Luxury Car of the Year 2017: Mercedes S-Class, Fresh Car Awards 2017: The winners, Auto Express
Luxury Car of the Year 2017: Mercedes S-Class
Once again the Mercedes S-Class scoops our Luxury Car of the Year award. It was a close-run category in 2017, with updates to the Bentley Mulsanne and an all-new Porsche Panamera arriving, but the S-Class’s fantastic mix of imperious rail quality, cosseting convenience and dazzling levels of technology means it still sits at the top of the class.
This all comes at a relatively affordable price compared with rivals, too, with the S three hundred fifty diesel beginning at less than a third of the price of the ‘entry-level’ Bentley. Yet it offers an even better infotainment system and all the technology you could possibly want from a luxury limousine, packaged up in a beautifully crafted interior.
As high-flying business people might have one eye on the bottom line, the S three hundred fifty d won’t break the bank to run, either. Still, the V6 turbodiesel engine offers slew of low-down torque for effortless, unobtrusive spectacle, along with supreme refinement.
Air-suspension is standard on all models, permitting the S-Class to float serenely over rough tarmac, while the clever Magic Bod Control feature scans the road ahead and optimises the suspension to deal with bumps in the best way possible. With its long-wheelbase chassis, the S-Class offers an incredible level of legroom in the rear. Go for the individually reclining business class-style seats and it takes convenience to the next level.
The S-Class has always been a test bed for Mercedes’ latest technology, and with features such as advanced autonomous driving systems, large TFT displays and a mix of powertrains, the car is at the cutting edge.
A petrol-electric plug-in hybrid version is available for eco-conscious executives, but the S-Class can also be specced in S sixty three or S sixty five form, tooled with impetuous V8 and V12 turbo engines respectively. These AMG models are excellent to drive, making the S-Class one of the fastest yet most luxurious saloons on sale today.
Our choice
Mercedes S three hundred fifty d SE L (£70,470)
It might be the ‘entry-level’ version, but SE L has all the kit you’ll need, with leather, air-suspension and sophisticated infotainment. The V6 diesel mixes muscular spectacle with refinement and economy, while the exceptionally spacious and beautifully crafted cabin keeps its occupants fresh.
Commended
Bentley Mulsanne
Latest tweaks – including a fresh, ultra-powerful, twin-turbo V8 Speed model – have kept the big Bentley competitive. British craftsmanship combined with a lightly restyled skin means the Mulsanne offers presence like nothing else in the class. It’s from the old school in some respects, but nothing imposes like a Bentley.
Porsche Panamera
The fresh Panamera is no longer Porsche’s ugly duckling. Its more svelte styling, hi-tech cabin and advanced infotainment complement a fresh chassis that makes it one of the best- railing Porsches ever. The brilliant twin-turbo V8 diesel with 850Nm of torque is our pick of the line-up, and cements the car’s status as one of the best luxury models on sale today.
