It has been a number of years since I have driven a vehicle with a price tag over $100,000 but it was well worth the wait. I had the opportunity to experience such a car with one of Mercedes-Benz top-of-the-line models – the S550 long wheel-base.
As I mentioned it had been a long time since I had driven such an expensive car, so for the first 30-minutes driving the car I was very nervous that someone might hit this fine crafted vehicle. After I became familiar with the car and the way it handled and behaved, I became more and more comfortable and realized this car was something really different.
Let’s get something out of the way first; there isn’t a regular option this car does not have as standard equipment and even has a whole lot more interesting features that even I couldn’t list. But what I really was amused with was the oscillating seat cushions in the back of the driver’s seat that kept you upright during cornering.
As for styling, the Mercedes S550 has a very aerodynamic shape that many other companies have copied. I have to honestly say I like the pleasing lines and the shape as it is not too outlandish giving the car a classy look unique to the 550 line.
Proper seating and comfort is what you will find getting into the 550. Let me say that if you can’t find a comfortable seating position in this car, you might think about giving up driving. The seats offered great support as well as cradling you in like a seat in a fine sports car.
Despite how long I drove the car, my back was never fatigued, which is something I can’t say about some of the cars I test. As for the back seats, well my test car had the optional premium seating option, which made the rear seats more comfortable than most vehicles front seats – truly a great engineering feat considering what you are working with in the back of a car.
Getting yourself oriented to the controls of this Mercedes was pretty easy compared to some hi-tech cars in this price range. For example, seat controls are clearly marked on the door as are seat heating and cooling. Other controls like the sound system are well marked and relatively easy-to-use. The only odd thing was the location of the drive/reverse controls, which were back up on the steering column like the older models, but as they say “what goes around comes around.”
Under the hood you will find a 4.6L V8 with a 7-speed automatic transmission, which powers all four wheels with 429hp
at about 5000rpm. For a car that weighs in at about 2500kg it can accelerate to 100kph in just 5 seconds, which is faster than many sports or muscle cars that weigh much less. I have to say the more familiar I became with the car, the more I tended to drive the car to its sporty limits and it never let me down, as it gripped every corner like it was glued to the road. Even in the cooler weather I experienced, the 200 series 19-inch tires all around never lost their grip.
As I mentioned before my test car was equipped with only one option the rear seating option that boosted the cars price to $133,300 from the base $128,500. Of the all the cars I have driven over the years S550 4MATIC is the definition of luxury and sporty handling other sports and luxury cars will have to strive to and as we know competition can only make things better.
By Glen Konorowski