hour, with peak cooling power of 8.8 kilowatts.
The powerful climate control compressor is fully variable, which allows the air conditioning system to work only as it is needed - and therefore economically. A solenoid valve controls this continuous adjustment process by varying the dis-placement of the compressor.
Sensors for temperature, humidity, solar radiation and pollutants
The system is controlled by a total of eight climate control sensors. As well as out-flow temperature sensors in the four temperature zones, the central temperature sensor next to the ignition switch, the solar sensor and the evaporator sensor, the automatic climate control system also uses a special dew point sensor to respond to changes in humidity. Working in conjunction with the fully variable refrigerant compressor, this humidity sensor allows the system to respond as required. In-take air is first cooled according to its humidity, then dried and heated to the de-sired temperature. The air conditioning system works far more efficiently than conventional systems and offers higher levels of comfort.
In addition, the automatic climate control in the new S-Class is fitted with a pol-lutant sensor, which measures the amount of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide in the outside air. If pollutant concentrations rise beyond a certain level, the air conditioning system switches automatically to recirculation mode. In fresh-air mode, two combined filters arranged in a "V" are permanently in use. These absorb pollutants, separate out plant pollen and dust particles and reduce irrita-tion for the passengers caused by odours.
The automatic climate control system uses a separate data bus to ensure rapid ex-change of information between all components. This links up the sensors with the electronics controlling the air flaps and climate control unit. This powerful com-puter is also connected to the interior data bus, through which it receives impor-tant additional information such as the battery charge, coolant temperature, en-gine speed, driving speed and refrigerant pressure.
Rear air conditioning system with significantly greater output
Mercedes-Benz offers a separate rear air conditioning system as an option for the new S-Class with 25 per cent more heating power than in the previous model. Cooling performance has been boosted by around ten per cent. Air distribution for either side of the rear compartment is controlled automatically by two electric mo-tors. The air is channelled in through the central vents on the rear side of the tunnel trim, the ventilation outlets in the B-pillars and the air vents in the rear footwells.
Interior lighting: pleasant ambient lighting during the journey
Light is synonymous with safety, but it also influences comfort. The Mercedes en-gineers took both aspects into account in the development of the interior lighting concept for the new S-Class. In order to ensure that the S-Class occupants feel as comfortable in darkness as during the day, the switches and controls benefit from indirect lighting and the footwells and door handle recesses feature lamps which give off an agreeable, amber light. This helps to create a pleasant ambience during the journey. An LED in the rear-view mirror casing also contributes to the interior lighting and is directed towards the centre console.
The diffuse light for the front of the car has five dimmer settings and can be ad-justed individually using the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel and the central display in the instrument cluster. The brightness of the front and rear footwell lighting automatically dims when the doors are closed. Newly developed reading lights are provided for the rear passengers. These are equipped with xenon crown-mirrored bulbs, which produce a bright but non-dazzling light.
Mercedes-Benz is offering a special optional extra which makes night driving in the S-Class even more of a special experience: indirectly illuminated wood trim elements in the doors and dashboard. Thin optical fibres located behind the trim strips and illuminated by LEDs generate a harmonious and continuous band of light below the waistline, improving orientation for the passengers and at the same time enhancing comfort and the feeling of spaciousness. The brightness of this ambient lighting can be individually adjusted and is automatically activated as soon as the doors are closed.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Engines and transmission
Strong performance
- New V8 engine with 285 kW/388 hp and high-tech features
- Up to 26 percent more output and 15 percent more torque
- Six-cylinder diesel with latest-generation common-rail technology
- Standard-fitted automatic transmission with three different modes
The engine is the heart of a car. And to make sure that this heart beats strongly over a long working life, the engineers at Mercedes gave it their particular atten-tion during the development of the new S-Class: all the engines in the Mercedes flagship series are new or further developments. They develop more output and torque than the engines in the preceding series, operate even more smoothly and meet the most stringent worldwide exhaust emission standards.
In other words: whatever the choice of engine to power the new S-Class, its heart will certainly be strong and healthy.
The range of petrol engines comprises three power units with six, eight and twel-ve cylinders. At the lower end of this range is the new V6 engine with 200 kW/272 hp, which Mercedes-Benz has also offered in other car model series for a number of months. The message of this up-to-date six-cylinder unit is: more power, yet lower fuel consumption. Compared to the previous V6 in the S-Class, the new engine develops around eleven percent more output (up 20 kW/27 hp) and consumes nine percent less fuel in the NEDC test (= 1.0 l/100 km).
In addition to the latest 24-valve technology and four variable camshafts, this is considerably aided by the unique 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmis-sion, which is standard equipment in the V6 and V8 models.
From the first quarter of 2006 the top-of-the-range model will enter the lists with an improved twelve-cylinder bi-turbo engine. Its output has increased by 12 kW/17 hp to 380 kW/517 hp, while the maximum torque has improved further from 800 to 830 Newton metres. The engine already makes this high torque avai-lable from 1900 rpm and maintains this level to 3500 rpm. Despite the increase in power, the fuel consumption of the V12 has been reduced by 0.5 litres/100 km compared with the previous S 600.
The eight-cylinder engine in the S 500 is a new development which will celebrate its world premiere in autumn 2005, together with the new S-Class. This power unit develops 285 kW/388 hp from a displacement of 5.5 litres, an increase of more than 26 percent versus the previous V8. At 530 Newton metres the torque also comfortably exceeds the maximum for the preceding engine by around 15 percent. This high level of torque is available from 2800 rpm and remains con-stant throughout a wide engine speed range up to 4800 rpm, providing ideal con-ditions for powerful acceleration and fast intermediate sprints:
- The new S 500 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, and is therefore one second faster than the previous eight-cylinder Saloon.
- In third gear, the V8 Saloon sprints from 60 to 120 km/h in just 5.6 seconds.
The fact that the combined NEDC fuel consumption of 11.7 to 11.9 litres per 100 kilometres has remained at the level of the preceding model despite a higher out-put and more torque clearly demonstrates the efficiency of the up-to-date concept and high-tech features of the new Mercedes eight-cylinder unit.
With a specific fuel consumption of 233 grams per Kilowatt hour (g/kWh) when operating at peak efficiency, and 345 g/kWh at part-throttle (2000 rpm, 2 bar), the engine has easily the lowest fuel consumption in this displacement and output class.
Key data for the petrol engines in the new S-Class at a glance:
|
 |
S 350 |
S 500 |
S 600* |
|
Cylinder arrangement/ |
V6/4 |
V8/4 |
V12/3 |
|
Displacement cc |
3498 |
5461 |
5514 |
|
Bore/stroke mm |
92.9/86.0 |
98.0/90.5 |
82.0/87.0 |
|
Compression ratio |
10.7 : 1 |
10.7 : 1 |
9.0 : 1 |
|
Output kW/hp |
200/272 |
285/388 |
380/517 |
|
Max. torque |
350 |
530 |
830 |
|
Fuel consumption |
|
|
|
|
Accel. |
|
|
|
|
Top speed. |
|
|
|
*Available from first quarter of 2006; **electronically limited
Eight-cylinder unit: pinnacle of a new engine generation
With the eight-cylinder unit for the S 500, Mercedes-Benz is presenting the top power unit in its new generation of V-engines, which was successfully introduced in mid-2004. This engine is produced in tandem with the six-cylinder engine of the S 350, at the DaimlerChrysler location in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. This means that both engines belong to a single family and therefore share the attributes that make them prime examples of modern engine technology:
- High output
- Powerful torque
- Exemplary comfort
- Favourable fuel consumption
- Low exhaust emissions
In order to achieve these five development goals and exceed the previous stan-dards, the engineers in Stuttgart developed an extensive technological package. Its components interact perfectly, complement each other in their effects and thereby achieve remarkable progress in every aspect.
Lightweight construction for smooth running and dynamic agility
A crankcase of diecast aluminium with low-friction aluminium/silicon cylinder liners is the solid and durable basis of the new Mercedes eight-cylinder engine. It houses a five-bearing, forged steel crankshaft with induction-hardened main and big-end bearings. The connecting rods are also of forged steel, with specific areas milled away to make them around one fifth lighter than those of the previous V8 engine for the S-Class.
Saving weight was not the only important aspect during the design work on the new engine, however. The engineers were just as determined to achieve the best possible results where smooth running and flexibility are concerned. Lightweight construction principles were helpful in this respect, for the lower the moving masses in the crankcase, the lower the vibrations and the more responsive the engine is to movements of the accelerator pedal.
The new eight-cylinder unit does not require a balancer shaft to improve its smoothness. Unlike in a V6 engine, its cylinder angle of 90 degrees is ideal for the vibration characteristics of the eight-cylinder powerplant.
Shifting camshafts for a perfect gas cycle and higher torque
Mercedes engineers have already used an intelligent valve control system in the new V6 engine, achieving remarkable progress and a major contribution to the good performance characteristics and low fuel consumption of the unit. In addition to four-valve technology, continuously adjustable intake and exhaust camshafts en-sure that the cylinders are optimally supplied with fresh mixture. The valves are opened at precisely the right moment in any driving situation, significantly improv-ing the gas cycle in the combustion chambers and reducing energy losses.
The camshafts are controlled by electro-hydraulically operated vane-type adjust-ers, which are located at the forward ends of the camshafts and are controlled by four integral hydraulic valves. The intake camshafts are driven by a duplex chain, while the exhaust camshafts are directly driven by the intake camshafts via a braced pair of gears.
In the new eight-cylinder engine the engineers at Mercedes-Benz have optimised the effect of this four-fold, continuous camshaft adjustment by using what are known as shifting camshafts. These control the opening of the exhaust valves and improve the engine’s gas cycle even further. Depending on the ignition sequence, the exhaust cams are designed in such a way that the valves open at different ti-mes during the exhaust cycle. This reduces the pressure fluctuations in the ex-haust tract which are inherent to a V8 engine, and which lead to fluctuations in the residual gas content in the cylinders.
The valve lift interval on the exhaust sides of the new Mercedes eight-cylinder engine is as follows:
- Cylinders 3, 4, 5, 7: 180 degrees crankshaft with 2 mm valve lift
- Cylinders 1, 2, 6, 8: 190 degrees crankshaft with 2 mm valve lift
The newly developed shifting camshafts improve the torque and smoothness of the V8 engine by ensuring a more uniform residual gas content, a higher knock limit and better cylinder charging in the lower to medium engine speed range. At 2000 rpm, for example, the effective mean pressure is around six percent (10.3 : 11.0 bar) higher than in a comparable engine without shifting camshafts.
Two-stage intake module and tumble flaps for better combustion
In addition, the new V8 features the same technical innovations for adaptive con-trol of the combustion processes that have already proved successful in the six-cylinder engine:
- Two-stage intake module for a controlled air supply depending on the engine load and engine speed: the length of the intake ducts leading to the cyl-inders is varied by flaps. At high engine speeds – from approx. 3500 rpm -- the flaps are open and the air flows directly to the combustion chambers. This allows high outputs to be achieved. At low engine speeds the flaps are closed to increase the length of the intake ducts. This creates pressure waves which support the intake process and improve the torque yield in the lower engine speed range. As a result 435 Newton metres of torque, and therefore more than 82 percent of the maximum torque, are already available from 1500 rpm.
- Optimised airflow for the best possible engine aspiration. Mercedes engi-neers used highly sophisticated flow calculations to optimise the airflows in the new eight-cylinder power unit. Particular attention was for instance paid to the airflow from the twin-chamber air filter, the housing of the hot film air mass sensor and the intake manifold.
- Tumble flaps for more complete combustion: electro-pneumatically driven flaps at the end of each intake duct increase the turbulence of the air flow, which is thus more uniformly distributed in the combustion chambers. At part-throttle the tumble flaps pivot up, optimising the airflow and increasing the speed of combustion; under higher engine loads the tumble flaps are not re-quired, and can be completely recessed into the intake manifold so as not to im-pede the intake process. The use of these tumble flaps has two positive effects in practical operation, namely smoother running and a reduction in fuel con-sumption by up to 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres, depending on engine speed.
The tumble flaps, fuel injection, ignition and numerous other engine functions are managed by a powerful control unit, which also communicates and exchanges in-formation with the other onboard control units in the new S-Class via a databus. To reduce communication distances to a minimum, the engine control unit is cen-trally located above the intake manifold and is integrated into the engine design. Combustion of the fuel/air mixture is by means of a direct coil ignition system. The spark plugs project into the centre of each cylinder between the four valves, with the ignition coils located directly above them.
Electronically controlled thermostat for adaptive heat management
The developers of the new Mercedes eight-cylinder engine have also made a major contribution to fuel economy with a sophisticated heat management system. Cool-ant circulation is interrupted during the warm-up phase, for example, so that the engine reaches its normal operating temperature more rapidly. This in turn im-proves the oil flow and considerably reduces friction in the engine. When the en-gine is warm and under full load, the heat flows are directed in such a way that the engine oil and coolant are always at an optimal temperature. This is ensured by an innovative, logic-controlled thermostat which is active in all operating situa-tions and adjusts the coolant temperature according to the style of driving and the prevailing conditions. This also enables the heat supply to the heater core to be controlled as needed.
Twin catalytic converters und linear oxygen sensors for low exhaust emissions
The emission control system of the new Mercedes eight-cylinder engine follows a two-stage concept and is therefore highly effective. In addition to in-engine meas-ures such as continuous camshaft adjustment, adaptive combustion control by tumble flaps, internal exhaust gas recirculation and secondary air injection, which ensure low engine-out emissions, the new S 500 is equipped with two close-coupled catalytic converters as standard. These consist of two individual monoliths or bricks, each of which is monitored by two oxygen sensors: a control sensor and a diagnostic sensor which analyses the exhaust flow in the gap be-tween the two bricks.
This oxygen sensing is linear, which means that the oxygen sensors are already active immediately after a cold start, supplying information about the exhaust gas constituents for the electronic control unit of the V8 engine to process when con-trolling the warm-up phase. This enables the catalytic converters to reach their normal operating temperature more rapidly.
Thanks to its ultra-modern technology and efficient emission control system, the new eight-cylinder engine complies with the most stringent exhaust emission standards currently in force; it also has the potential to meet limits which are planned for the future.
Six-cylinder diesel with latest-generation CDI technology
From the beginning of 2006 the newly developed CDI six-cylinder engine will join the range of engines for the S-Class. It has an output of 173 kW/235 hp, topping the figure for the engine in the preceding S 320 CDI by 15 percent. Maximum torque has increased by eight percent, from 500 to 540 Newton metres which are available between 1600 and 2800 rpm. These remarkable values make the direct-injection diesel unit one of the most powerful in its displacement class.
Combining this with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission as stan-dard ensures the best possible use of the outstanding output and torque potential in any driving situation.
Key data for the V6 diesel engine in the new S-Class:
|
 |
S 320 CDI* |
|
Cylinder arrangement/valves per cylinder |
V6/4 |
|
Displacement cc |
2987 |
|
Cylinder angle |
72° |
|
Bore/stroke mm |
83/92 |
|
Compression ratio |
18:1 |
|
Output kW/hp |
173/235 |
|
Max. torque |
|
|
Fuel consumption |
|
|
Accel. |
|
|
Top speed km/h** |
250 |
*Available from first quarter of 2006; ** electronically limited
Lightweight construction as a factor in exemplary diesel driving pleasure
The choice of materials, technical design, fuel injection and engine management system of the V6 diesel engine reflect the state of the art. For the first time with a diesel engine in this displacement and output class, Mercedes-Benz has developed an aluminium crankcase with cast-in grey iron cylinder liners for this unit, which makes a major contribution to weight reduction. As a result, the new six-cylinder engine weighs a total of only around 208 kilograms (acc. to DIN) and achieves a remarkable power-to-weight ratio of 0.83 kW/kg -- a major contribution to the outstanding diesel agility offered by the new engine.
Piezo-injectors for finely metered fuel injection
Third-generation common-rail direct injection is a further technical highlight of this engine. It produces significant improvements in terms of fuel consumption, exhaust emissions and combustion noise. Instead of the previous solenoid valves, the injectors are equipped with piezo-ceramics whose crystalline structure chan-ges within milliseconds under an electric voltage. This lifts the nozzle needle at the tip of the injector with a precision of only thousandths of a millimetre and thereby achieves an extremely fine jet of fuel. Moreover, piezo injectors are con-siderably lighter and operate at twice the speed of conventional solenoid valves. With a response time of only 0.1 milliseconds, the fuel injection process can be even more precisely suited to the current load and engine speed situation, with favourable effects on emissions, fuel consumption and combustion noise. Five fuel injections per power stroke at a peak pressure of up to 1600 bar are possible thanks to this piezo technology.
An electrically controlled intake port shut-off modifies the swirl characteristics of the air flowing into the cylinders, which also optimises the combustion process with the aim of reducing the fuel consumption and exhaust emissions even further. The likewise newly developed electronic control unit manages all the en-gine functions – from the quick-start glow system and automatic start function to control of the high-pressure pump. The VNT turbocharger (Variable Nozzle Turbine) with electrically adjustable turbine blades, exhaust gas recirculation with a control valve and intake air throttling are also regulated as the situation requires on the basis of measured data.
Catalytic converters and a particulate filter for emission values below the EU-4 limits
Thanks to this precise engine management system, the nitrogen oxide and par-ticulate emissions of the V6 engine are within the strict limits of the EU4 stan-dard. A close-coupled oxidation catalyst is responsible for conversion of the car-bon monoxide and hydrocarbons. To reduce particulate emissions even further, Mercedes-Benz offers a maintenance-free particulate filter system which is stan-dard equipment in the new S 320 CDI. The filter regenerates without the use of additives by selective adjustment of different engine functions.
Depending on the operating parameters and filter condition, the adaptive third-generation common-rail technology allows up to two precisely coordinated post-injections to increase the exhaust temperature. This means that the particles trapped in the filter are burned off in a controlled manner.
Automatic transmission: seven ratios, three different modes
The new S-Class V6 and V8 saloons are specified as standard with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, the only passenger car transmission of this type in the world. 7G-TRONIC incorporates numerous engineering innovations which, in conjunction with the state-of-the-art engines, provide enhanced accel-eration and mid-range power, reduced fuel consumption and greater shifting com-fort. 7G-TRONIC is combined with the DIRECT SELECT gearshift, which replaces the conventional centre console-mounted automatic selector lever. A brief press of the DIRECT SELECT steering-column selector lever allows the driver to select the "P", "N", "R" and "D" positions. The commands are transmitted electronically, although the actual gear changes are actuated by cable.
The S/C/M/ mode selector switch on the centre console allows the driver to choose between three different modes: Sport, Comfort and Manual. As well as the transmission characteristics, these modes also allow the characteristics of the ac-celerator pedal and the suspension (springing and damping) settings to be varied. In Manual mode, the driver changes gear using the steering-wheel gearshift buttons.
The special characteristics of the seven-speed automatic transmission are attrib-utable to various different design features, the most important of which is the in-crease in the number of forward speeds from five to seven. This results in a wider overall ratio spread, while at the same time the ratios are also closer together than on the five-speed transmission. An optimal ratio can therefore be selected for vir-tually all driving situations. The fact that the electronic control unit has a greater number of ratios to choose from also reduces fuel consumption and increases smoothness. Depending on driving situation, average engine speeds at 100 km/h are approximately twelve percent lower than with a five-speed automatic trans-mission. The optimal matching of engine speed to driving conditions means that the engine is more economical on fuel and is also quieter in operation.
The Mercedes engineers have also made important advances in terms of the transmission's control logic: if the 7G-TRONIC transmission needs to shift down quickly through several gears, for example under kickdown, a multiple downshift function comes into operation. Instead of changing gear sequentially, one gear at a time, the transmission shifts down by up to four gears at a time, depending on the driving situation, resulting in significantly faster shift times.
The new seven-speed automatic transmission is fitted with a hydrodynamic torque converter with lockup clutch. Whenever possible, the lockup clutch creates a virtually rigid connection between the engine and the transmission shaft, thus preventing slip between the pump and turbine, and thus power losses, in a wide range of operating situations. On the Mercedes-Benz seven-speed automatic transmission, the lockup clutch engages even in first gear, rather than only in the higher gears as on conventional automatic transmissions. On comfort grounds, the torque converter lock-up clutch is slip-controlled and therefore engages very smoothly.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Chassis
Solid Foundation
- Axles and steering enhanced
- AIRMATIC with agile handling and even greater comfort
- Performance of Active Body Control significantly improved
- New ADAPTIVE BRAKE system with assistance features
- ABS, ASR and ESP® even more effective
With regard to handling properties, one is entitled to expect more from a Mer-cedes long-distance saloon than “merely� exemplary comfort. The Active Safety and driving dynamics must meet equally high standards.
The S Class has always satisfied these expectations, but in the new saloon the Mercedes engineers have implemented additional advances and surpassed the high standard of the predecessor model in all aspects of chassis engineering. The most remarkable results - which drivers can feel with every kilometre - are in the areas of driving and suspension comfort, steering precision and agility, and driving and braking stability. Various enhancements and new developments con-tribute to these improvements, but the giant leap forward achieved by Mercedes-Benz with its new flagship model has only been made possible by the intelligent combination of all the systems and by their precise coordination and dependable interaction.
The larger track width relative to the predecessor model (+26 millimetres in front, +32 millimetres in the rear) and the longer wheelbase ( +70 or +80 millimetres), sat-isfy some important preconditions for the even better driving comfort of the S Class.
The figures:
|
Wheelbase              mm |
3035 or 3165 |
|
Track width front  mm |
1600 |
|
Track width rear   mm |
1606 |
Front axle: four-link technology improved yet again
During the early phase of chassis development, extensive studies were done in-volving various axle designs. The results of digital design and testing methods and the extensive field trials provided the Mercedes engineers with confirmation that the four-link technology on the front axle offers the most benefits. Develop-ment then continued on the details of this design - particularly with regard to comfort.
The wheels of the front axle are controlled by what the engineers call an “upper link suspension�. It consists of an aluminium transverse link in the upper link plane, an aluminium tension strut below and a forged-steel spring rod. The two link planes are connected to each other by steering knuckles. The fourth compo-nent, and the one that accounts for the name of the “four-link� suspension, is the tie rod. It forms the connection between the front wheels and the transversely situated rack-and-pinion steering.
One essential benefit of this Mercedes four-link suspension is the elimination of the lower link plane. It enables good axle kinematics and is almost completely in-sensitive to vibrations caused by wheel imbalance or fluctuations in braking force. Starting from this good foundation, the engineers retuned the kinematics and elastokinematics and optimised them in comparison with the predecessor model. The safety specialists at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre also pro-vided an important reason to opt for the four-link system. The advantage for safety is that it offers larger deformation paths than other axle designs in the area of the lower link plane and can therefore absorb kinetic energy more effectively in the event of a frontal crash.
As before, the steering gear is located in front of the wheel’s centre and is thus in a position that supports the easily controllable, understeering effect of the Mer-cedes saloon in curves. The power rack-and-pinion steering has a variable trans-mission ratio (50.1 to 60.5 millimetres per steering wheel revolution) that oper-ates somewhat more indirectly in the middle of the range than at the peripheral settings. Comfort is considerably enhanced by the parameter feature that comes as standard: the lower the speed, the greater the power assistance. Below 200 km/h, the steering wheel torque diminishes continuously as a function of the driving speed, so that the driver need apply only about a third of the maximum steering effort during slow parking manoeuvres. The variable steering centring is a completely new feature of the S Class: The electro-hydraulic parameter servo valve is used to generate a centring moment that increases with the speed and gives the driver a secure and stable feeling in the straight-ahead position. In slow driving, this additional steering moment is not activated, and the benefits of the speed-dependent parameter steering can thus be fully exploited.
The height and lateral position of the telescopic steering column are electrically adjustable. As an additional convenience, the steering column automatically helps the driver enter and leave the vehicle. After the driver withdraws the electronic ignition key, the steering wheel moves upward, increasing the available legroom. The steering wheel remains in this position until the key is once more inserted into the ignition switch, at which point it returns to the previous position, which is remembered.
For the new S Class, Mercedes-Benz developed a four-spoke steering wheel with a diameter of 390 millimetres. Structurally, it consists of a magnesium pressure die casting that deforms by design in a frontal collision to reduce the risk of injury to the driver. With its illuminated control buttons integrated for maximum accessi-bility and ease of operation, the steering wheel is an important component of the overall scheme of control design in the new S Class. An electric steering wheel warmer is available as an option.
Rear axle: one hundred per cent aluminium
Since the multi-link independent rear suspension remains unsurpassed, the Mercedes engineers used it faithfully in the new S Class too. They improved some of the details, however. The rear-axle member, for instance, is a completely new development. In contrast to the previous version, it is now an aluminium structure open to the front, with a bolted front cross-bridge. The essential benefits of the new suspension sub-frame are its lower weight, greater strength and more compact dimensions.
Through their systematic pursuit of a lightweight design, the Mercedes engineers significantly reduced the weight of the unsprung masses at the rear axle, thereby improving handling and driving comfort alike. Four of the five suspension links consist of forged aluminium. The spring rod was designed from a single section of aluminium plate, and the hub carrier consists of die-cast aluminium. In addition, the rigidity of the wheel-guiding components was increased.
The specialists in Sindelfingen also devoted attention to decoupling vibrations that can be transmitted from the rear differential via the cross-member and into the passenger compartment. To minimise this effect, they developed three large rubber bearings that effectively decouple the rear differential.
Air suspension: substantially enhanced comfort and dynamics
As in the case of the front axle, the steering and the rear axle, Mercedes-Benz also made further improvements to the air suspension system that comes as standard in the S Class. The focus was on finding the technical means to reconcile the con-flicting objectives of superb driving comfort and excellent handling dynamics. This involved completely reworking the AIRMATIC system.
The system of the predecessor model already set standards in regard to comfort, but the new S Class once more raises the bar in this area. The Mercedes engineers accomplished this by improving a number of details:
- The air spring struts are now made with separate paths for the transmission of the damping and cushioning forces at the head. This made it possible to tune the bearings in the way best suited to their separate tasks. For example, the head bearings for the shock absorbers are tuned for a soft damping in or-der to follow the front-axle movements along the entire spring travel distance without transmitting comfort-reducing lateral forces into the spring strut.
- The engineers at Mercedes have also improved the air springs’ rubber bellows, which keep the compressed air in the spring struts. Their wall thickness has been reduced by 0.2 millimetres to just 1.5 millimetres. As a result, it now offers even better ride comfort and it responds with high sensitivity to even small influences when driving on bumpy roads.
- Friction was also the top issue addressed during the enhancement of the gas shocks. The solutions developed by the experts at Mercedes include new, pressure-reducing valves, single-lip seals for the shock absorber shafts and an ultra-low-friction Teflon strip surrounding the working pistons of the shock absorbers.
Degressive damper characteristics for agile handling
Do you desire a comfortable or a more dynamic ride? In the new S Class, this question is easily answered, as the enhanced air spring system sets standards for both types of ride. This is because Mercedes-Benz combines the air springs with the Adaptive Damping System (ADS) as standard. ADS constantly regulates the shock absorber force in line with requirements, taking the road conditions, the driving style and the car’s load into account. Under normal driving conditions, the system puts the dampers on a soft setting. However, when driving becomes more dynamic, for example when the car has to suddenly evade an obstacle or when braking, the system can respond within 50 milliseconds to adjust the damping force at each wheel. In doing so, the skyhook algorithm regulates the damping forces in such a way that the forces exerted on the car body by the movement of the wheels is reduced. Depending on the steering commands, the ADS solenoid valves can set the shock absorbers to four different stages:
- Stage 1: Soft bump and rebound for a comfortable ride with minor build-up motion and low acceleration values.
- Stage 2: Skyhook mode - soft rebound setting and hard bump stage.
- Stage 3: Skyhook mode - soft bump setting and hard rebound stage.
- Stage 4: Hard bump and rebound setting to reduce wheel load fluctuations during dynamic driving.
When experiencing few body movements during a drive, the new S Class uses the comfortable ADS Stage 1. If the build-up speed exceeds a certain value, the sys-tem shifts to the skyhook algorithm and continuously switches between the sec-ond and third damping stages with the help of fast solenoid valves in order to off-set body roll and pitching.
In the new S Class, Mercedes-Benz has further improved the effectiveness of the Adaptive Damping System by developing degressive shock absorber characteris-tics. These permit an even larger spread of damping forces between the shock ab-sorber’s bump and rebound stages, thus contributing greatly to the saloon’s agile handling properties. As a result, the damping effect of the degressive pistons in-creases more strongly when the dynamic driving stimulation is low (when faced with quick steering movements, for example) than is the case with the previous linear characteristics.
The system takes the road conditions into account when regulating the shock ab-sorbers as required by the situation. Thanks to an improved computing process (algorithm), the system can recognise the prevailing road conditions with greater precision than was previously the case.
Individualised chassis and transmission characteristics at the push of a button
Another special feature of the new S Class is the S/C/M button in the centre con-sole. The motorist can use this button to switch the saloon’s characteristics from “comfortable� to “sporty� and individually set the vehicle’s chassis, height and transmission program:
- Comfort: When the speed exceeds 120 km/h, AIRMATIC automatically low-ers the body by ten millimetres at both axles in order to improve driving sta-bility and reduce drag. When the velocity exceeds 160 km/h, the body is low-ered by further ten millimetres and the bump stage damping is changed to “hard�. When the speed again drops below 80 km/h, the system returns the body to its normal height. The automatic transmission shifts gears at low en-gine speeds and allows the S Class to begin driving when in second gear.
- Sport: The body is lowered by 20 millimetres at both axles when the speed reaches 100 km/h and is not raised again until the velocity drops below 60 km/h. The shock absorbers are set to the “hard� bump stage from 40 km/h. When changing gears, the automatic transmission exploits the engine’s full rpm range.
- Manual: The automatic transmission can be operated manually by means of buttons on the steering wheel. Body height and chassis are set as in the “Sport� mode.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Chassis(cont.)
Active Body Control: Perfect combination of dynamism and comfort
With the introduction of Active Body Control (ABC) in 1999, Mercedes-Benz reor-ganised the alphabet of chassis technology. The innovative system, which entered series production after 20 years of research and development, is the solution to the traditional problem associated with the tuning of a passenger car chassis: Should the road vibrations on the wheels be kept to a minimum by setting the shock absorbers to a sporty stiff mode, or should the damping be kept as soft and comfortable as possible at the expensive of driving safety and dynamic handling? Thanks to Active Body Control, there is no longer any need to choose between these conflicting objectives, as the chassis setting will automatically be adjusted to the prevailing driving situation. As a result, a high level of comfort will be at-tained even with dynamic handling and vice versa.
In Mercedes-Benz’ active chassis system, the four spring struts are equipped with microprocessor-controlled plunger cylinders that can almost completely compen-sate for lifting, rolling and pitching of the body. The computer uses various accel-eration sensors to obtain information on the current driving situation and com-pares this data with those from the pressure sensors in the spring struts and the level sensors on the control arms. The system then computes the control signals that the servo-hydraulic valves at the front and rear axle transform into precisely metered flows of oil.
If oil flows into the plunger cylinder, the valves adjust the base positions of the steel springs integrated into the spring struts. In this way they create the forces needed to counteract the body movements. Because of the continuously available hydraulic pressure of up to 200 bar, the ABC can spontaneously stabilise the body within a fraction of a second. The system operates in the vibration range extend-ing up to five Hertz, which makes itself felt on rough road surfaces as lifting and rolling movements, in curves as a pronounced roll, and as the typical pitching of the body when braking. Passive double-tube gas shock absorbers are responsible for the higher-frequency vibrations.
Rolling tendency when cornering at speed reduced by 60 per cent
Mercedes-Benz has made further improvements to the active chassis system (standard equipment in the S 600) for the new S Class. Each component has been reworked. The experts have combined various components in order to reduce the amount of space the system requires and improve the control functions by means of shorter cable connections.
The essential advantage of second-generation Active Body Control, however, is its further improved performance in reducing body movements to correspond to in-dividual driving situations. This is where the S Class advances into new dimen-sions of driving dynamics - while simultaneously offering greater comfort that every driver will immediately notice. The body’s roll angle, for example, is reduced during a dynamic driving manoeuvre by more than 60 per cent � from the previous value of 3.1 to 1.2 degrees. When driving through curves at higher speeds � for example on a motorway exit � the second generation ABC chassis reduces the roll angle to only 0.75 degrees. That is also more than 60 per cent less than the value for the predecessor model of the new S Class.
Other notable features of Active Body Control are the variable roll moment distri-bution between the front and rear axles, which the system carries out automati-cally according to the speed, and the load adjustment system. At speeds of be-tween 65 and 140 km/h, ABC automatically lowers the body by as much as 15 millimetres to reduce wind resistance. If more ground clearance is needed when driving on poor road surfaces, the driver can raise the level of the vehicle by 40 millimetres by simply pressing a button. The “S/C/M� selector button is also in-cluded in Active Body Control for the S Class and makes it possible to adjust the chassis and transmission characteristics to individual needs.
Braking system: high-tech for greater safety and comfort
ADAPTIVE BRAKE - the name of the S Class braking system alone is a clear indi-cator that still another new development is going into series production. The hy-draulic dual-circuit braking system is electronically controlled, which makes possible driver-assistance functions that boost safety and comfort:
- HOLD: After the saloon has been braked to a full stop, the driver only has to briefly depress the brake pedal a bit further to activate this function. The S Class is then held in place by the brake � even if the driver takes his or her foot off the brake pedal. This is how the HOLD function prevents unintended forward rolling at traffic lights, stop signs or in stop-and-go traffic. When the vehicle is once again driven forward, the hold function is automatically deactivated.
- Hill holder: With this added function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE prevents the S Class from rolling backwards when a driver’s foot is moving from the brake to the gas pedal while starting out on an uphill incline. If the sensor technol-ogy detects that the saloon has stopped on an incline, the hill holder automati-cally turns on and briefly maintains constant pressure on the brake to make starting out easier.
- Advance braking pressure: If the driver suddenly removes his foot from the gas pedal, the braking system recognizes an emergency braking situation. In such instances, ADAPTIVE BRAKE increases the pressure in the brake lines and brings the pads into contact with the brake discs, so that they can grip in-stantly with full force when the brake pedal is pressed. With this function, the system supports Brake Assist or Brake Assist PLUS.
- Brake-drying: In vehicles being driven on wet roads, ADAPTIVE BRAKE uses brief braking impulses at regular intervals to ensure the film of water on the brake discs is removed and the brakes will have their full stopping power when needed. This automatic brake-drying function is activated when the windscreen wipers have been in operation for a certain time. The driver does not notice the finely metered braking impulses.
Large brake discs on the front and rear axles provide the technological basis for safe and reliable deceleration using ADAPTIVE BRAKE. Depending on the engine installed, the disc diameters range up to 360 mm in the front and up to 330 mm in the rear. The front brake discs are perforated for all models. The perforations shed moisture and dirt, which increases the brakes’ reliability and maintains their excellent deceleration values even in inclement weather conditions. A 9.5-inch tandem brake booster satisfies high standards for responsiveness and ease of use. The new Mercedes-Benz S Class braking system at a glance:
|
Front axle |
S 350, S 320 CDI |
S 500 |
S 600 |
|
Brake calliper |
4-piston solid calliper |
4-piston solid calliper |
8-piston solid calliper |
|
Rear axle |
 |
 |
 |
|
Brake calliper |
1-piston solid calliper |
1-piston solid calliper |
4-piston solid calliper |
Safety systems: new functions increase efficiency
ABS, ASR, ESP®, Brake Assist � the tried and tested safety systems developed by Mercedes-Benz are part of the standard equipment in the new S Class and offer additional new functions.
For example, the Mercedes engineers have equipped the anti-lock braking system (ABS) with additional technology that makes braking on surfaces that are slip-pery on only one side of the vehicle even safer. The system can recognise such situations and controls the braking pressure in such a way that the driver is given the best possible support with regard to steering stability. The ABS in the new S Class also offers enhanced safety when braking on bends by distributing the braking force as required, thus producing a yawing moment that counteracts the vehicle’s yaw and stabilises it. The braking system uses the data supplied by the ESP® sensors in order to identify such situations reliably.
The Electronic Stability Program also improves the ASR acceleration skid control system: ESP® sensors provide online information about the respective tyre skid-ding and allow the traction control system to be more precisely activated, which leads to significant improvements, especially when driving along slippery roads. Another ASR function is the “snow chain logic,� which automatically detects that snow chains are mounted on the basis of the tractive force and travelling resis-tance and adjusts the acceleration skid control accordingly.
When driving quickly around a curve, a new yawing moment control first records the stiffness of the respective tyre and thus improves the ESP® control when the S Class is fitted with winter tyres. The new, electronically controlled brake system ADAPTIVE BRAKE offers additional advantages, since the electronics selectively control the brake booster, which means that the ESP® can work comfortably and with high sensitivity. Furthermore, the system is quicker and more effective than before: The ESP® automatically reduces the distance between the brake lining and brake disk when there is danger of skidding and the S Class has to be stabilised through targeted braking impulses.
An extra function incorporated into the Electronic Stability Program offers drivers even greater safety when towing a trailer. The new ESP® trailer stabilisation sys-tem detects if the trailer is swaying dangerously and automatically stabilises it by applying targeted braking impulses to the wheels of the towing car.
On request, Mercedes-Benz will equip the new S Class with a swivel-mounted tow-bar, the tow ball of which has to be neither mounted nor removed. It swivels below the body together with the socket and is not visible in the reclining posi-tion. This top-of-the-range Mercedes model has a maximum towing capacity of 2,100 kilograms.
Parking brake: comfortable with an electric motor
The new S Class features an extremely easy-to-use electric parking brake as stan-dard. A push of a button on the dashboard is all that is needed to activate the brake. If the driver engages a gear and drives off, the brake is automatically re-leased. The key components of this new development are two separate servo drum brakes on the rear wheels and an electric motor with speed-reducing gear that applies the brake clips by means of cables. The electric parking brake can also be locked if the engine is switched off.
Wheels and tyres: a choice of eight different combinations
Appealing alloy wheels are standard equipment in the new S Class. The saloons with V6 engines are fitted with 17-inch seven-spoke wheels. Mercedes-Benz has developed a five-spoke design for the eight-cylinder S 500, and the top-of-the-line S 600 will be launched on the market in 2006 with 18-inch five-spoke forged wheels.
Thanks to the extensive range of wheels and tyres, Mercedes customers have plenty of choice when it comes to equipping their S Class to meet their own tastes. An overview of the standard and optional equipment:
Seven-spoke design:
· 8 J x 17, 235/55 R 17 (standard in the S 350 and S 320 CDI)
Five-spoke design:
· 8 J x 17, 235/55 R 17 (standard in the S 500)
· 8.5 J x 18, 255/45 R 18
· 8.5 J x 18, 255/45 R 18 at the front; 275/45 R 18 at the rear (standard in the S 600)
Nine-spoke design:
· 8.5 J x 18, 255/45 R 18
· 8.5 J x 18, 255/45 R 18 at the front; 9.5 J x 18, 275/45 R 18 at the rear
Multi-spoke design:
· 8.5 J x 19, 255/40 R 19 at the front; 9.5 J x 19, 275/45 R 19 at the rear
AMG five-spoke design, polished:
· 8.5 J x 19, 255/40 R 19 at the front; 9.5 J x 19, 275/40 R 19
In order to stay mobile in the event of a flat tyre, Mercedes-Benz offers tyres with run-flat properties as an option. These tyres feature self-supporting side walls. This means that Mercedes customers can continue driving for up to 100 km at a top speed of 80 km/h despite having a flat tyre.
Tyre pressure loss warning system, standard
The tyre pressure is monitored by the ESP® Electronic Stability Program or, on request, a special control system based on wireless technology:
- ESP® continually compares the speeds of the wheels, which are mainly dependent on the road speed, the load and the tyre pressure. In addition, the control unit automatically checks other dynamic performance criteria such as transverse acceleration, yaw rate and wheel torque, in order to determine loss of pressure in a tyre. In doing so, the system detects any deviations and in-forms the driver via a message on the central display panel: “Tyre pressure, check tyres�. The tyre pressure lost warning system based on ESP® technology is part of the standard equipment in the S Class.
- In the tyre pressure control system (optional), a sensor measures both the air pressure and the air temperature inside the tyre and transmits the data by radio to a receiving antenna attached to the underbody at regular intervals. On the basis of intelligent software, the wheel positions are automatically local-ised so that the driver has access to specific information about the air pressure on each of the four tyres via the central display panel.
Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Technical data S-Class
Mercedes-Benz S 320 CDI
Engine
|
No. of cylinders/arrangement |
 |
6/V, 4 valves per cylinder |
|
Displacement |
cm³ |
2987 |
|
Bore x stroke |
mm |
83 x 92 |
|
Rated output |
kW/hp |
173/235 |
|
Rated torque |
Nm |
540 at 1600–2800 rpm |
|
Compression ratio |
 |
18 : 1 |
|
Mixture formation |
 |
Common-rail direct injection, turbocharger, EDC |
Power transfer
|
Power train |
 |
Standard drive |
|
Transmission |
 |
7-speed automatic transmission |
|
Ratios |
Final drive 1st gear 2nd gear 3rd gear 4th gear 5th gear 6th gear 7th gear Reverse |
2.65 4.377 2.859 1.921 1.368 1.000 0.820 0.728 -3.416/-2.231 |
Chassis
|
Front axle |
Four-link suspension, anti-lift control, AIRMATIC air suspension, gas shock absorbers, stabiliser |
|
Rear axle |
Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and anti-dive system, |
|
 |
AIRMATIC air suspension, gas shock absorbers, stabiliser |
|
Braking system |
Disc brakes all-round, front internally ventilated, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP® |
|
Steering |
Power-assisted speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering, steering damper |
|
Rims |
8 J x 17 ET 43 |
|
Tyres |
235/55 R 17 |
Dimensions and weights
|
 |
 |
Short wheelbase: |
Long wheelbase: |
|
Wheelbase |
mm |
3035 |
3165 |
|
Track front/rear |
mm |
1600/1606 |
1600/1606 |
|
Overall - length |
mm |
5076 |
5206 |
|
Overall � width |
mm |
1871 |
1871 |
|
Overall � height |
mm |
1473 |
1473 |
|
Turning circle |
m |
11.8 |
12.2 |
|
Luggage capacity* |
l |
560 |
560 |
|
Kerb weight acc. to EC** |
kg |
1955 |
2000 |
|
Payload (basis ready-to-drive according to EC) |
kg |
595 |
580 |
|
Gross vehicle weight |
kg |
2550 |
2580 |
|
Tank capacity/reserve |
l |
90/11 |
90/11 |
Performance and fuel consumption
|
Acceleration 0�100 km/h |
s |
7.5 |
7.5 |
|
Maximum speed |
km/h |
250 |
250 |
|
Fuel consumption*** |
l/100 km |
8.3-8.5 |
8.4-8.6 |
*Acc. to VDA measuring method; ** Inc. 75 kg for driver and baggage; ***Combined
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Page 5 - Body & passive safety
Page 6 - Body & passive safety
Page 12 - Tech specs S 320 CDI
Mercedes-Benz S 350
Engine
|
No. of cylinders/arrangement |
 |
6/V, 4 valves per cylinder |
|
Displacement |
cm³ |
3498 |
|
Bore x stroke |
mm |
92.9 x 86 |
|
Rated output |
kW/hp |
200/272 |
|
Rated torque |
Nm |
350 at 2400-5000 rpm |
|
Compression ratio |
 |
10.7 : 1 |
|
Mixture formation |
 |
Microprocessor-controlled petrol injection with hot film airflow measurement |
Power transfer
|
Power train |
 |
Standard drive |
|
Transmission |
 |
7-speed automatic transmission |
|
Ratios |
Final drive 1st gear 2nd gear 3rd gear 4th gear 5th gear 6th gear 7th gear Reverse |
3.07 4.377 2.859 1.921 1.368 1.000 0.820 0.728 -3.416/-2.231 |
Chassis
|
Front axle |
Four-link suspension, anti-lift control, AIRMATIC air suspension, gas shock absorbers, stabiliser |
|
Rear axle |
Multi-link independent suspension, anti-squat and anti-dive system, |
|
 |
AIRMATIC air suspension, gas shock absorbers, stabiliser |
|
Braking system |
Disc brakes all-round, front internally ventilated, drum-type parking brake at rear, ABS, Brake Assist, ESP® |
|
Steering |
Power-assisted speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering, steering damper |
|
Rims |