Has anyone heard about how the new 2027 EQS driving modes will be set up? Theoretically, with steer by wire AND adjustable suspension, the car could be tuned in a Sport or Sport + mode to create some excitement on the road. For those who just want soft and steady, the Comfort mode would work just fine. I'm coming off a Porsche Taycan and while I certainly don't expect duplication of it in the EQS, someting more that what I had in my 2022 would really be nice. Any news?

Cincy

 

Nothing has been announced. The drive modes on regular MBs were never much of a selling point beyond that they allow for adjusting of the suspension comfort. If you are looking for driving excitement, you need to look at AMG. The S Class used to not have a Sport+ mode, then they added one, but it mostly was just an additional firmer setting for the suspension. In some other MB models such as the C300 for example all Sport+ does is increase the fake engine noise in the cabin. The rest of the car is the same as in Sport. The point here is that just having Sport+ doesn't mean that the individual subsystems actually have a Sport+ setting. The steering for example ever only had Comfort and Sport, and regular MBs generally only have two throttle and shift maps. It's in AMGs where you actually get different maps for each mode. Drive modes in most regular cars, IMHO, are more of a gimmick. Most people don't actually even use them. I do appreciate that there's a Sport mode in regular MBs, because whenever I drive a loaner, I pretty much can't stand them Comfort mode. Sport mode is often the mode that would be the normal mode if it wasn't for the ever more stringent fuel and emissions requirements. Basically in Sport mode, the car drives the way it should in the first place. They've become a way for the manufacturers to meet the regulations, but still give the drivers a mode that doesn't frustrate the heck out of them with terrible throttle response etc. Obviously with EVs that's a different story, since there are no emissions requirements. Comfort mode is often used to relax the throttle for those who don't find instant torque all that comfortable.

 

Driving excitement is a relative thing. MB fixed so many other problems my 2022 had, I am holding out hope that they will take the opportunities that Steer By Wire give them and use it to create a more dynamic driving feel than that presented in the earlier model. If they don't, I can live with it. The car still surpasses all my expectations. Cincy

 

Steer-by-wire has inherent dynamic benefits by being able to vary the ratios. At lower speeds, small steering wheel inputs can be translated to a bigger response and at higher speeds the opposite to enhance straight line stability. That's not necessarily a driving mode thing. That can be controlled via vehicle speed. Other manufacturers have tried speed sensitive variable ratio steering racks in the past, using mechanical means. The principal is the same. I had one in my previous RS5. I have mixed feelings about it. For much of the driving, it made the steering unpredictable, because the ratio was never the same. The drive modes worked in my favor as the dynamic ratio could be turned off in Dynamic mode (Audi speak for their sportiest mode). Ironic that the most dynamic mode used a fixed steering ratio. The variable ratio was nice as it made the car very easy to maneuver at parking lot speeds, but in corners as said it was unpredictable and often resulted in me having to make steering corrections. So hopefully there will be a mode for the steer-by-wire that allows turning of the variable ratio. We'll have to see. All the demonstrations I've seen so far is them touting the low speed maneuverability. MB/AMG has been using variable ratio steering as well, but they've done it differently. The ratio decreases with more and more steering input. The teeth on the rack and pinion are closer together the farther you turn the steering wheel, so you get some of the same benefits, but it remains predictable, because speed isn't factored into the equation. The other part of steer-by-wire is that they can numb the steering feedback, so it will likely be the case that in Comfort you will barely feel anything and in Sport it will provide some artificial feedback. Artificial being the key word, as there is no actual mechanical connection to the wheels.