Mercedes-Benz's latest limo is luxurious, comfortable, swift and relatively greenIt appears Mercedes-Benz has done all that it can in the engineering department to make its S-class a comfortable limousine.儲存Which is probably why its latest flagship boasts an arsenal of electronics, exquisite materials and cushioned headrests that will knock out an insomniac.Electronics include Magic Body Control, which scans changes in road contour ahead and adjusts its suspension to cancel out any lumpiness in the tarmac.And adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous steering, which works best in the slow stop-start crawl you often find yourself in during peak hours.Both of these are not standard fitment in the S400L Hybrid test-driven here. Not that the car needs them.The new S-class, like the previous one, has a superb air suspension system. Cocooned in its well-insulated cabin, you feel nothing but the nastiest of bumps.Despite being comfort-biased, the set-up is adequate around corners.The cabin is slightly roomier than before, even though the car's wheelbase remains unchanged at 3,165mm. The boot is smaller though.The doors stay in place at any angle, even when opened on a slope. As before, they come with motorised soft closing.Aesthetically, the interior is up there with the best. In some ways, such as the interplay of wood and chrome on the fascia, the car is even more delightful than some Bentleys and Rolls-Royces.A large multi-function colour monitor, which offers navigation and a 360-degree camera, makes piloting and parking the limo a cinch. In addition, the car comes with proximity beepers and an LED strip that let you know how close you are to an object.If you still find it a chore to park, let the Active Parking Assist take over.Incidentally, the ca迷你倉 is illuminated entirely by LEDs - about 110 in the headlamps, 70 in the tail lights and the rest in the cabin. At night, the mood lighting makes the cabin even more luxurious.But the biggest improvement lies with the seats. They are cleverly contoured, perfectly padded and come with the most comfortable headrests ever. Pay a bit more and the seats can be clad in soft Nappa leather. Ditto, if you want seats with massage function or reclining rear seats.You would also have to pay more for the panoramic sunroof, Burmester hi-fi, AMG kit and wood-and- leather steering wheel.Hence compared with the S500L, the S400L is a tad austere. What it offers, though, is a petrol- electric drivetrain that qualifies the buyer for a $5,000 carbon rebate.This is based on the manufacturer-declared efficiency of the car. At 6.8 litres/100km, the 3.5-litre S400L is less thirsty than a 2-litre Japanese sedan. Supposedly. During the test-drive, the best it managed was 17 litres/100km.The car can be driven on pure electric mode, but only with a feathery right foot and when its lithium batteries are adequately charged.The drivetrain is pretty refined, with hardly any hybrid idiosyncracies such as stodgy brake pedal and retarded take-off. In fact, the S400L flies to 100kmh in 6.8 seconds - very quick for a big car.But the car occasionally betrays a wee bit of shift shock when it downshifts, and has squeaky wipers and a rear centre divider with clunky free play when folded away.These are minor, but then again, you would not find them in, say, a Lexus LS.Be that as it may, the S-class has a loyal following. Many buyers hand over cheques without even bothering to check out the car.On the whole, most will not be disappointed when they finally get their wheels.christan@sph.com.sg儲存倉
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