|
Mercedes S500 |   |
| When the car is the chauffeur |
By Richard J. Newman
|
NITS: It's funny what German engineers don't think about: The cup holders were too small to hold a 20-ounce soda bottle. Also, Mercedes still hasn't moved the CD changer from the trunk to the cabin.
G-FORCES: The 302-horsepower V-8 engine is as smooth and manly as you'd expect in this pedigree. The S500 is quite nimble for such a sprawling car, with a very tight turning radius.
GIZMOLOGY: There are a ton of functions to monitor on this car, but three separate displays break them down in a way that feels uncluttered. On the speedometer and other primary instruments, needles seem to float inside elegant rotary readouts. A small command screen under the speedometer displays cool stuff like the distance between you and the car ahead (taken from the "Distronic" sensor on the grill). And a computerized control center on the dashboard handles information on the radio, telephone, and navigation system. Well-placed multifunction buttons on the steering wheel help simplify it all.
KID MARKS: Tons of space for those pampered preteens. Mercedes also offers its own "BabySmart" car seats, which contain sensors that communicate with the car and help determine things like whether an airbag should be turned on or off, based on who is sitting in the seat.
HOT OR NOT? Not. It's a gorgeous vehicle, but the chassis's long lines and the interior's dark wood still make this feel like a CFO-mobile.
ENVIROMETER: One star out of five in its class on the EPA's "green vehicle" rating scale. Mileage ranges from 16 mpg city to 23 mpg highway. Additional info:
http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions
/lgcar-02.htm
CRASH COURSE: The government has not crash tested the S500.
PRICE POINTS: Base price is $81,510. Price as tested: $102,105. (Prices include delivery fees.)
MORE INFO: http://www.mbusa.com
|
Model year tested: 2002
There are dozens of automated systems on cars, but few of them get it right. I've lost patience with gizmos that buckle my seatbelt and turn my lights off and on and decide what volume I want the radio at, most of which represent the unfortunate ascendancy of frill over function.
But the lavish S500 comes close to being a car I would let drive me around on its own initiative. The driver's aid systems are marvelous. The rain-sensing wipers handle most storms on a single variable setting, which speeds the wipers up or down depending on how much water hits the windshield. When set to automatic, the climate system takes another chore completely off your hands. Niftiest of all is a new "Distronic" cruise control feature that uses a radar sensor mounted on the grill to detect whether there's a car in front, and gently apply the brakes if it's too close. I drove for half an hour on a busy highway, in on-and-off-again rain, without touching a single control except for the steering wheel.
The systems work because they instill confidence instead of raising the annoyance factor. Of course it helps that they're installed on one of the world's most advanced sedans. At this end of the automotive spectrum, ride and handling and noise damping and cornering are so refined that most drivers will never notice the finer points. To stand out in the ultraluxury stratosphere, the S500 comes with an "airmatic" suspension that rises by about three quarters of an inch when you're on a rutted road or other surfaces that call for higher clearance, a summer/winter setting on the transmission that adjusts traction accordingly, and an "electronic stability program" meant to maneuver the car back to a controlled state when it skids or leaves the pavement. I don't know if any of that contributed to my driving experience. I only know that, for perhaps the first time, I was nearly ready to trust a car over my own judgments.
Needless to say, the car seduces through its interior appointments too. The S500's communication system lets you dock a Mercedes-issued cellphone in a storage compartment, then operate it using a keypad on the dash, the computerized control center, and a speakerphone somewhere in the cabin. (Voice activation is an option, though it requires some setup.) The 14-point power seats were more comfortable than a Jacuzzi. The rear headrests rise and fall at the touch of a button, to improve visibility out the back when there are no passengers back there. But nothing's perfect. As I was enjoying foot-free driving, thanks to the Distronic, the cruise control suddenly disengaged and a warning message came on the screen: "Distronic. Clean Sensor!" I pulled over, checked the owner's manual, and happily got out and wiped down the funky little panel on the grill. Anything to help the S500 drive me around.
 In the market for a new car? Use our auto search for more information.
Is there a car you would like us to review? Send your suggestion to test-track@usnews.com.
Return to the auto page to view more reviews.
|
