Why should you buy Mercedes Benz S Class facelift

Mercedes-Benz has launched the facelifted version of the S-Class in India and has priced it at Rs 1.33 crores for S350 d and Rs 1.37 crores for the S450 petrol. It’s a mid-life update for the S-Class and the big selling point this time around is that its inline-6 diesel engine is one of the first vehicles in India to sport a BS-VI compliant motor.

What’s good about it?
As a mid-life update, there are cosmetic changes both on the inside and outside and these have just made the S-Class better looking than it already was. Soft lines now appear to be passé and so the new headlamp, tail lamps and bumper design add that little extra touch of sportiness which customers have begun to demand these days.
Then there is also the fact that the S-Class as a car is a pioneer when it comes to introducing new technologies that we can expect to see in our ‘lower priced’ cars within the next 10 years. I mean literally, it has got everything one would want in a luxury car including, and this is a big one, Radar-based systems! Branded under the ‘Active’ moniker, this list includes cruise control, steering assist, braking assist and blind spot assist.

What’s bad about it?
It’s hard to tell really. I mean the S-Class as a model is globally one of the standards for what one should expect from a luxury car. If something is considered as a standard then it is hard to imagine finding faults. But if I had to nitpick, I would say that it is too huge. We only get the LWB S-Class in India and so at 5.2-meters, it dwarfs practically anything that will stand beside it. To be honest, that’s really not a problem as most S-Class cars in India are chauffeur driven.

The best variant to buy
Well…this conundrum is more to do with whether one needs a diesel or a petrol model.  For, both the S350d and S450 are very evenly matched in terms of features and design.

Quick facts
Prices
S-Class S350d Rs 1.33 crores
S-Class S450 Rs 1.37 crores
Specifications
2996cc-Inline-6 Diesel, 286 bhp, 600Nm
2996cc, V6 Petrol, 367 bhp, 500Nm

Did you know?
While airbags have begun to gain prominence in India only since the past few years, the S-Class, in the W126 generation, introduced the driver’s side airbag as a standard fitment in 1985 and the passenger side airbag in 1989.