For those of you who are thrilled with driving your car because of the smoothness/handling/speed/responsiveness/electronics/etc. try riding in the back seat. It is so nice back there that I didn't realize how much I'm spoiling my guests. All of the optional buttons/seat controls/sunscreens/etc. really makes for an unbelievable car. I guess this would be considered the back seat of a poor man's Maybach!

 

Test drove LS 460 today.

I must say very disappointed in the back seat and the quality inside.

I guess japanese is japanese. But the drive is nice and smooth .

 

So true...have been passgr in S65 rental limos in Manhattan and BH in recent past....600/65 interiors are simply most elegant/ergonomic interiors on planet today....makes being stuck in Midtown Manhattan traffic about as pleasurable as poss (BH traffic is laughably non-existent, but still prefer a 600/65 limo over 550 limo, even for the short, <40MPH jaunts around relevant Westside)....

Would strongly disagree about the Maybach comment...actually, view Maybach as a POS w/10yo S-Class tech/aesthetics (a sad, dark gen for MB)....ancient active/passive safety systems; tacky last-gen buttons/door pulls; less effective seat ventil/massage, etc....even at its launch, Maybach was viewed by sophisticated, repeat S/CL buyers as the car of choice (along w/VW-Bent) of those w/a shortage of IQ and an excess of bad taste.....

 

Really didn't know that about Maybachs! Just assumed they were way above the S 600 without having been in one. Thanks for that. Nice to know that the S 600/S65's are indeed at the top of the MB sedan heap!
Btw, a lot of people rave about Bentlys and Astin Martins, (kthey feel it's one upsmanship on S classes) but even with their stitched leather and alcantra trim, I can't imagine that they (being British vehicles w/associated hx. of problems/wiring/reliability etc.) are better to own than the S 600's/65's.
(Anybody compare those cars to the S's?)

 

+1 What you said.

I would also add that the Maybach is quite ugly too. Never was impressed with the exterior appearance. Can you just imagine how nice the maybach would be if it had the W221 generation design and quality.

 

They are at the top of the sedan heap amongst ALL cars in my opinion. This car has definitely reestablished Mercedes as the leader in the automotive world in the 4 door luxury sedan market.

 

I completely agree that new S600 is a truly outstanding sedan. Not doubts. However, the issues mentioned in this forum about engine, steering, and other problems have caught me by surprise. MB needs to do something about these.

 

The S65 is indeed a nice car, but it just is not on the same level as a Bentley Arnage. No way.

 

Would encourage anyone to test-drive various new B/AM, etc etc periodically (I often do for sheer amusement; if none are convenient, may want to sched a trip to BH/SF for easy test drives at the local dealers)....

Would plan an interesting 20mi loop through BH/Malibu corridor or SF Peninsula on an early wkend AM.....first, sit in these cars and explore tech/aesthetic details like quality of key fob; ergonomics of seats (ability to customize settings; quality of vent/massage; active head restraints, etc); examine dash for such elements as no. of cheap, ugly blk plastic buttons; ability to quickly discern a dig readout of speed (critical for certain rds), etc; feel of steering wheel rim in one's hands; quality of workmanship; note lack of such modern stuff as TeleAid and avoid puking over the archaic Parktronic bulletholes; consider that many elements like quilting/lt-colored woods and leathers/piping are only appreciated by the >75yo crowd; etc....

Then, drive them on interesting, relevant roads....closely eval steering precision/brake pedal feel/chassis stability, esp on bumpy, fast, curvy stretches of roads; seamless, effortless tq deliv; exhaust note; etc etc....(would be far more revealing to perform an emergent braking/evasive maneuver on a wet, bumpy, busy urban fwy to fully reveal advantages of latest-tech safety/braking/stability control systems of S/CL)....

I would believe various journalist reviews of cars when I was a penniless 5yo kid w/no ability to drive cars....after a few yrs of driving various new AMG/F/P (and any other high-end car), I've grown to view any media reviews of cars as infomercials w/many conflicts of interest....have often been stunned how weak are many allegedly phenomenal cars in various basics of perf/safety/precision/aesthetics/daily-useability (e.g., Scud/612 still lack head/side airbags, as does Veyron; Lambo still struggles w/competent gearbox&brake pedal feel, etc etc)....

Only in recent yrs have I begun to fully appreciate why most of the smartest, wealthiest car guys I know/know of in SF/NYC tend to drive new CL/S/SL almost exclusively....IMO, it's most interesting/relevant to see what intelligent, jaded car guys, who can afford any car on planet, choose to repeatedly buy and drive as both their daily commuter car and wkend twisties car (as I've often joked, know several rather affluent guys who get a new F every 6mos....but who mysteriously choose to drive their humble, nondescript CL63 030 90% of time, incl wkends)....

 

Yes I drove back there a few times and its like a relaxing vacation.
The reclining seats are just enough.

 

+1 Think about what your guest say about you and your car when they get home and talk in private. They will envy you sooo much. HAHA

Pimpin aint easy.

 

I use the back seat of my S600 as a temporary office at times... just park somewhere... get out the laptop... put up the rear blinds... lots of space to spread out... play CD's and radio with the center arm rest channel and volume controls... Its the place to be... (When not driving!)

Chris

 

Great idea Chris! Not too many office chairs that give you a massage while offering you great music accoustics. I'll have to try that, thanks!

 

Funny you mention this because I've gone to different forums and I've been getting hit with members telling me Lexus LS460l is rising and is receiving great reviews from consumers than the S550. To be honest I hope that's not the case, I've sat in the LS460 in an Autoshow and its pretty nice inside but when I looked inside in an S550, I felt home

About the back seats on the S600 doesn't it come with massager seats and other legrest accessories?

 

Legrest accessories. I wish MB placed the little foot-rest blocks on the floorboards of our cars. Audi's , Phaeton's and other german cars have them. They're simple , relatively cheap but add a great foot support.

 

I'm very surprised to hear that. I personally find the comfort and quality of the interior of the LS much better then MB, especially the rear seats and the sound of the ML. But as they say... different strokes for different folks.

 

I remember our 1986 and 1990 560SELs came with those little footrests. It was a nice touch although they would get stuck under the back part of the front seats whenever you moved them back. lol. Oh and the whole rear bench seat reclined as one piece.

 

That may be why they eliminated them. I never had a problem with them.

 

For a vehicle over $100K they should bring them back. Just my opinion

 

I agree and they should, I've seen other vehicle like Lexus LS460l and BMW 760Li are stepping up hard against the S550 and S600/S65.

Plus I've been getting left and right reviews that Lexus beat Mercedes S-Class on Quality/Reliability but not Performance and Design.

 

Yeah the LS beat the S in the last survey by JDP, the Lexus was #1 and the Benz was #2, hardly worth mentioning IMO. Especially when you consider what an awful mess he W220 was when it first came out. The W221 is a true about face when it comes to quality/reliability for the S-Class.

The S550 has beaten the LS460L in every magazine comparison I've seen, another total opposite from the old LS430 vs S430 in which the Lexus won regularly.

Mercedes spent billions on the S-Class to make such a dramatic change and they aren't done yet, the facelift is coming...most likely with Pre-Scan.


M

 

JDP and other test drives /consumers reports sometimes gets me wonder that they favor too much on some certain vehicles, in other words overrating. IMO.

I heard about the new facelift and I have still not yet seen photos of it. Mercedes seem to have issues in the past couple of years but eventually they always come back on top