jsloan01

In the Feb. 2006 issue of C&D, they give a great review of the new S550. The pictures look AMAZING. The best I have seen this car portrayed thus far.

Looks like this beast may be a hit.

Turtle25

Very good review, though a bit schizophrenic... In "Counterpoint" Idzikowski talks about how intuitive the COMAND is compared to the iDrive, yet on the next page there's a whole sidebar on the knobby radio hell the system puts you through. It corners either like a "sports car" or an "Oshkosh H-series snow blower". They do, unlike the members of this forum, agree on the quality of the materials (better). They don't like the arches either, but they'll put up with it since the car is absolutely amazing.

shoes

I think the review indicated they were impressed with the serene ride quality but they seemed to mince their words about almost everything else. Let's face it, Car & Driver is a great mag, but they more interested in driving fast around a track which is not how the typical 61 year old buyer of the S Class will use this vehicle.

I think that OUR experiences as Mercedes owners makes us more qualified to evaulate these vehicles. I am tired of reading criticism of I drive in BMW, COMAND in Mercedes or MMI in Audi- it is a waste of time. If you own these cars, you get used to these systems pretty quickly. It is only in the initial ownership phase (like their test drives) that these systems are truly offputting. How many of the C&D drivers read the manuals before driving the cars?

Having gotten that off my chest, I think the numbers in the comparison section are pretty telling- the BMW 750 stops better, handles better, accelerates the same, gets better fuel economy and costs less. Of course, I have already voted with my pocketbook on this matter. I drove both these cars in Germany in September and decided that the BMW is my preference.

Vik888

shoes,

I agree with you fully. If you can't embrace technology, you're screwed anyway. I basically just ignore all the 50yr old+ writers at C&D and every other car mag. They have trouble working their VCR (and are *still* using a VCR) most likely and need to embrace technology and not fight it. I have yet to find trouble working the system in any car these days. This of course isn't a jab at anyone else that is 50yrs+ because many people of that age use the BMW, MB, Audi systems without a problem.

ClayJ

C&D's reviews are as much miss as hit these days. Having personal experience with many of the cars that they review, and being a very particular automotive critic myself in evaluating any car, I can't believe that I used to respect their reviews so much in the past. They have always had the "American" bias IMO, Now I read one of their reviews and I have to put ice on my jaw afterwards from it hitting the floor so many times! Maybe they've really gone downhill (for the advertising dollar?)? Maybe I'm just getting older and wiser. You have to take everything that they say in one of their reviews with a pound of salt, IMO.

Vik888

I like the reviews from Top Gear (BBC) and Fifth Gear TV.

I just downloaded an episode of Fifth Gear which tests the Jaguar XJR (i think) against the CLS55 AMG. They gave a great review for the CLS even though the Jaguar (I know its owned by Ford) is British and its a British show. I respect that. Same w/ Top Gear. They have no problem ripping on British cars or anyone else for that matter. Very unbiased.

D2-AUTOSPORT

I have to agree wholeheartedly, well said. I notice that alot of the reasons for a car being rated second or third, whathaveyou are things that the average owner can care less about. Lap times, and such are not a major part of the decision making process betwee, S550, 750 and LS430! lol

Cant wait to get my issue!

naadp

The writers at C/D aren't even on the same planet as the demographic of the people who buy these cars, so why would their opinion matter to me?

Turtle25

In fact, Jeremy Clarkson (the 'alpha host') has been personally blamed for the closure of MG Rover, the last independent mainstream British automaker, because we wouldn't give their cars a break. So despite what some people say, he really doesn't favour one nation over another- hell, he loves the Viper and the Ford GT.

I believe TG made the S-Class their "luxury car of the year" in the magazine... haven't seen anything from the show yet (besides their excitement at the various massage functions).

Vik888

... and Jeremy Clarkson drives a SL55. You can bet that MB made sure his car was 100% before shipping it out

naadp

I thought it was an SLK55. I seem to remember this because he had a bit where he said everyone in the office was referring to his car as the "SL-G-hey" :p

*edit*

found the article where he talks about trading in his SL55 for a Ford GT and then trading that in for an SLK55.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/art...805419,00.html

ClayJ

Yeah, SLK55 -- and he loves it. He also panted and fawned heavily over the SLR -- but I guess he's not making enough at Top Gear to get one of those for his daily driver?

MBZFAN55

Although traditionally I would put Edmunds.com in the same league as Car & Driver Magazine, I think you might enjoy reading this very detailed review of a $104,175.00 S550.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ine.promo.1g.*

ClayJ

I haven't read an unfavorable media review of the new S-Class yet....

MB Fanatic

Can someone scan it and put it up here? Thanks