The New Mercedes S550 Delivers Serenity

We live in a very noisy world. Every day we’re accosted by ear–splitting music delivered with crystal clarity; shopping malls that enhance the hubbub of bargain hunting consumers; restaurants clattering with the din of dishes and diners. Then we come home to our families and rooms filled with the loving racket of children clamoring for our attention.

The assault on our senses is so constant it’s a wonder that our ears—not to mention our nerves—can withstand the abuse. It becomes a routine part of life, this racket, and we become immune to it all. Until, that is, you take a seat in the new Mercedes S550.

By closing the leather–wrapped, vault–like doors of Mercedes’ flagship sedan, you immediately leave the noise–filled world behind and suddenly, almost shockingly, the commotion disappears and you notice . . . nothing. Pure, pleasurable, pristine silence. 

You take a deep breath, sink deep into the heated, massaging seats and finally relax. This is your world. This is your life and now you are in control of what you hear and what you don’t. This is the way life should be. Of course, there’s more to this magnificent machine than just the absence of noise. Much more, in fact. 

Like the aforementioned massaging front seats, which can become quite addictive as they roll a hot, stone–like shiatsu across your back and shoulders. Seat–side bolsters inflate to support your body from sliding through tight turns. Heated and ventilated systems are everywhere, including the center and door armrests and steering wheel, and the rear seats also recline with head pillows and leg bolsters to support long–distance napping. 

The dashboard of the Mercedes S550 is a study in contrasts, combining old world style and craftsmanship with futuristic technological advancements. A row of round air vents and an analog clock, reminiscent of a 1950s–era Mercedes, sit just below two high–resolution color screens that provide all the information, navigation and entertainment data that one has come to expect from today’s computerized cars.  

The left–hand display performs the functions of the previous instrument cluster, providing the driver with all relevant information. The right–hand display allows the convenient control of infotainment and comfort functions. Everything is controlled by a rotary pushbutton, with the usual direct access keys in the center console for the most important functions and a toolbar for the driving assistance systems. An enhanced voice control system allows complete addresses to be spoken in one go, and the telephone and audio systems can also be voice–controlled. The option of having text messages or emails read out is also available.

Always the trailblazer, Mercedes is proud to boast that the S–Class is the first vehicle in the world whose interior and exterior does not have a single light bulb, but rather sports nearly 500 LEDs to illuminate the road, the vehicle, the interior and the trunk. The S550 improves nighttime visibility with an adaptive high–beam assist system and a spooky–cool night view that serves as a multistage radar sensor in the dark for the road ahead. For greater parking visibility, a 360–degree all–round vision gives a bird’s–eye view of potential problems around the vehicle by automatically switching from the speedometer to a crystal–sharp night view image and highlighting the sources of danger. A spotlight function is able to flash any pedestrians detected ahead. This attracts the driver's attention to the source of the danger and also serves as a warning to the person on the side of the road.

To keep the ride smooth, the S550 is the world's first car able to identify bumps on the road ahead by offering a road surface scan that detects such unevenness by means of the stereo camera. When rough road is recognized, the system instantaneously sets up the suspension to deal with the new situation. Semi–autonomous driving is taken to a new level in the S550 with steering assist that keeps the car in the center of the lane and a brake assist that’s able to detect and avoid crossing traffic and pedestrians. 

Inside the sedan, for those moments when the silence gets to be too deafening, the S550 offers a completely new multimedia system that turns the vehicle into a mobile concert hall and allows independent access to media sources from any seat. The model includes a high–end 3D surround system offering several choices of sound quality.

All of these attributes continue to enhance the legacy that has made Mercedes the benchmark which all other luxury vehicles strive to achieve. Driving the S550 (MSRP $94,400), or any of the flagship S–Class models, is a lesson in what a carmaker can do when no detail is too small to overlook, cost is not a determining factor and passenger pleasure is placed at a premium. In the S550, silence is truly golden.