S-Class gets V12 engine, upgrades
31 July 2002: A revised version of the S-Class Mercedes-Benz which goes on sale in the autumn incorporates a new 500bhp 12-cylinder engine in its powerplant lineup. And the other engines available in the vehicle are all uprated from their current power outputs.
The car will also be the first in the world to have a preventive occupant protection system from Mercedes-Benz, Pre-Safe, which can detect the threat of a collision in advance and initiate preventive measures to prepare the occupants and vehicle for impact.
The current S320 will become the S350 with a new V6 engine developing 245bhp. The six-cylinder S 320 CDI diesel power plant gets a power output of 204bhp (previously 197bhp).
The S-Class Mercedes enjoys a market share of between 40 and 58 per cent in its segment in the major economic regions, and over 325,000 have been sold since production launch at the end of 1998.
Discreet body detail changes for 2003 include a new-look lower air intake, modifications to the radiator grille, and a clear glass look to the headlights. The exterior mirror casings and tail lights are also changed.
Inside the S-Class, over 40 features have been either redesigned or made from new materials and customers can opt for an exclusive interior appointments package called designo couture, including high-grade nappa and nubuk leather varieties, trim parts carved from the finest poplar or maple wood as well as an interior roof lining decked out in Alcantara.
Preventive occupant protection features include seat belts that can be tensioned within a split second so as to ensure that the driver and the front passenger are in the best possible sitting position before a crash occurs, enabling optimum deployment of the airbags upon impact. At the same time, Pre-Safe moves the front passenger seat and the electrically adjustable individual seats for the rear passengers into their optimum positions and closes the sunroof automatically when the vehicle begins to skid.
Mercedes accident research has shown that, in about two thirds of all road accidents, there is a relatively long period of time between the moment an imminent collision is detected and the moment the collision actually occurs. In future Mercedes-Benz will use this research to implement preventive protection measures which can further reduce the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Pre-Safe uses sensors in the ESP® Electronic Stability Program and the Brake Assist system, which warn against critical situations. The system components are reversible: for instance, if the collision is avoided at the last moment, the preventive belt tensioners are released automatically so that the occupants can reset the seats and sunroof to their original positions.
The COMAND (Cockpit Management and Navigation Display) system is now standard in all S-Class models. Compared to its predecessor, the current system has a larger colour display (6.5") in 16:9 format.
Mercedes-Benz has totally remodified the S-Class seats – introducing a softer design and new upholstery technology – to give the driver and front passenger even greater seat comfort than previously. The new drive-dynamic multicontour seat – now available as an option for the S-Class – has a series of integrated air chambers which are inflated or deflated according to steering angle, lateral acceleration and road speed. When the vehicle enters a left-hand bend, for example, the system pumps more air into the chambers on the right-hand side of the backrest, thus ensuring greater lateral support for the seat occupant.
July 2002