S-Class (W223) 2021 to Present

The new 2027 S-Class: The Walkaround​

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Old May 15, 2026 | 01:36 PM
  #301  
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There is always something better, such as there is always the latest tech, latest phone, latest model out. Get what you want and enjoy the purchase or investment : )
For those who wish you got a certain model/car, I "have" this magic globe that can predict that once you are in that model, you would say, I wish I got that instead (that model you are currently driving).
Being indecisive is a human nature thing I think.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 03:04 PM
  #302  
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
There is always something better, such as there is always the latest tech, latest phone, latest model out. Get what you want and enjoy the purchase or investment : )
For those who wish you got a certain model/car, I "have" this magic globe that can predict that once you are in that model, you would say, I wish I got that instead (that model you are currently driving).
Being indecisive is a human nature thing I think.
It’s definitely fun and interesting to compare options, no doubt about that, but I also think it doesn’t have to be difficult for everyone. Personally, I genuinely love what I ended up with, and every time I look at the alternatives I skipped, I still say to myself, Man, I’m so glad I did NOT buy that instead, so it's not like that for everyone. The reason is simple: I studied every option carefully and, more importantly, spent enough real time with them, months, not days. Costed me rent money, but helped me to now enjoy a year, 2 or maybe 3 of perfect ownership experience wherein I see zero compromises as I cruise. Sometimes you may have the perfect car also, but it's just a lemon, and that's hard to manage, but we can manage not being in a car that is not perfect. When I look at my daily today, I honestly feel zero regret. Not a single item on my wishlist is missing, and that kind of peace of mind is invaluable when you’re spending six figures on a car. I’d be a fool to invest that much into something that still feels incomplete in my eyes. In fact, the few times that happened to me over the years as I started to discover gaps or issues with my choice, I ended up selling the car almost immediately. Life is too short to drive something that isn’t a 10/10 for you personally. Sell and get the next best thing.

Hopefully I never reach a point where the market offers no car that truly excites me, but if that day comes, I’d rather keep what I may already have at that time than force myself into a compromise. I’ve always believed that once you’re fortunate enough to comfortably afford a purchase, money can solve almost everything, except buying the wrong thing for yourself. At the end of the day, if someone can afford a car that feels perfect in their own eyes, they should genuinely appreciate that. Not everyone gets that luxury, and life isn’t always fair or ideal so I get that and I know i should be grateful. And honestly, if all German manufacturers ever fully lose the plot and I end up with zero options, I’ll simply move on to Bentley. From my perspective, they’re currently on a fantastic trajectory and I hope they continue. In the meantime I can still enjoy similar perfection without spending 2X more. I just hate compromises. Thankfully, I’m not in a position where I look at the other side and feel jealous or feel like I’m missing something in my own car. I pray everyday for manufactures to stop the stupid trend that are taking with new cars.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 03:20 PM
  #303  
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Originally Posted by Streamliner
Well, to each his own, but I never said anything about the illuminated grille. And the little chrome elements on the SL grille are not logos. Big difference. And, I’m not complaining. I am not interested in another W223, so I have nothing to complain about. I am merely stating my opinion on the design. Sorry, didn’t mean to offend.
If
When I first saw the R231 on the road back in 2013-ish, I thought it was the most beautiful convertible at the time.
The latest SL/AMG GT, although it doesn't sport the exotic long nose proportion, still looks gorgeous to me.
But when I see any of the star-shaped head or tail-lights, it doesn't throw the same classy vibe as the previous generations.

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Old May 15, 2026 | 03:26 PM
  #304  
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You guys are trippin, the stars are the best part.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 03:32 PM
  #305  
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Originally Posted by S_W222
It’s definitely fun and interesting to compare options, no doubt about that, but I also think it doesn’t have to be difficult for everyone. Personally, I genuinely love what I ended up with, and every time I look at the alternatives I skipped, I still say to myself, Man, I’m so glad I did NOT buy that instead, so it's not like that for everyone…………....
Me too. Every time I get in my daily driver, I am just SO happy that I made the choice I did. I have had not one moment where I questioned my choice or even thought that I should have gone with something else. I am just so hooked on the electric drive now and am thoroughly enjoying it.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 03:43 PM
  #306  
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Originally Posted by nearwater4me
When I first saw the R231 on the road back in 2013-ish, I thought it was the most beautiful convertible at the time.
The latest SL/AMG GT, although it doesn't sport the exotic long nose proportion, still looks gorgeous to me.
But when I see any of the star-shaped head or tail-lights, it doesn't throw the same classy vibe as the previous generations.
The current R232 SL is a beautiful design, but it shares almost nothing but the “SL” moniker with the previous generation. In that respect, I believe that they changed the car way too much. Instead of retaining the positive attributes of the R231’s, and fixing the negatives, they started with a clean sheet of paper and pretty much threw the baby out with the bath water, in my opinion. Isn’t that a pretty car?



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Old May 15, 2026 | 04:56 PM
  #307  
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
There is always something better, such as there is always the latest tech, latest phone, latest model out. Get what you want and enjoy the purchase or investment : )
For those who wish you got a certain model/car, I "have" this magic globe that can predict that once you are in that model, you would say, I wish I got that instead (that model you are currently driving).
Being indecisive is a human nature thing I think.
Totally agree.

There are many different cars that I like, its in my nature to always have a wandering eye towards other things. Not really being indecisive there are just several good options. I have never had a car that did away with that urge I have to have something different. One of the many reasons why I lease.

I would posit for others that if there was no degree of "I kind of wish I had gotten that car" they wouldn't spend time and energy continuing to post on that car's forums once they have purchased the other car
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Old May 15, 2026 | 05:38 PM
  #308  
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Originally Posted by S_W222
It’s definitely fun and interesting to compare options, no doubt about that, but I also think it doesn’t have to be difficult for everyone. Personally, I genuinely love what I ended up with, and every time I look at the alternatives I skipped, I still say to myself, Man, I’m so glad I did NOT buy that instead, so it's not like that for everyone. The reason is simple: I studied every option carefully and, more importantly, spent enough real time with them, months, not days. Costed me rent money, but helped me to now enjoy a year, 2 or maybe 3 of perfect ownership experience wherein I see zero compromises as I cruise. Sometimes you may have the perfect car also, but it's just a lemon, and that's hard to manage, but we can manage not being in a car that is not perfect. When I look at my daily today, I honestly feel zero regret. Not a single item on my wishlist is missing, and that kind of peace of mind is invaluable when you’re spending six figures on a car. I’d be a fool to invest that much into something that still feels incomplete in my eyes. In fact, the few times that happened to me over the years as I started to discover gaps or issues with my choice, I ended up selling the car almost immediately. Life is too short to drive something that isn’t a 10/10 for you personally. Sell and get the next best thing.

Hopefully I never reach a point where the market offers no car that truly excites me, but if that day comes, I’d rather keep what I may already have at that time than force myself into a compromise. I’ve always believed that once you’re fortunate enough to comfortably afford a purchase, money can solve almost everything, except buying the wrong thing for yourself. At the end of the day, if someone can afford a car that feels perfect in their own eyes, they should genuinely appreciate that. Not everyone gets that luxury, and life isn’t always fair or ideal so I get that and I know i should be grateful. And honestly, if all German manufacturers ever fully lose the plot and I end up with zero options, I’ll simply move on to Bentley. From my perspective, they’re currently on a fantastic trajectory and I hope they continue. In the meantime I can still enjoy similar perfection without spending 2X more. I just hate compromises. Thankfully, I’m not in a position where I look at the other side and feel jealous or feel like I’m missing something in my own car. I pray everyday for manufactures to stop the stupid trend that are taking with new cars.
Good for you! it is the complete opposite for me, for some reason I always have some sort of buyer's remorse when it comes to car purchases, no matter the model, it is either I wish I had better negotiation skills, I should had waited for next month's promo or should had bought last month when promo was better, should had got this colour, should had omit this option or should had get this option, missed a must have option, got an option that I never will ever use. Should had shopped around to see if my trade-in was higher, et cetera.

re: lemon yikes I been there done that, we don't have lemon law here in Canada so we are on our own, we also don't have diminished value claim if something happens either. We have something called CAMVAP better than nothing but still close to nothing.
I am happy that you got what you wanted with absolutely no regrets, enjoy it in good health.

Yes, hopefully that day doesn't come, I wish there is even more competition, it only benefits us consumers in the end.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 05:44 PM
  #309  
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Originally Posted by SW20S
Totally agree.

There are many different cars that I like, its in my nature to always have a wandering eye towards other things. Not really being indecisive there are just several good options. I have never had a car that did away with that urge I have to have something different. One of the many reasons why I lease.

I would posit for others that if there was no degree of "I kind of wish I had gotten that car" they wouldn't spend time and energy continuing to post on that car's forums once they have purchased the other car
Maybe I should try leasing come to think of it, I thought of the cons being mileage limitation but you can always buy more miles upfront, if I want to get rid of it in less than 1 year I can't (well I can buyout the vehicle then trade it in), for those who have a business can use it as a writeoff, or if the car wasn't something you want to keep you can just hand back the keys when you are done, always driving new cars and always in warranty, then there is the car doesn't belong to you (as in the ownership doesn't have your name) but does it really matter? I mean, sooner or later ride sharing will take over and "we own nothing and we will be happy" (will we actually?) all these subscriptions models... speaking of subscription models other than leasing I think Mercedes also had a subscription model of different tiers that allows you to drive different models for a fixed price. not really like Turo but also not completely off.

Please too enjoy what you have in good health : )
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Old May 15, 2026 | 05:46 PM
  #310  
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Maybe I should try leasing come to think of it, I thought of the cons being mileage limitation but you can always buy more miles upfront, if I want to get rid of it in less than 1 year I can't (well I can buyout the vehicle then trade it in), for those who have a business can use it as a writeoff, or if the car wasn't something you want to keep you can just hand back the keys when you are done, always driving new cars and always in warranty, then there is the car doesn't belong to you (as in the ownership doesn't have your name) but does it really matter? I mean, sooner or later ride sharing will take over and "we own nothing and we will be happy" (will we actually?) all these subscriptions models... speaking of subscription models other than leasing I think Mercedes also had a subscription model of different tiers that allows you to drive different models for a fixed price. not really like Turo but also not completely off.
Enjoy in good health : )
I have never turned in a car that I leased, I have always traded out so mileage issue has never been a problem for me. You can trade it in at any time its just going to cost you until you hit that moment where you can get out of it for your payoff. Never had a car I wanted to get out of early so thats never been an issue for me.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 05:47 PM
  #311  
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Originally Posted by SW20S
I have never turned in a car that I leased, I have always traded out so mileage issue has never been a problem for me. You can trade it in at any time its just going to cost you until you hit that moment where you can get out of it for your payoff. Never had a car I wanted to get out of early so thats never been an issue for me.
Good to know, the only thing keeping me away is that there is interest to leasing.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 08:13 PM
  #312  
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Good for you! it is the complete opposite for me, for some reason I always have some sort of buyer's remorse when it comes to car purchases, no matter the model, it is either I wish I had better negotiation skills, I should had waited for next month's promo or should had bought last month when promo was better, should had got this colour, should had omit this option or should had get this option, missed a must have option, got an option that I never will ever use. Should had shopped around to see if my trade-in was higher, et cetera.

re: lemon yikes I been there done that, we don't have lemon law here in Canada so we are on our own, we also don't have diminished value claim if something happens either. We have something called CAMVAP better than nothing but still close to nothing.
I am happy that you got what you wanted with absolutely no regrets, enjoy it in good health.

Yes, hopefully that day doesn't come, I wish there is even more competition, it only benefits us consumers in the end.
No, I think you’re fine if that’s the type of regret or wish that you mean. Wishing that you could’ve negotiated a better deal/incentives, or picked a different package is completely different from wishing a different car choice. I never regret paying more for something I genuinely consider a great product. That’s why I’d rather spend a relatively small amount renting/testing cars and lose that small money, yet fun experience, than end up buying a six-figure car and constantly thinking, I wish I had gotten this or that instead. That feeling is terrible. As for lemon law, honestly I don’t stress too much about it either. I’ve been lucky overall, and in my experience the German brands are generally pretty good at making things right even without strong lemon-law protections.

Last edited by S_W222; May 15, 2026 at 11:00 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 08:16 PM
  #313  
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Originally Posted by Streamliner
The current R232 SL is a beautiful design, but it shares almost nothing but the “SL” moniker with the previous generation. In that respect, I believe that they changed the car way too much. Instead of retaining the positive attributes of the R231’s, and fixing the negatives, they started with a clean sheet of paper and pretty much threw the baby out with the bath water, in my opinion. Isn’t that a pretty car?
Looking awesome!
What is this "MM" after the SL45 emblem!!!??
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Old May 15, 2026 | 09:45 PM
  #314  
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Good to know, the only thing keeping me away is that there is interest to leasing.
That there is!
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:20 PM
  #315  
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Originally Posted by S_W222

Hopefully I never reach a point where the market offers no car that truly excites me, but if that day comes, I’d rather keep what I may already have at that time than force myself into a compromise. I’ve always believed that once you’re fortunate enough to comfortably afford a purchase, money can solve almost everything, except buying the wrong thing for yourself.
Your post hit a nerve! I am hitting a point in my life where sadly I've run into the wall that you talked about here. I've owned the 2019 Audi A8L since new and have decided to keep it forever. Though I took delivery of a Rolls Royce Phantom a few months ago, I'm fairly certain I won't keep that forever. I also took delivery of a full size Range Rover and I might keep this one until the next body shape. There's nothing in the full size German sedan space that excites me anymore. I am a HUGE fan of the facelifted S class's exterior, and though the interior is a huge step forward from the pre-FL model, I just don't get the point of "just" another German sedan. Phantom is in a different World but I'm already getting a bit bored of it.

The issue though is parts availability. Both Mercedes and Audi no longer make parts for cars that are 20 years old so if you're keeping your car long term, well, let's enjoy the uphill battle together! I am curious to hear what owners think of the post FL W223 though once it comes around. There's a lot of cheap parts in it that's hard for me to get over and it's strange where JLR makes a better interior on the Range Rover than on the S class. However, an S class will always be an S class and the bean counters at Mercedes know it

That said - it's not so bad. If you find a car you love, keep it. It's a whole different relationship!

The reality is Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Lexus, et al, already hit the pinnacle of large sedan engineering maybe 10 or even 20 years ago. It's all mostly lipstick on a pig at this point and no one buys these things anymore which is a true...point of sadness for me. Is a W220 really that different noise, ride wise, etc than a W223? Honestly, no. It's not. But the tech evolves, etc, but the strange thing is this whole EV thing. Is it happening or not? I really hope not.

Last edited by superangrypenguin; May 15, 2026 at 10:34 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:23 PM
  #316  
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Range Rover has a great interior, may very well be my next car. Much nicer inside than the S Class or the current 7, hard to find any poor materials in the Range Rover.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:25 PM
  #317  
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Originally Posted by SW20S
Range Rover has a great interior, may very well be my next car. Much nicer inside than the S Class or the current 7, hard to find any poor materials in the Range Rover.
Yeah. I put 3000km on mine. I put a lot of thoughts & efforts into this thread so hopefully you find it useful: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...-size-3091224/

Savage Geese put out a review here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2XT...erovers.net%2F

I ran into a hard wall with thinking about what car to buy after the Audi A8L. I had a Ghost before so a Phantom seemed logical, but the 7 and S just didn't do it for me given the A8L already living as a garage queen. The Range Rover was and is an excellent purchase - the interior is what did it for me as was the ride quality and quietness.

Good luck with your next vehicle!
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:28 PM
  #318  
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PS there's a few A8L owners thinking about coming to the S as A8L production is sadly coming to an end. Many A8L owners own Range Rovers, so I think we're all in good company! It is just such a beautiful car and is the most beautiful I've ever owned.

Last edited by superangrypenguin; May 15, 2026 at 10:44 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:49 PM
  #319  
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
Your post hit a nerve! I am hitting a point in my life where sadly I've run into the wall that you talked about here. I've owned the 2019 Audi A8L since new and have decided to keep it forever. Though I took delivery of a Rolls Royce Phantom a few months ago,.... There's nothing in the full size German sedan space that excites me anymore.
....
I am curious to hear what owners think of the post FL W223 though once it comes around. There's a lot of cheap parts in it that's hard for me to get over and it's strange where JLR makes a better interior on the Range Rover than on the S class.
That said - it's not so bad. If you find a car you love, keep it. It's a whole different relationship!
.
Right??!!
Congrats on the RR Phantom btw. Sounds like you were able to afford and find a great car instead of forcing yourself into any disappointing option from what's available around. I relate to that a lot because the problem lately is not that cars are bad, it’s that almost everything comes with some major compromise somewhere, and that leaves couple options I can count on one hand even if money isn't a factor!.

Regarding your SUV, you said full-size Range Rover so I assume that's RR but not the Sport?. The full-size Autobiography has great presence despite the short amount of time I spent real time in this model, but awesome SUV. However, I was very disappointed by the RR Sport. It's a cheap dressed up RR like the other lower tier models, and to me I found that without the Stormer Handling Pack it drove really bad to me. I've been spoiled recently driving more cars with E-ABC, DHP, autobahnn rear steer, active anti-roll systems, etc., and the like and that makes base air suspension systems drive really bad relatively speaking... and you start noticing poor chassis behavior immediately. Not sure however what kind of suspension that full size range rover autobiography comes with (and am not sure what package it had but I know it was autobiography trim), but that one drove really nice and reminded me of my former X7!

I also would not be surprised if I slowly exit the German sedan world entirely within a few years. Lately I’ve been hunting for a weekend coupe myself and keep coming back to the Bentley Continental GT and I think I might pull the trigger as soon as I find the right one. It’s been an itch for years and at some point you either scratch it or keep pretending the current market excites you when it really doesn’t, and I always do the first. You asked me about the the FL W223… honestly I’m not sure I even want to answer the question because am not even excited to see it after my observations in the pre-FL and the time I spent around that one. That says a lot considering what the S used to mean to me with several models I owned over the years. I’ll still check it out but only for fun, but after spending enough time in the pre-FL around all the plastic trim like you said, and worse was creaks, rattles, and cost-cutting, it completely killed the magic for me and I was disappointed. Even the C class loaners I got didn't have that many creaks in the past. The interior alone was a no-go but when combined with that quality it was a shock to me. For the FL, the interior is an improvement as the full-glass dash setup is visually more cohesive than the original cheap looking iPad glued to dashboard look, so yes it’s technically an improvement, but improving a weak baseline still leaves you with the same underlying issue.

What really caught my attention though is your comment about your Phantom though. Curious how come you are bored in a Phantom :O

Last edited by S_W222; May 15, 2026 at 11:09 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 10:59 PM
  #320  
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Originally Posted by S_W222
Right??!!
Congrats on the RR Phantom btw. Sounds like you were able to afford and find a great car instead of forcing yourself into any disappointing option from what's available around. I relate to that a lot because the problem lately is not that cars are bad, it’s that almost everything comes with some major compromise somewhere, and that leaves couple options I can count on one hand even if money isn't a factor!.

Regarding your SUV, you said full-size Range Rover so I assume that's RR but not the Sport?. The full-size Autobiography has great presence despite the short amount of time I spent real time in this model, but awesome SUV. However, I was very disappointed by the RR Sport. It's a cheap dressed up RR like the other tier model, and to me I found that without the Stormer Handling Pack it drove really bad to me. I've been spoiled recently driving more cars with E-ABC, DHP, autobahnn rear steer, active anti-roll systems, etc., and the like and that makes base ais suspension cars drive really bad relatively speaking. and you start noticing chassis behavior immediately. Not sure however what kind of suspension that full size range rover autobiography comes with (and am not sure what package it had but I know it was autobiography trim), but that one drove really nice and reminded me of my former X7!

I also would not be surprised if I slowly exit the German sedan world entirely within a few years. Lately I’ve been hunting for a weekend coupe myself and keep coming back to the Bentley Continental GT and I think I might pull the trigger as soon as I find the right one. It’s been an itch for years and at some point you either scratch it or keep pretending the current market excites you when it really doesn’t, and I always do the first. You asked me about the the FL W223… honestly I’m not sure I even want to answer the question because am not even excited to see it after my observations in the pre-FL and the time I spent around that one. That says a lot considering what the S used to mean to me with several models I owned over the years. I’ll still check it out but only for fun, but after spending enough time in the pre-FL around all the plastic trim like you said, and worse was creaks, rattles, and cost-cutting, it completely killed the magic for me and I was disappointed. I assume you noticed the same plastic issues. Even the C class owners didn't have that many creaks in the past. The interior alone was a no-go but when combined with that quality it was a shock to me. For the FL, the interior is an improvement as the full-glass dash setup is visually more cohesive than the original cheap looking iPad glued to dashboard look, so yes it’s technically an improvement, but improving a weak baseline still leaves you with the same underlying issue.

What really caught my attention though is your comment about your Phantom though. Curious how come you are bored in a Phantom :O
Thank you!

Any comment I make about the Phantom is a humble brag so I will respectfully dodge that question other than to say, it is what people think it is, and perhaps more. Yes, I have the full size Range Rover. No, I do not have the Autobiography or the SV. Many of the executive German sedan owners such as myself are active on this board here: https://www.rangerovers.net/forums/r...rk-v-l460.229/

I will just make a blanket statement here as there are a lot of S class aficionados and my intent is not to **** anyone off. There is no such thing as replacing a large German executive sedan with any vehicle in an SUV form factor. There are tradeoffs to a Range Rover from a S class or A8L, etc. There are also benefits (presence, height, looking down on....ok I'll stop there). Like I said previously, the Audi A8L is going with me to my grave. If I had an S class, I'd probably do the same. The Range Rover is not a replacement to the S, or the A8L. They are complementary vehicles that serve different functions.

You can kit out a full size Range Rover with Dynamic Response Pro that has active anti roll bars, yes. You can also kit it out with 21" rims like I have to maximize ride quality. There's a lot of customization that can be had with Range Rover, but like I said earlier. If you're looking for it to replace your existing S, you will be left lacking. If you're looking for another vehicle that has a different personality, I think you'll be thrilled like I am.

I have driven Cullinan multiple times. I couldn't justify it as it's not that far off from a Range Rover (other than the interior build quality which is on a different World but I already have a Phantom).

It sounds like ride quality is your thing. There is 0 competition out there that rides, in an SUV form factor, as the Range Rover, inclusive of Cullinan because of Rolls Royce's crazy love of large rims. However, it doesn't beat my Phantom or my A8L.

Last edited by superangrypenguin; May 15, 2026 at 11:05 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 11:04 PM
  #321  
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
Thank you!

Any comment I make about the Phantom is a humble brag so I will respectfully dodge that question other than to say, it is what people think it is, and perhaps more. Yes, I have the full size Range Rover. No, I do not have the Autobiography or the SV. Many of the executive German sedan owners such as myself are active on this board here: https://www.rangerovers.net/forums/r...rk-v-l460.229/

I will just make a blanket statement here as there are a lot of S class aficionados and my intent is not to **** anyone off. There is no such thing as replacing a large German executive sedan with any vehicle in an SUV form factor. There are tradeoffs to a Range Rover from a S class or A8L, etc. There are also benefits (presence, height, looking down on....ok I'll stop there). Like I said previously, the Audi A8L is going with me to my grave. If I had an S class, I'd probably do the same. The Range Rover is not a replacement to the S, or the A8L. They are complementary vehicles that serve different functions.

You can kit out a full size Range Rover with Dynamic Response Pro that has active anti roll bars, yes. You can also kit it out with 21" rims like I have to maximize ride quality. There's a lot of customization that can be had with Range Rover, but like I said earlier. If you're looking for it to replace your existing S, you will be left lacking. If you're looking for another vehicle that has a different personality, I think you'll be thrilled like I am.

I have driven Cullinan multiple times. I couldn't justify it as it's not that far off from a Range Rover (other than the interior build quality which is on a different World but I already have a Phantom).
You are awesome. I just sent you a message too. Regarding SUVs, I'd never ever replace my daily sedan with an SUV no matter what. There is just no comparison. SUV will always be there, but my main daily will always be an executive sedan.
If I have one OCD, it is actually cabin noises and ride quality.

Last edited by S_W222; May 15, 2026 at 11:07 PM.
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Old May 15, 2026 | 11:42 PM
  #322  
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Originally Posted by S_W222
Looking awesome!
What is this "MM" after the SL45 emblem!!!??
Oh, that’s just me being silly.

After reading numerous reviews on the refreshed R231 SL’s, where the reviewer actually preferred the V6 SL450 over the V8 SL550, I test drove both models back to back several times. I decided on the 450 because the lighter engine gave the car a much nicer ride & handling, just as the reviewers had said. I ordered my car with ABC—an option almost never seen on the lowly V6–resulting in “THE” best riding convertible I have ever driven.

After my self imposed 1,000 mile break-in period, I took the car out to a nice, long, deserted road, came to a complete stop and floored it. I was so absolutely amazed at how the little V6 just screamed up through the gears that I started calling the car “Mighty Mouse.”

Shortly after taking delivery, I did something truly crazy and installed AMG Carbon Ceramic brakes, along with AMG forged wheels. So, I figured that the car was unique enough to warrant a special model designation. Having always been a fan of the Ferrari 275MM cars, I decided to rebrand my little car as SL45MM. Instead of the MM standing for Mille Miglia as on the Ferrari, mine stands for Mighty Mouse. These are “End of An Era” cars, the last relatively simple, retractable hardtop, ultra luxurious cruisers. We will never see the likes of these again.




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Old May 15, 2026 | 11:54 PM
  #323  
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2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
………….That said - it's not so bad. If you find a car you love, keep it. It's a whole different relationship!…………….
Well, unfortunately, cars that are driven daily deteriorate—especially current & recent production models that rely so heavily on technology. So, I like to have a new daily driver every three years or so. Cars have become appliances and they are designed, I believe, to pretty much “self destruct” after six to eight years. So, I bite the bullet and just pay the automaker for the best part of the vehicle’s lifespan and then give it back to them.
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Old May 16, 2026 | 01:06 AM
  #324  
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
Thank you!

Any comment I make about the Phantom is a humble brag so I will respectfully dodge that question other than to say, it is what people think it is, and perhaps more. Yes, I have the full size Range Rover. No, I do not have the Autobiography or the SV. Many of the executive German sedan owners such as myself are active on this board here: https://www.rangerovers.net/forums/r...rk-v-l460.229/
You don't even need to go to the Autobiography to get the great interior on a Range Rover, they all are very high quality.

The Sport is also very nice inside but not as nice as the full Range Rover.

Like you said no SUV fully delivers the same ride and drive as a sedan but the Range Rover comes the closest
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Old May 16, 2026 | 07:33 AM
  #325  
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Originally Posted by S_W222
No, I think you’re fine if that’s the type of regret or wish that you mean. Wishing that you could’ve negotiated a better deal/incentives, or picked a different package is completely different from wishing a different car choice. I never regret paying more for something I genuinely consider a great product. That’s why I’d rather spend a relatively small amount renting/testing cars and lose that small money, yet fun experience, than end up buying a six-figure car and constantly thinking, I wish I had gotten this or that instead. That feeling is terrible. As for lemon law, honestly I don’t stress too much about it either. I’ve been lucky overall, and in my experience the German brands are generally pretty good at making things right even without strong lemon-law protections.
Renting and testing is nice but that is not an option here. Even if it was it probably won't have the specs I wanted/needed, it will have lots of miles as in the vehicle might had been abused (suspension may be damaged) so can not have a real feel of how the ride is, etc. As for that type of regret, it is not just that, I've had purchased a fair share of models I regret over the years not just overpaid. Still beating myself for not going with the 0% financing that we discussed about in another thread, haha. Thanks for your reply.
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