Now for some peace and quiet
If you can afford it, there is nothing better than a Mercedes S-Class to relax with. If you have a ridiculously-busy lifestyle, and never have the time to lower your level of stress, here's a car that will probably help you settle down a bit.
This week, I'm so relaxed that I'm unrecognizable.
Silence and serenity
Sit in the S550, turn the key and ignite that engine. We can barely hear it, but we know it's there, just waiting for us to prod it. The driver's seat and steering wheel move to our predetermined position. The music comes on gradually, even if we forgot to turn down Pachelbel's Canon when we last exited the car; nothing will needlessly startle us.
There's more buttons inside than in an airport control tower. And apart from a couple that have drawings which leave us scratching our heads, we rapidly get used to this workplace.
Push the transmission selector downwards, and move away. You can barely hear the car in motion; of course, if you squish the gas pedal to the floor, you'll hear the distant roar of the silky-smooth V8. On the highway, it's total silence: while I'm cruising along at 110 km/h, I can hear my watch ticking. Apart from a little tire noise, the cockpit is exceptionally quiet.
Mucho technology
Obviously, there is an overload of gadgets, like in every high-priced luxury sedan. In the instrument panel, there are real dials with needles for the tachometer as well as the fuel and temperature gauges, but the speedometer is actually an LCD screen that simulates a conventional analog setup. Why? Doing so creates a space right in its center for displaying information such as song title or radio station, navigation system directions or fuel consumption, for example.
In addition, this S550 tester is equipped with the night vision device, and when activated, the speedo's screen is replaced by a clear, black-and-white picture of the road ahead. Is this really necessary? Not really, but it can be useful in certain situations, since the display highlights luminous and reflective objects, like animal eyes or road signs.
If you can afford it, there is nothing better than a Mercedes S-Class to relax with. If you have a ridiculously-busy lifestyle, and never have the time to lower your level of stress, here's a car that will probably help you settle down a bit.
This week, I'm so relaxed that I'm unrecognizable.
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| The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is all about comfort. |
Silence and serenity
Sit in the S550, turn the key and ignite that engine. We can barely hear it, but we know it's there, just waiting for us to prod it. The driver's seat and steering wheel move to our predetermined position. The music comes on gradually, even if we forgot to turn down Pachelbel's Canon when we last exited the car; nothing will needlessly startle us.
There's more buttons inside than in an airport control tower. And apart from a couple that have drawings which leave us scratching our heads, we rapidly get used to this workplace.
Push the transmission selector downwards, and move away. You can barely hear the car in motion; of course, if you squish the gas pedal to the floor, you'll hear the distant roar of the silky-smooth V8. On the highway, it's total silence: while I'm cruising along at 110 km/h, I can hear my watch ticking. Apart from a little tire noise, the cockpit is exceptionally quiet.
Mucho technology
Obviously, there is an overload of gadgets, like in every high-priced luxury sedan. In the instrument panel, there are real dials with needles for the tachometer as well as the fuel and temperature gauges, but the speedometer is actually an LCD screen that simulates a conventional analog setup. Why? Doing so creates a space right in its center for displaying information such as song title or radio station, navigation system directions or fuel consumption, for example.
In addition, this S550 tester is equipped with the night vision device, and when activated, the speedo's screen is replaced by a clear, black-and-white picture of the road ahead. Is this really necessary? Not really, but it can be useful in certain situations, since the display highlights luminous and reflective objects, like animal eyes or road signs.
 |
| The speedometer is actually an LCD screen. |