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Yes, that Bentley interior is beautiful. I'm going to go look at a FS tomorrow, just for the fun of it ... have never driven one, so now's the time to see what all that extra $$$ buys ...
2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
Originally Posted by places
Report back please!
I drove a “New” Flying Spur about a year ago and actually drove it over streets and highways close to my home, that I drive on regularly. My thoughts were that the feeling from the driver’s seat was one of actually LESS interior space than in my W222. The ride was not nearly as buttoned down as in my S560 with MBC. The big Bentley also sort of “creaked” a bit, as it motored along the road. When I got in my S560 to leave the Bentley dealership, I said “YES,” as my car felt SO MUCH better, to my senses and to my back side.
It’s way more opulent, it’s more prestigious, it’s much more customizable and WAY more expensive, but it just doesn’t feel nearly as good, as my S560, at least not to me. I wrote off the big Bentley that day. Beautiful interior, highly customizable, but it just doesn’t drive like an S Class—and for what it costs, it SHOULD!
I drove a “New” Flying Spur about a year ago and actually drove it over streets and highways close to my home, that I drive on regularly. My thoughts were that the feeling from the driver’s seat was one of actually LESS interior space than in my W222. The ride was not nearly as buttoned down as in my S560 with MBC. The big Bentley also sort of “creaked” a bit, as it motored along the road. When I got in my S560 to leave the Bentley dealership, I said “YES,” as my car felt SO MUCH better, to my senses and to my back side.
It’s way more opulent, it’s more prestigious, it’s much more customizable and WAY more expensive, but it just doesn’t feel nearly as good, as my S560, at least not to me. I wrote off the big Bentley that day. Beautiful interior, highly customizable, but it just doesn’t drive like an S Class—and for what it costs, it SHOULD!
I don't find any of this surprising. Mercedes have always been fundamentally a better car when it comes to driving dynamics.
Absent are the distractive unnecessary screen data munchers.
Perhaps it is just that I could not afford a Bentley but to me the cluster and centre console are like a W124 with a lot of added bling-bling. The rest of the interior is very nice. Fine if it is what the buyers of this model like it!
Perhaps it is just that I could not afford a Bentley but to me the cluster and center console are like a W124 with a lot of added bling-bling. The rest of the interior is very nice. Fine if it is what the buyers of this model like it!
I'm with you. No Bentley for me either, but its interior structure demolishes the 223 screen hazards..
Took a quick spin in W12 Flying Spur so can only give general impressions ... the interior of course is dazzling, loads of bright metal everywhere and gorgeous workmanship. Didn't go over any rough roads but the ride seemed serene and solid. Will certainly have to try another one and over a longer route, but it is a beautiful car. As it should be with a sticker pushing $300k!
Agree. The low-profile screens in the A and E look integrated enough, but the stuck-on driver-side i-Pads on the new C, S, and (gasp) Maybachs look like tragic afterthoughts. MB enclosed this screen in the upcoming SL and it looks fine. The rest of the line should get this treatment post haste.
It's called Minimalist design. Some people like 100 year old dark wood furniture in their house. Some don't. Maybe it's time to leave the past and embrace the future.
It isn't just the design aesthetic - it's the quality of the materials that is so problematic.
Agree. The low-profile screens in the A and E look integrated enough, but the stuck-on driver-side i-Pads on the new C, S, and (gasp) Maybachs look like tragic afterthoughts. MB enclosed this screen in the upcoming SL and it looks fine. The rest of the line should get this treatment post haste.
If the S interior (mainly the dash/cockpit area) looked like the new SL, that would raise my approval factor by 70 points for the W223. The only thing I don't like about the new SL is that they went back to a wragtop.
It's called Minimalist design. Some people like 100 year old dark wood furniture in their house. Some don't. Maybe it's time to leave the past and embrace the future.
Originally Posted by JD101b
It isn't just the design aesthetic - it's the quality of the materials that is so problematic.
Actually both of what you said perfectly sum up the interior of the new s class; with the furniture picture posted above, while contemporary and caters to a mass market, those who know high end interiors, architecture, and furniture know that is incredibly low quality and cheap, not to mention pieces from certain diy assemble it yourself companies.
Such can be said about the new S Class interior, while it may aesthetically look pleasing and cater to a certain crowd, when you dive deeper, the lack of refinement and quality in certain areas are certainly lacking compared to yesteryears' S Class interiors with certain parts and components made exclusively for the line. Now, everything is modular and adaptable to be used in other models for economies of scale such as the displays, buttons, and media control. Materiality can be lacking in certain areas such as stitching and piping details.
If you really want to talk about high end interior, take a look at furniture from Minotti, B&B Italia, etc. While many other more accessible brands of furniture try to emulate a similar aesthetic, style, and quality, the piece will still never be the same nor attainable reasonably at the same cost for the manufacturer. Such can be said about vehicles as well, while reviewers often say an S Class is "almost" like a Bentley or RR's interior, it'll never be there in terms of quality and fit and finish given the price points.
I actually reached out to MBUSA via their live chat to discuss the W223 interior. The lady I spoke to was very concerned and talked with me at length about it. Customer feedback is in fact a powerful motivator and if MBUSA sees a large number of current and prospective owners disappointed in the vehicle they will change it. Mercedes actually has a history of listening to feedback - for example, they decided to keep producing the G-class instead of canceling it after a large number of owners wrote in protesting the decision.
I actually reached out to MBUSA via their live chat to discuss the W223 interior. The lady I spoke to was very concerned and talked with me at length about it. Customer feedback is in fact a powerful motivator and if MBUSA sees a large number of current and prospective owners disappointed in the vehicle they will change it. Mercedes actually has a history of listening to feedback - for example, they decided to keep producing the G-class instead of canceling it after a large number of owners wrote in protesting the decision.
When you say the lady was concerned, does that mean the interior or just that you are not a happy customer about it? Can you share more about the call? Thanks.
If I had a dollar for every time I read something about the next generation of a particular car (bmw, audi, mercedes, etc) was disappointing and not true to it's roots for a current owner, people would accuse me of being an exotic dancer.
When you say the lady was concerned, does that mean the interior or just that you are not a happy customer about it? Can you share more about the call? Thanks.
In other words, when I discussed all the areas of concern (hard plastic on the B-pillar, cheap feeling window switches, cheap feeling stalks, etc) she seemed as if she understood why it was unacceptable and agreed that an S-class shouldn't have such shortcomings.
If I had a dollar for every time I read something about the next generation of a particular car (bmw, audi, mercedes, etc) was disappointing and not true to it's roots for a current owner, people would accuse me of being an exotic dancer.
The W222 was immediately (at least in my eyes) a substantial improvement over the W221. I felt the same way about the W220 vs. the W140, too. The W220 turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag relative to the W140, though the W220 is still my favorite S.
If I had a dollar for every time I read something about the next generation of a particular car (bmw, audi, mercedes, etc) was disappointing and not true to it's roots for a current owner, people would accuse me of being an exotic dancer.
I've owned about 5 different brands and read forum discussions for every one of them. This is always the case. Especially Lexus owners saying the newer ones are too stiff.
The W222 was immediately (at least in my eyes) a substantial improvement over the W221. I felt the same way about the W220 vs. the W140, too. The W220 turned out to be a bit of a mixed bag relative to the W140, though the W220 is still my favorite S.
Right, the the 222 had softer lines than the 221, but quality was every bit the same or better. That was never questioned. For many (with S experience) there is a quantifiable difference in quality in the 223. The 220 was somewhat controversial with the departure in "traditional" MB design but quality of materials, fit and finish was not questioned.
As for design, this is purely subjective, one persons mediocracy can be another's excellence.
The 220 was somewhat controversial with the departure in "traditional" MB design but quality of materials, fit and finish was not questioned.
The W220 was vastly inferior to the W140 it replaced in my opinion, especially when it came to material quality and fit and finish among the many other quality related issues that generation featured even when new. It was clear that the W220 was designed to fit a budget versus the W140.
The W220 was vastly inferior to the W140 it replaced in my opinion, especially when it came to material quality and fit and finish among the many other quality related issues that generation featured even when new. It was clear that the W220 was designed to fit a budget versus the W140.
I agree. I had 3 Benzes in that era (2000-2006) and they were always having issues. Expensive Chryslers in my opinion. The Chrysler Crossfire was a poor woman's SLK! The W140 was over engineered but one heck of a car. The W220 was the worst thing MB ever put on the lot. I loved my W221 and I still love the W222. That being said, the CL series that ran along side the W220 years was a gorgeous coupe..... I had a 2002 and a 2006.
10-11-2021, 09:52 PM
