Launches & Reviews Review South Africa

2018 Mercedes-Benz S450 is "affordable" cake that you can eat

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a luxury favourite in the large sedan market, competing with finesse and ease against some competent and strong rivals. For 2018, the S-Class gets a bit of a refresh and introduces the new 2018 S450 model as the entry mark for the large sedan's line.
“Let them eat cake.” If Marie-Antoinette really had said that phrase, she would have said it from a Mercedes-Benz S450 (Credit: Aaron Turpen / New Atlas)
“Let them eat cake.” If Marie-Antoinette really had said that phrase, she would have said it from a Mercedes-Benz S450 (Credit: Aaron Turpen / New Atlas)

The big 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-450 may be the new base model in the S-Class lineup, but it's bringing true pampering to the more well-off masses as such.

Standard features include an air-ride adaptive suspension, soft-close doors, a virtual instrument cluster, leather upholstery, and lots of technologies and driver's aids. We'd also recommend upgrading to add the Premium package with its Energising Comfort system that blends massaging seats, heating, ventilation, and an air fragrancer to add to the ambience. These all go well with the already-standard 16-way power seating up front.

Those who want the back seat to be just as creme should opt for the Executive Rear Seat Plus package with its right rear seat ottoman, massage functions, and more. Airline-style flip-out service trays, wireless charging, and rear seat entertainment control are also in that package. You may never hear from that back seat driver again, with all of those goodies to distract.

The adaptive chassis system rolls into curves and releases off the acceleration well, giving a very predictable and stable feel to the Mercedes-Benz S450 (Credit: Mercedes-Benz)
The adaptive chassis system rolls into curves and releases off the acceleration well, giving a very predictable and stable feel to the Mercedes-Benz S450 (Credit: Mercedes-Benz)

"Let them eat cake." If Marie-Antoinette really had said that phrase, she would have said it from a Mercedes-Benz S450. When driving a svelte machine like this one, it's almost possible to forget that the rest of the world is tooling around in far less classy machines. The 2018 S450 is the Bugatti Royale against today's Model Ts.

All of that over-the-top luxury aside, though, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S450 is a great sedan. For the driver, it offers solid dynamics, strong acceleration, and a beautiful experience behind the wheel. A turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine outputs 362 horsepower (270kW) and 359 pound-feet (487Nm) of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard, through a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive ("4Matic") is available.

The engine in the S450 responds wonderfully to the throttle press, launching with minimal turbo lag and lots of forward motion...

Continue reading the full article on New Atlas.

Source: New Atlas

New Atlas is about the amazing potential of human endeavour. From DNA-scanning smartphones to the latest advances in autonomous transport, New Atlas examines how new discoveries, products and technological innovations affect our ability to interact with and understand the people around us and the world we share.

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About Aaron Turpen

Aaron is an automotive journalist living in Wyoming, USA. His background includes commercial transportation, computer science, and a lot of adventures that begin with the phrase "the law is a pretty good suggestion, I guess." His automotive focus is on consumer interest and both electronic and engineering technology. Outside of New Atlas, Aaron is a prolific writer, father of two, and would-be chicken farmer.
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