#2 Mercedes Benz S Class W222 launched in Malaysia

     For an automative buff like me, hearing the news of an imminent launching of a new car model is already tempting enough. After the long anticipation, the latest flagship of the Mercedes Benz S Class finally made its debut in Malaysia last month. Among the three other variants  available are the S 500, S 63 AMG as well as the S 400 petrol.

The S 400 Hybrid, which is powered by a 3.5 litre V6 CGI engine as found in the S 350 CGI, with 306 hp at 6,500 rpm and 370 Nm and 3,500 to 5,250 rpm; it is paired with a 27 hp and 250 Nm electric motor integrated between the engine and the 7G-Tronic Plus gearbox. Performance figures include a 0-100 km/h time of 6.8 seconds, a 250 km/h top speed and a combined fuel consumption of 6.3 litres per 100 km.

The S 500 wears a 4.6 litre V8 offering 455 hp at 5,250 rpm and 700 Nm at 1,800 to 3,500 rpm, and it will manage to get to 100 km/h from standstill in 4.8 seconds, with combined fuel consumption rated at 8.6 litres per 100 km. As for the S 63 AMG, its 5.4 litre V8 is good for 585 hp and 900 Nm, and it’ll do the century dash in 4.4 seconds.

The Malaysian W222 will get LED Intelligent Light System headlamps as standard, and likewise, a 590-watt, 13-speaker Burmester Surround Sound audio system is fitted in place of the base 10-speaker system. The S 400 Hybrid will be equipped with an Airmatic suspension, while the S 500 will come with Magic Body Control. The system – an option for eight-cylinder models, but ticked for the Malaysian model – adjusts the hydraulic suspension automatically in anticipation of uneven terrain. The interior features a double screen instrumentation binnacle design, with 12.3-inch high resolution TFT screens in 8:3 aspect ratio utilised for both displays.

     
As for space, the W222 offers 12 mm extra headroom, 14 mm more shoulder room and 10 mm more elbow room for the front occupants, as well as additional 14 mm in rear knee room and 9 mm increased shoulder room for the rear occupants, despite the wheelbase dimensions remaining the same as the outgoing W221 long wheelbase model. A total of five different configurations for the rear seat are available for the V222 long wheelbase model, with the top of the line being an Executive seat, with a backrest angle adjustable by up to 43.5 degrees, allowing occupants in the rear to concentrate on work or relax in comfort. The rear seat configuration for Malaysia is a three-seater one.

     
The locally-assembled S 400 Hybrid will go for under RM900k. Pricing for the S 500, meanwhile, starts from RM1.08 million, while that for the S 63 AMG begins from RM1.6 million.

Source: http://www.paultan.org