Jeremy Clarkson on the W223
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2005 S500 Designo
Jeremy Clarkson on the W223
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...-500-2czx3ntwx
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I haven't driven this car, but this seems right in line with how I feel about a lot of it.
He does praise the ride. It would be nice if one could have the ride without all the screens, unintuitive controls, and awful LED lights
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No. Instead, what you get is a load of flimflam. It’s like the designer went to Poundland, bought everything and fitted the lot.
Let’s take the head-up display (HUD) as a case in point. We see these things in many cars nowadays, so to make the Mercedes different they’ve decided to show everything that it’s technically possible to show. Speed, direction of travel, a sat-nav map, where the enemy tanks are located, missile readiness and, most distracting of all, a prevailing speed limit indicator that flashes red whenever you go even 1mph faster than the lawmakers believe is appropriate. It’s like you’re driving through a blizzard of incoming laser fire.
Let’s take the head-up display (HUD) as a case in point. We see these things in many cars nowadays, so to make the Mercedes different they’ve decided to show everything that it’s technically possible to show. Speed, direction of travel, a sat-nav map, where the enemy tanks are located, missile readiness and, most distracting of all, a prevailing speed limit indicator that flashes red whenever you go even 1mph faster than the lawmakers believe is appropriate. It’s like you’re driving through a blizzard of incoming laser fire.
He does praise the ride. It would be nice if one could have the ride without all the screens, unintuitive controls, and awful LED lights
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He's not wrong...
I LOVE the ambient lighting though, to me it really makes the car special at night. You can always turn it off. I personally would not option the HUD either...I would option this car like I optioned my W222, sparingly.
One surprising error:
It doesn't have a starter motor....
I LOVE the ambient lighting though, to me it really makes the car special at night. You can always turn it off. I personally would not option the HUD either...I would option this car like I optioned my W222, sparingly.
One surprising error:
and the stop-start facility that means your starter motor has to be made from a diamond and osmium alloy simply to cope with the ceaseless demands on its time.
Last edited by SW20S; Dec 28, 2022 at 09:02 PM.
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Not surprised, the tech in this car, like most Germans can be overwhelming at times, and for those who don’t like tech, this is certainly not the car for them. Clarkson has always been one that does not like technology, just look at his E60 M5 review.
The infotainment is definitely intimidating at first, but having lived with the car for almost one year it has been a great vehicle, and I have since become accustomed to the technology.
The infotainment is definitely intimidating at first, but having lived with the car for almost one year it has been a great vehicle, and I have since become accustomed to the technology.
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Not surprised, the tech in this car, like most Germans can be overwhelming at times, and for those who don’t like tech, this is certainly not the car for them. Clarkson has always been one that does not like technology, just look at his E60 M5 review.
The infotainment is definitely intimidating at first, but having lived with the car for almost one year it has been a great vehicle, and I have since become accustomed to the technology.
The infotainment is definitely intimidating at first, but having lived with the car for almost one year it has been a great vehicle, and I have since become accustomed to the technology.
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I've always seen the Germans as technological pioneers. Cars like the W140 and W220 had tons of technological features (which were even prone to failure) and were over-engineered from the get go. BMW really pushed the ball forward in 2001 with the introduction of iDrive and got the others to dive deeper into heavily structured infotainment systems and technological features.
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2005 S500 Designo
I've always seen the Germans as technological pioneers. Cars like the W140 and W220 had tons of technological features (which were even prone to failure) and were over-engineered from the get go. BMW really pushed the ball forward in 2001 with the introduction of iDrive and got the others to dive deeper into heavily structured infotainment systems and technological features.
BMWs were notoriously spartan prior to 2005 or so.
Last edited by Fried Chicken; Dec 28, 2022 at 11:18 PM.
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Design yes, technologically though no. The Germans haven't really been devoid of tech since maybe the 80's. Even my E36 3-series had what they called "the on-board computer" which was a glorified and over-engineered trip computer that was completely unecessary and had a large number of controls.
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American cars had a lot of gadgets by comparison, trip meters, digital gauges, automatic wipers and lights and all etc but the cars were rudimentary below the skin compared to German cars. That Town Car above is body on frame and that frame dated back to the 70s.
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German tech has traditionally focused on the 'hardware', eg antilock brakes, airbags, seatbelt pretensioners. In those days, 'software' was not, in a sense, that developed.
Now, in recent years, software advancement allows much more room to play with.
But, MB has not forgot the their hardware invention heritage, eg digital Light, E-ABC etc
Now, in recent years, software advancement allows much more room to play with.
But, MB has not forgot the their hardware invention heritage, eg digital Light, E-ABC etc
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Jeremy Clarkson is blowing this whole HUD issue way out of proprtion.
If he finds any of the HUD elements distracting, he could simply disable them, by selecting the [Minimalist] HUD configuration. This will eliminate everything except for his current speed on the HUD screen.
And he can do the same with the speeding warning - you can change the warning threshold from 1km/h to 10km/h. Easy.
But of course, he had no idea he could do all that. Because 1. he is a 60-year-old traditionalist who is clueless about tech in the first place and 2. He doesn't spend nearly enough time with the car to know what the car is and isn't capable of.
The W223 has many shortfalls, but the HUD configuration is definitely not one of them.
If he finds any of the HUD elements distracting, he could simply disable them, by selecting the [Minimalist] HUD configuration. This will eliminate everything except for his current speed on the HUD screen.
And he can do the same with the speeding warning - you can change the warning threshold from 1km/h to 10km/h. Easy.
But of course, he had no idea he could do all that. Because 1. he is a 60-year-old traditionalist who is clueless about tech in the first place and 2. He doesn't spend nearly enough time with the car to know what the car is and isn't capable of.
The W223 has many shortfalls, but the HUD configuration is definitely not one of them.
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Is it unintuitive or asinine to display navigation and cruise control info on the hud, so the driver could keep his eyes level on the road and not have to look down constantly at the gauge cluster; or worse yet, twist his neck toward the centre console? I don't think so.
Necessary? Not really, we all lived with much worse. But surely this is a nice option to have.
Necessary? Not really, we all lived with much worse. But surely this is a nice option to have.
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I mean, I am a 60-year old traditionalist who started to embrace tech years ago with my first computer (an Apple IIe). Back then, it was only Apple and PC has not arrived on the scene yet.
Anyway, he really did not spend much time with the car. He complained about having to turn off many things being distracting. But when everything is off, then ''something is missing''.
So, if features are on, they are distracting. If features are off, the S-Class is lacking. Go figure!
Actually, the point is that he did not bother to configure the car right in the beginning (ie not spend enough time...especially the initial time to acquaint with the MBUX).
Most, if not all, settings buried deep in the various levels of sub menus are features which usually not needed by the driver. Everything the driver needs while driving is usually on the first level or the 2nd level. If the initial settings are setup properly (which takes a little time which obviously he did not spend), the driving will be more rewarding. Figuring out a new car deliberately while driving is just a 'meh'.
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You get these 2 points right. Well, the first half of the first one is not exactly right...lol
I mean, I am a 60-year old traditionalist who started to embrace tech years ago with my first computer (an Apple IIe). Back then, it was only Apple and PC has not arrived on the scene yet.
Anyway, he really did not spend much time with the car. He complained about having to turn off many things being distracting. But when everything is off, then ''something is missing''.
So, if features are on, they are distracting. If features are off, the S-Class is lacking. Go figure!
Actually, the point is that he did not bother to configure the car right in the beginning (ie not spend enough time...especially the initial time to acquaint with the MBUX).
Most, if not all, settings buried deep in the various levels of sub menus are features which usually not needed by the driver. Everything the driver needs while driving is usually on the first level or the 2nd level. If the initial settings are setup properly (which takes a little time which obviously he did not spend), the driving will be more rewarding. Figuring out a new car deliberately while driving is just a 'meh'.
I mean, I am a 60-year old traditionalist who started to embrace tech years ago with my first computer (an Apple IIe). Back then, it was only Apple and PC has not arrived on the scene yet.
Anyway, he really did not spend much time with the car. He complained about having to turn off many things being distracting. But when everything is off, then ''something is missing''.
So, if features are on, they are distracting. If features are off, the S-Class is lacking. Go figure!
Actually, the point is that he did not bother to configure the car right in the beginning (ie not spend enough time...especially the initial time to acquaint with the MBUX).
Most, if not all, settings buried deep in the various levels of sub menus are features which usually not needed by the driver. Everything the driver needs while driving is usually on the first level or the 2nd level. If the initial settings are setup properly (which takes a little time which obviously he did not spend), the driving will be more rewarding. Figuring out a new car deliberately while driving is just a 'meh'.
By the way, your 60-year-old traditionalist self-description really surprised me, because you definitely don't come aross as one. Never thought that 64 in your ID actually meant something
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Trust me on this: Older people have figured it out without difficulty
In this world you have people, who as they get older, decide they just don't want to learn anymore; that's when the world leaves them behind. Don't be one of them: It's a short enough ride without wasting the last 15 years on indignant soliloquies.
In this world you have people, who as they get older, decide they just don't want to learn anymore; that's when the world leaves them behind. Don't be one of them: It's a short enough ride without wasting the last 15 years on indignant soliloquies.
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Some other interesting comments:
I was disappointed reading some of his comments about the W223. I remember his review on the W221 when it came out and it was an awesome time for S-Class back then. It was a real leap forward and innovated in technology (especially safety tech), quality & design for Mercedes and the rest of the industry at the time.
After only a very short period of time I’d developed a frothing hatred for this new car, and at this point I hadn’t even delved into the control system
I’m afraid the news then gets worse, because the S-class doesn’t feel right somehow. In a desperate bid to stay on the right side of stringent environmental legislation, the engineers have plainly been through the car with a microscope and a razor blade, shaving the odd gram here and a few tenths there.
The results are admirable, because even though the S-class is notably longer than the previous model, it now weighs barely more than two tonnes. However, from behind the wheel you can sense this lack of weight. It doesn’t feel flimsy by any means, but nor does it feel like an S-class should: solid. I don’t doubt for a second that in an accident it would protect you like it was your mother, and that’s great, but I like a car to feel like it would. And the S-class doesn’t. It feels … frothy.
Four-wheel steering? Yep, that was on the shelves in Poundland, so it has that too, even though it makes people in the back feel car sick.
Last edited by QuadBenz; Dec 29, 2022 at 09:48 AM.
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You get these 2 points right. Well, the first half of the first one is not exactly right...lol
I mean, I am a 60-year old traditionalist who started to embrace tech years ago with my first computer (an Apple IIe). Back then, it was only Apple and PC has not arrived on the scene yet.
Anyway, he really did not spend much time with the car. He complained about having to turn off many things being distracting. But when everything is off, then ''something is missing''.
So, if features are on, they are distracting. If features are off, the S-Class is lacking. Go figure!
Actually, the point is that he did not bother to configure the car right in the beginning (ie not spend enough time...especially the initial time to acquaint with the MBUX).
Most, if not all, settings buried deep in the various levels of sub menus are features which usually not needed by the driver. Everything the driver needs while driving is usually on the first level or the 2nd level. If the initial settings are setup properly (which takes a little time which obviously he did not spend), the driving will be more rewarding. Figuring out a new car deliberately while driving is just a 'meh'.
I mean, I am a 60-year old traditionalist who started to embrace tech years ago with my first computer (an Apple IIe). Back then, it was only Apple and PC has not arrived on the scene yet.
Anyway, he really did not spend much time with the car. He complained about having to turn off many things being distracting. But when everything is off, then ''something is missing''.
So, if features are on, they are distracting. If features are off, the S-Class is lacking. Go figure!
Actually, the point is that he did not bother to configure the car right in the beginning (ie not spend enough time...especially the initial time to acquaint with the MBUX).
Most, if not all, settings buried deep in the various levels of sub menus are features which usually not needed by the driver. Everything the driver needs while driving is usually on the first level or the 2nd level. If the initial settings are setup properly (which takes a little time which obviously he did not spend), the driving will be more rewarding. Figuring out a new car deliberately while driving is just a 'meh'.
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like Clarkson often does he clearly came into this review focused on making fun at absurd tech gimmicks and his mind was made up.
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Depends on the weather
Even if you don't like what Clarkson says, you can't deny he always says it well. In this case, I don't agree with what he says. I just upgraded my older S550 to a 23 S500 and I love the car. The technology is fun and I imagine as I get some miles on this car rather helpful. The features I didn't like, I turned off.
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Yeah, the man sure knows his words, and the world is all the worse for it, for it lends credibility to everything he publishes, however hollow and misleading the content may be.
Still, good entertainment. And a reminder to never stop learning, I guess, lest we end up like him.
Still, good entertainment. And a reminder to never stop learning, I guess, lest we end up like him.
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