The Star: November 04, 2021

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Thursday November 4 2021 The Star 29
Find a chauffeur for your limousine
TURBOCHARGING sixcylinder
engines hasn’t been a
widely used mechanism to power
motor vehicles.
Sure, there have been some
notables – Nissan GTR, Toyota
Supra, BMW M3, Ford Falcon
XR6 and Typhoon, Kia Stinger
and, of course, many Porsche
models.
In recent years Mercedes-
Benz entered into a massive
engineering programme,
the result is the addition of a
turbocharger to a brand new
engine line-up, inline six-cylinder
units. I see this as significant
because that configuration has,
for the long-term, always been
the dominant layout of Mercedes-
Benz’s engineering practice.
Of course, for a period of
around 10 years Mercedes-Benz
shied away from that concept,
replacing its inline-six with a
V6; well, the V6 is still available
in some models, but today there
is an ever-increasing number of
inline engines flowing through
the brand.
My latest drive with the new
layout was in the limousine-like
S-Class, the 450 4Matic to be
exact, a full-size sedan that reeks
of luxury and performance. More
so the former, because everything
that goes into the model goes
into it with an emphasis on
refinement and sophistication.
Some might argue the S-Class
is for those who like to be
chauffeur driven, but it’s also a
driver’s car and it has the features
that press-on drivers can relate to,
it is very involving from behind
the wheel.
Those who do get to drive the
S450 on a daily basis will discover
the driver assistance system that
almost pre-empts where and
how you travel and alters some
of the controls accordingly. It’s
not invasive, but they are there
to smooth the process according
to the road ahead. Certainly,
the software is edging towards
autonomous driving.
The S450 is priced at $215,000
($235,900 long-wheelbase), so it’s
not a purchase you would rush
into, but it is a desirable product
and is built with all the kit and
quality you’d expect from this
famous European manufacturer.
The evaluation car was also
carrying quite a few extra cost
features which took the budget to
$257,340.
Under the bonnet sits the
big six-potter. It is a 3-litre unit
and is rated by Mercedes-Benz
with 270kW. There’s also a beefy
500Nm to play around with, and
combined they provide a sizeable
amount of grunt. The power
outputs are realised at 5500rpm
and 1800rpm respectively,that
is characteristic of turbocharged
engines, the torque flow comes in
from low down and it is a strong
boost, failing to wilt until the
redline (6300rpm) is reached.
A lot of that constant flow of
delivery is thanks to the fitment
of a nine-speed automatic
transmission. While that seems
SLEEK: Short or long-wheelbase options for the S450.
MERCEDES-BENZ S450: Large luxury sedan that pampers its occupants.
like a lot of gears, and I guess it is,
the benefit is seamless transition,
the gearshifts are impossible to
detect, and with a steady flow of
ratios the engine is constantly
working in an area where the
torque structure is delivered at its
best.
As I’ve mentioned, the S450 is
big at almost 5.2m that you would
normally translate to heavy, but
that is far from the case, the
S450 has a large percentage of
aluminium components and
panels, so at 1915kg there isn’t a
lot of bulk to shift.
Add in the strength of the
engine and a vivid standstill
to 100km/h acceleration time
of 5.1sec is achievable. It will
also blast through a highway
overtake in 3.9sec, responding
to accelerator pressure with a
lusty, vibrant reaction. Not only
is the big six a delight when given
some freedom, it is supremely
quiet, you really have to listen
for engine sound, even when it is
nearing the redline.
The engine works freely,
consequently I was pleasantly
surprised to note the fuel usage
gauge was reading 9.2-litres per
100km average when I returned
the S450 to the dealership
which is against Mercedes-
Benz’s combined cycle claim
of 8.2l/100km. For the record,
when travelling at 100km/h
the engine is spinning over
at just1300rpm returning an
amazing instantaneous figure of
• Price – Mercedes-Benz
S450 4Matic, $215,000
• Dimensions – Length,
5180mm; width, 1921mm;
height, 1503mm
• Configuration – Sixcylinder,
four-wheel-drive,
2996cc, 270kW, 500Nm,
nine-speed automatic
• Performance – 0-100km/h,
5.1sec
• Fuel usage – 8.2l/100km
6l/100km.
On my usual highway loop
the big S450 simply cruised with
comfortable dignity, it is quiet
and refined, there’s barely a sound
to be heard and the in-cabin area
is kind to all occupants.
A lot of that has to do with the
quality of the air suspension. If
you haven’t had the experience
with air then you are missing out
on a treat. The S450 glides over
bumps and ruts and delivers a
purposeful handling experience.
Riding on huge 20in Bridgestone
tyres steerage is precise and continuously
accurate, responding
to minute changes in direction
willingly.
The S450 comes with an
impressive array of gear for
comfort and convenience, and
the layout is typically Mercedes-
Benz with a big emphasis on
digital readouts. The screen in
the centre console is almost as
big as the Kiddie-family’s lounge
TV. The functions are deep but
relatively intuitive.
My daughter particularly
liked exploring the energising
package fitted as an option
to the evaluation car. Its seat
heating and massage system was
described as heavenly. She also
liked the way you could inject
different smells into the car, such
as the seaside odour you get at
the beach.
The S450 is a clever piece of kit,
it’s also described by Mercedes-
Benz as being a mild hybrid.
Don’t be confused with that, the
hybrid system has nothing to do
with the drive process. Instead,
it is a 48v power system which
drives many of the ancillaries
and takes the load off the engine,
creating greater fuel economy in
that respect.
If you have ever driven a
turbo-six then you’ll know why
it’s a been pretty much the best
kept secret over the years, the
smooth flow of solid power and
silky smooth delivery is a key
ingredient.
However, if that is not the
engine for your and you want
the ultimate in limousine travel,
the long-wheelbase S580 with its
4-litre V8 is also in Mercedes-
Benz’s books, but it will set you
back $291,700. I can’t think
of any other car that the word
luxury fits with better, the S-Class
is definitely a rival for the well
respected Rolls-Royce and
Bentley brands.
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