As Good Taste Ages Gracefully
What is it about a Mercedes-Benz that makes it feel as if it's worth much more than any of its peers? I'm sitting here
inside an S500 and other than a few extremely nice design elements it isn't more elegant than a Lexus LS 430. From the outside it's not any prettier than an Audi A8, and when it comes to power and handling dynamics it doesn't measure up to BMW's 7. I hate to admit it, but it's probably that three-pointed star protruding above the grille that makes all the difference. I've either driven or been driven in M-Bs since the mid-1960s, and have always held a special reverence for that badge even at the tender age of seven when being taxied in a late '60s SEL at high speed over the undulating roadway of dikes and dips on the way from Amsterdam to Schiphol.
Going back to Germany now and the airport taxi stands are filled with cream yellow E Class cabs, a strange site for North
Americans who are used to only seeing Mercedes models in front of ritzy stores, exclusive clubs and fancy houses in good neighborhoods. What I like best about the S-Class is its understated elegance. It's not showy like the 7, not racy like the A8, hardly frumpy like the LS and isn't overly indulgent like the XJ. Even though the S-Class' styling is the oldest of the lot, it still looks wonderfully up to date, its clean, uncluttered lines among the best of the lot.
Nevertheless, the long-running model is due to be replaced soon and the spy shots that I've seen point to a much more sporting design statement, but without any of the "different for the sake of being different" controversy that has surrounded some new BMWs and upcoming Audis.
What is it about a Mercedes-Benz that makes it feel as if it's worth much more than any of its peers? I'm sitting here
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| Compared to its competitors, the S-Class isn't better equipped or more performance-oriented, but its graceful lines and that three-pointed star protruding from atop the grille makes up for a lot. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Going back to Germany now and the airport taxi stands are filled with cream yellow E Class cabs, a strange site for North
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| For me, the best aspect of the S-Class is its understated elegance. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
Nevertheless, the long-running model is due to be replaced soon and the spy shots that I've seen point to a much more sporting design statement, but without any of the "different for the sake of being different" controversy that has surrounded some new BMWs and upcoming Audis.