carsinamerica

Okay, this question is more about the S65, but it applies to the other models too:

House of Imports reported on their first S65 AMG, and its window sticker mentioned a Four Place Seating Package for $875; whence came this? It's not on good ol' teeth-grindingly-frustrating mbusa.com. Can it be had on the S550 or S600? What does it include? It looked to me like it still had a center seating section, just with a chopped-off cushion and wood trim on the center armrest. Why not do a full floor console, like Audi, I wonder? Any info?

I'm also unclear about the rear "multi-contour" seats, which I gather are unique to the S65 and cost $1000. Is this just a massaging seat? Or are they active-bolstered in some fashion?

Finally, does anyone reading this forum have any knowledge about the paddle-shifter situation for the S65? This question was bounced around for a while in the AMG forums, and they didn't seem to come to any consensus. Thanks!

ClayJ

There are several rear seating options which can be had with the new S-Class: multi-contour rear seating, dynamic multi-contour rear seating, individual-look rear seating, electronically-adjustable rear seating, active-ventilated rear seating, heated rear seating -- and I'm sure that I missed another one or two (oh yeah, memory-controlled rear seating)....

Standard multicontour rear seating, alone, means individually adjustable pneumatic bolsters in the two outboard seating positions. They are not 'dynamic' in activity.

There is storage inside the fold-down armrest between the two outboard posititons, as well as in the area where the armrest folded down from. There is not an optional rear full or floor console on the S550 or S65 that I am aware of.

Judging from what you posted I would venture a guess that the car in question has both the individual-look and (standard) multicontour rear seating options.

I am not sure of the question which you are posing concerning the shift paddles....

///MB

Let me just add, that the rear multicontour seats also have a "massaging" function to them.

benzmodz

Your questions dont seem to be leading anywhere. Is the car what you want or do you want things the car doesnt have ?

carsinamerica

Assuming that you aren't trying to snide, my questions are trying to lead me to a better understanding of how these cars are equipped, because I'd geniunely like to know. I'm trying to separate fact from fiction. Separately, bemoaning the fact that Mercedes-Benz USA doesn't seem to have the firmest grasp of how its cars can be outfitted, given that they say nothing about 4-seater models or Designo versions on their website, and give very little explanation about the drive-dynamic rear seats on the S65. It makes me even confused since they say that the S600 has everything as standard equipment; but if it doesn't have the drive-dy rear seats and can't be give the 4-seater package, than that can't really be true, can it.

What I'm wondering about is the experience of people who have seen or bought a US-market S65 AMG. The pictures on MBUSA, and the text therein describing the vehicle's standard equipment, suggest that the cars have paddle shifters affixed to the steering column. However, at least a couple S65s are in America now, and appear to have the same button shifters as the S600. So, is this a feature that the US market doesn't get, or is it something along the lines of the first batch not receiving it, while later models do?

ClayJ

The S65, as standard fitment on a US-Spec model, receives the aluminum paddle shifters mounted at the immediate rear (column) with the Sports Steering Wheel.

If one changes steering wheels (such as to a Wood & Leather one) one may, or does, lose the paddles. This may be the confusion from what you have already seen.

If I weren't on probation I could post a pic of each for you so that you could clearly see the difference....

And I suppose it is possible that MBZ used up some left-over parts on a few early-build S65's coming to the States -- they have been known to do that before....

I do not know much about the S600 -- just not a model that I have ever had much interest in, sorry for that bit.

whoover

ClayJ's experience seems at odds with that of most others. The wood and leather steering wheel appears standard on US S600 and S65 models. It does not support paddles (yet?). The only optional wheel is the heated one, which is also wood and leather, and also has buttons.

If Clay has seen a North American S65 with an all-leather wheel, or any other wheel with paddles, he seems to have seen a unique car.

whoover

Update on real-time chat from Rob Allan (MBUSA AMG Product Manager):

Light shedding is our pleasure. The S65 AMG is equipped 100% standard with a wood-leather steering wheel which comes with shift buttons only. The original S65 AMG had the same type of wheel and nearly 50% of S55 AMG owners took this option.

There is unfortunately no wood leather wheel with paddles. The manual AMG mode still is in the S65 AMG and the buttons perform the same function.

Do you guys want rather the leather wheel with paddles?

(then the wood guys will be really displeased...)

ClayJ

Buttons are better: they move with the steering wheel....

And thanks for clearing up my quite apparent confusion.

mbwestminster

I have attached some pictures of a few S65's that we have had come through our store.

None have had shift "paddles"

All of our "63" AMG cars that we have received do have paddles now, still connected to the same place on the wheel.

The seat pictures are of the standard rear seat, I have not seen a four place seating car, we are getting one this next week. My understanding is that a four place seat car has an additional storage area like a CLS and of course only 2 seat belts in the back. The seat can be a "bench" style in the standard configuration but at times looks like the outboard seats are further forward because someone has moved them that way.

prsmith777

paddles on the SL55 move with the wheel too. It should be the same on all models...

Baked Benz

Well why not go in to a dealer and ask them???

benzmodz

The people that work for dealerships hardly ever own a MB themselves. Most sales people work on a bonus structure and generally don't have much interest in car options.


MB does offer special S-class and Maybach training but most people are not sent to these courses.

The hard part is finding someone who knows what they are talking about.

Rear seat options = heat, cool, contour, recline, memory.

AMG steering wheels do not come with heating.