Review
2014 Mercedes S-Class Coupe
There is a rich tradition at Mercedes that dates back to the 1950s with the post-war 300 S Coupé for making stately and elegant luxury coupes. “A car for the world’s elite” was the opinion of the car press at the time. We drove its contemporary descendant: the brand new S-Class 500 Coupé, and thus got a glimpse of the future.
The S-Class Coupé replaces the CL-Class launched in 2006. This car with a rich pedigree has been recreated based on a recipe that consists of a number of essential building blocks: an elegant and refined design that exudes uncompromising class, exclusive, luxurious and far ahead of its time in terms of technology and innovation.
Hot stone massage
Just like the S-Class sedan, the S Coupé is equipped with numerous systems aimed at making driving as pleasant and safe as possible. For example, with the optional active multicontour seats you can choose from massage programs based on hot-stone massage including heat. With the optional air balance package you can give the S Coupé an individual scent and you can also adjust the color of the interior lighting to your personal taste. The optional 360° camera allows you to display the car in its surroundings thanks to 4 cameras. Handy, for example, to avoid hitting the curb when parking. There is also a reversing camera with dynamic guide lines in the display that indicate where the car is moving. There also seems to be no end to the options list in the field of safety systems. There is collision prevention assist plus, to name just one example. This system recognizes the risk of a collision and first warns the driver. If it does not respond in time, the system will brake the car autonomously to prevent a collision. And this goes on and on.
Ssshhht
One of the objectives that the engineers had in mind when developing the S-Class Coupé was to allow as little wind noise as possible to enter the car. This was taken into account from the start in the design phase of the body and doors and has paid off. The S Coupé claims to be the quietest production car in the world in terms of allowing wind noise into the cabin. This was measured by testing in the wind tunnel with an artificial head and specially trained test persons. We can only confirm this. On most surfaces you hear little to no annoying driving noises. What is positive is that you still hear the V8 roar, albeit perhaps a little less pronounced than you would expect.
engines
The entry-level version of the S-Class Coupé is the four-wheel drive S 500 Coupé 4Matic and is available from €130,922 incl. VAT. Well, the entry-level version is perhaps an understatement. This is equipped with a 4663cc V8 petrol engine that delivers 456hp in combination with a torque of 700nM. Those figures already make us feel quite warm. The 8-cylinder sprints from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and the top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. The entry-level vehicle uses a seven-speed automatic transmission as a transmission.
For those who are not quite satisfied with the S 500, there is also the S 63 AMG (€ 171,578) or the all-wheel drive S 63 AMG 4Matic (€ 176,176). These sporty guys, from the AMG shed, have a 5461cc V8 with 585hp and 900nM of torque. The 4Matic sprints to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. That is slightly faster than the rear-wheel drive S 63. This one does it in 4.2 seconds. Not exactly slow either. Both versions are equipped with an automatic 7-speed sports transmission.
At the very top of the range we find the S 65 AMG. This is available from €247,324 and we will probably not encounter it too often on our Belgian roads. This top model gets a 5980cc V12. This motor delivers a power of 463kW and a torque of no less than 1000nM. The S 65 AMG sprints from 0-100k/h in 4.1 seconds.
Conclusion
The S-Class Coupé has only just been released and is already well on its way to becoming a classic. An incredibly beautiful and timeless design and an interior that was designed with an almost maniacal eye for detail. In terms of technology and innovation, the Coupé is, just like the sedan, far ahead of its time and in terms of motorization we think that the S 63 AMG 4Matic may have just that little bit more.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
