CATS Motors, Inc., the Philippine distributor of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles in the country recently launched what's deemed the "best car in the world", the all-new S-Class.
Built under the ethos of, "Essence of Modern Luxury", the all-new S-Class puts a lot of emphasis into the passenger comfort an convenience, especially for the rear occupants where the new or re-designed seats, air conditioning, and infotainment system all make themselves quite known even at a glance.
Unlike before, the all-new S-Class was envisioned as a long wheelbase model first because of heavy Asian market influence, where the S-Class is most commonly seen as a chauffeur-driven car. In fact, there are at least 100 electronically operated or assisted controls in the interior alone!
For now, CATS Motors is offering just one version of the all-new S-Class, the S 500 LWB which is powered by a 455 horsepower, 700 Nm V8 engine with a displacement of 4.5-liters. The all-new S 500 L has an introductory price of P 9,980,000. More details about the car as well as the brochure is located below.
Press Release: Vision Accomplished - The All-New Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The best automobile in the world - every new generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has earned this accolade anew for itself. The logical goal in the book of specifications for the coming model was therefore: perfection to the last detail.
The result is "The Essence of Modern Luxury". This pursuit of the best or nothing is particularly noticeable in the interior: whether it is the seats or the air conditioning, the controls or the design, the infotainment or the comfort and safety in the rear - new ideas and their painstaking realisation underpin the high standards that the engineers have set for the Mercedes-Benz flagship model and for themselves.
For the first time in the history of the S-Class, the development focus was on the long-wheelbase Saloon. Unlike before, the standard-wheelbase version was derived from this. This is because the SClass is not only firmly positioned as a prestige saloon in the large overseas markets such as the USA, China or Japan. Whereas in Europe and North America the owner of an S-Class is frequently behind the wheel, the flagship model in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car portfolio is very definitely a chauffeur-driven vehicle in Asia.
The logical consequence is the number of new features specifically related to comfort and safety in the rear - in the S-Class, there is no doubt that passengers in the rear are also seated in first class. Not that the driver lacks for anything: the very latest Mercedes-Benz research findings have been incorporated into his immediate surroundings. These clearly confirm that certain comfort characteristics have a direct influence over driver fitness and wellbeing during and after a journey. Comfort is also conducive to safety.
The new S-Class features highly sophisticated, automatic climate control functions. The seats likewise lay claim to being the benchmark in automobile engineering. In both cases this is accompanied by maximum operating convenience, ensured by numerous actuators and electric motors - there are over 100 of these in the interior alone.
THE VISION: PURE LUXURY FOR ALL THE SENSES
Visual breadth and calm solidity
Interior design: functional, luxurious and future-oriented
With its clear-cut architecture, the interior design of the new S-Class is the embodiment of a classic, serene and yet ultra-modern saloon car. The interior space derives its expressiveness from a distinctively flowing, sensual and elegant style. Horizontal features and lines create an ambience characterised by visual breadth and calm solidity. This is where high quality and elegance go hand in hand with clarity and functionality. The interior concept of the S-Class combines driving, spatial and operating comfort at the highest level.
The perfectly coordinated use of materials and colours produces an exclusive interior seemingly cast from a single mould. There is generous use of wood trim, especially in the dashboard and centre console. Metallised switch surfaces with pearl-effect paint finishes in three colour shades to suit the interior colour particularly highlight the outstanding quality.
Passengers in the rear are also seated in first-class - the design and exclusivity of the seats, door panels and all controls are to the same, high standard as the front. As an additional individualisation feature, the "First Class Rear" incorporates a Business centre console combining personal comfort with practical convenience (integration of a telephone handset, additional stowage compartments, folding table, etc.).
New control and display concept: elegant new command centre
The radically redesigned display extends in front of the driver as a key element of the horizontal alignment. It replaces the traditional instrument cluster and combines numerous other functions in a visually and ergonomically highly sophisticated manner. The entire display appears to be freefloating, an impression reinforced by "corona effect" ambience backlighting.
Two high-resolution colour displays in 8:3 format with a screen diagonal of 30.7 cm (12.3 inches) form the new information centre in the S-Class. 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. Ergonomics, operating convenience and safety were the main considerations for the newly designed control and display concept.
For the S-Class, the constantly increasing need to integrate additional functions into the vehicle led to a further development of the entire operating logic. The aim in designing the control and display features was to group controls and display functions together in a coherent manner in terms of both design and functionality. Apart from the new displays, the metallised switch surfaces and solid aluminium controls are visual highlights of particularly high quality.
Lasting feeling of pleasure
Seats: mobile office and centre of wellbeing With numerous world firsts such as the ENERGIZING massage function on the hot-stone principle or active seat ventilation with reversing fans, Mercedes-Benz has raised the seating and climatic comfort in the S-Class to a new level. There is a choice of five different rear seat variants including an Executive seat with a backrest angle adjustable by up to 43.5 degrees, allowing occupants in the rear to concentrate on work or relax in comfort.
A large number of innovations enhance seating and climatic comfort. The ENERGIZING massage function on the hot-stone principle is a world first. Working together with physiotherapists and psychologists, the seat specialists at Mercedes-Benz have developed a unique massage function with 14 separately actuated air cushions in the backrest, as well as an integrated warming function. There is a choice of six massage programmes, two of them using the warming function.
For the first time, so-called reversing fans are used in the active seat ventilation system. Here the rotational direction of the fan, and therefore the airflow within the seat structure, can be reversed. When the ventilation function first begins, cooler surrounding air is drawn onto the seat surface. After four minutes the fans are automatically switched to blower mode to reduce draughts and therefore ensure sustained comfort.
Another world first as part of the Warmth Comfort package is the heated armrests and door centre panels in the front and rear (door and centre armrests). The package also includes a heated steering wheel and particularly fast-responding seat heating Plus. Each occupant is able to find the ideal level of climatic seating comfort. The heating output can be adjusted using the central display or the remote control in the rear.
Luxury or reclining seat in the rear: new backrest concept
Two rear seat variants (static bench seat or individual seats with 37-degree adjustment) are available for the standard-wheelbase S-Class and no less than five for the long-wheelbase version. Unlike the conventional trailing backrest design, the backrest is adjusted separately so that the legroom and seat reference point remain unchanged. The cushion can be separately adjusted for angle and horizontal position.
The maximum backrest angle of the reclining seat on the front passenger side is increased from 37 to 43.5 degrees, giving it the largest backrest inclination in the luxury segment. The reclining seat behind the front passenger seat features a calf support which is freely adjustable for length and angle. In combination with the heel rest on the forward-folding chauffeur seat, this allows a reclined position that sets new standards in the automobile sector with respect to sleeping and resting comfort.
Three new features improve safety in the rear: in the belt buckle feeder an electric motor automatically raises and lowers the buckle. The belt bag is an inflatable seat-belt strap that is able to reduce the risk of injury to passengers in the rear in a head-on collision by lessening the strain on the ribcage. The reclining seat is fitted with a cushion bag as standard. This prevents the occupant from sliding under the belt in the event of an accident. In this way Mercedes-Benz has been able to design a comfortable reclining seat which provides a higher level of accident safety than a seat with a trailing backrest.
Mercedes-Benz is one of the few car manufacturers not to have the seats produced by a supplier, rather producing them in-house for the E and S-Class. "If we want to have top quality and durability, and at the same time lead the field in new functions, such as the ENERGIZING massage function, on the hot-stone principle, we must also have the necessary production know-how," says Henry Wunderlich. The 49 year-old is the production manager for Daimler seat manufacture in Böblingen, near Stuttgart.
The repertoire of sensual pleasure and individuality
Climate control: many new features for a pleasant atmosphere
The newly developed climate control unit of the THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (standard) has a mass flow regulating concept whose automatic operating principle meets individual comfort requirements for every occupant. New features include completely autonomous adjustment options for the driver and front passenger sides, also for the individual automatic modes with their climatic settings of "Focus", "Medium" and "Diffuse".
The AIR-BALANCE package: perfuming, ionisation and improved filtration
As a world first, the new S-Class Saloon has an "active perfuming system" as part of the AIRBALANCE package. 'Active' means that the perfuming system is switched on and off manually, with manual adjustment of the intensity. The perfuming system has various operating modes:
- On/Off
- Intensity control "low - medium - high"
- Perfume selection by exchanging the flask in the fragrance generator
Interior fragrances:
- FREESIDE MOOD - lightness predominates with pleasant, high-quality citrus touches. The fragrance is very balanced without excessive nuances, and therefore does not polarise opinion. It is unobtrusive yet present.
- NIGHTLIFE MOOD - right from the start, this is reminiscent of opening a box of expensive cigars bedded in an aroma of warm, luxurious wood. A touch of ambergris accentuates the high quality of this fragrance. This is associated with the image of a heavy leather armchair in front of the fire in a room panelled with exotic wood, a glass of brandy on the side table (lending a fruity touch) and a cigar.
- DOWNTOWN MOOD - outstandingly suits the interior, and has a floral with a subdued metallic effect. Warm, musky nuances make the fragrance sexy, and thanks to a touch of powdery sensuousness, it is the most feminine of all the perfumes. After a while the fragrance has a very atmospheric effect on the interior, without really being prominent.
- SPORTS MOOD - enlivens with a pleasant, natural freshness reminiscent of young light green leaves, rounded off with slightly flowery nuances.
The fragrances were developed in collaboration with Marc vom Ende, a senior perfume specialist for the fragrance manufacturer Symrise in Lower Saxony who heads its perfumery school and is a member of the jury for the innovation awards of the German perfumery retailers association.
A high-quality fragrance introduced into an already luxurious interior like a perfume enhances the sensual impression of the Mercedes-Benz interior by appealing to the sense of smell. In all advanced cultures, high-quality fragrances are part of the repertoire of sensual pleasure and individuality.
The perfume atomisation system individualises the smell of the vehicle interior. It neither changes the interior smell permanently, nor are perfume molecules deposited on fabric surfaces or clothing.
The perfuming system consists of two parts: a glass flask with an atomiser head and the fragrance generator in the glove compartment. The system uses the effect whereby there is a constant exchange of matter on the surface of a solution. In the process, molecules enter the gaseous phase (volatilisation) while other molecules are returned to the liquid. If a partial airflow is passed over the surface of the liquid, the air can be enriched with the molecules of the chosen fragrance. The perfumed air is then passed directly into the vehicle interior via a separate aperture. A bypass system allows the flow rate per unit of time to be variably adjusted. This active perfuming system is a further development of the fragrance ball familiar from the MAYBACH ZEPPELIN.
Air filtering: fresh air for a fresh interior
Another component of the AIR-BALANCE package is filtering of the outside air fed into the vehicle interior by the climate control system, and of the air recirculating in the interior in air recirculation mode. The filter system is now even more efficient, and is able to reduce the peak levels of certain gaseous emissions while lowering their concentration below the perception threshold. The filter system consists of two combined fine dust/activated charcoal filters between the intake and air distribution system of the air conditioner.
Activated charcoal is used as the filter material for the interior by virtue of its good ability to absorb gaseous pollutants and odours. It is produced from coconut shells. The sophisticated pollen filter technology in the fine dust filter component is particularly useful for allergy sufferers. At MercedesBenz these filters are examined for effectiveness in both new and used condition, to ensure that their filtering efficiency is maintained at least until the next vehicle service.
Ionisation is another component of the AIR-BALANCE package, the air from the climate control unit being conducted into the interior via an ioniser. In a combined operating mode this renders certain viruses, bacteria and spores inactive (cleaning effect). At the same time the air can be freshened by an increased concentration of negatively charged oxygen ions (relaxing effect).
Vivid resonance
Multimedia features: communication centre and concert hall
A completely new multimedia generation with intuitive operation and particularly tangible functions thanks to visualisation and animations celebrates its debut in the new S-Class. Other innovations include the multi-user system, which allows independent access to the media sources of the entertainment system from any seat. The new S-Class is also the first saloon car to be equipped with the unique Frontbass system as standard. With this system, the woofers are installed within the body shell and use the almost 40-litre space in the cross-member and side member as a resonance chamber.
Several hundred developers worldwide contributed to the new Mercedes-Benz multimedia generation, compiling more than 30 million lines of programming. The centrepiece of the new COMAND Online system is the Intel Atom, a processor whose performance fully equals that of components in the latest laptops.
Numerous new functions extend the multimedia options available, and transform the S-Class into a communication centre or a concert hall as required.
The new S-Class is the first vehicle worldwide to offer a genuine multi-user system for entertainment functions. This means that there is independent access to the media sources of the entertainment system from any of the four seats - i.e. radio, TV, internet, navigation, DVD player and USB-connected devices.
The driver control function for all the seats is another new feature. The driver is able to route any audio or video source to the display and headset of any passenger. At the touch of a button the driver is also able to have one of the audio sources in use played via the onboard loudspeakers.
The innovative Frontbass system developed by Mercedes-Benz and used for the first time in a saloon car is a feature common to all the audio systems: the woofers are housed in the firewall, and use the almost 40-litre space in the cross-member and side member as a resonance chamber. As alternatives to the standard sound system with ten loudspeakers, two very high-quality audio systems are available which were developed together with hi-fi specialists at Burmester: Burmester® Surround Sound system and Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system.
The interactive presentation of content is a prominent new feature of the navigation function. The new navitainment functions include an animated compass, the "Driveshow" for passenger information as in an aircraft, and the display of Google Maps on the head unit and in the rear.
A taste of leadership in comfort, dynamism and efficiency
Unrivalled travel comfort, superior performance, trailblazing efficiency, exemplary safety attributed to an overall technological concept which underscores the S-Class’s eaderredentials. The engines combine high performance with low fuel consumption thanks to technologies such as BlueTEC and HYBRID. Systematic lightweight design offering weight savings of up to 95 kg in comparison to the previous model series also helps to reduce in fuel consumption.
The S-Class sets new standards here - and in aerodynamics, aeroacoustics and vibration/noise comfort, too. The standard AIRMATIC air suspension ensures superior ride comfort and handling stability.
VISION: MORE COMFORT, MORE DRIVER-FITNESS SAFETY
As the flagship model in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range, the S-Class has a particularly high level of noise and vibration comfort. Relaxed travel and working is by no means just a luxury, but also helps to ensure driver- fitness safety - a driver who is mentally and physically fit has sufficient reserves to respond quickly and correctly in critical traffic situations, and will arrive at their destination less stressed.
The development goal of performance-enhancing comfort covers a wide interdisciplinary area. It begins with NVH measures (noise, vibration, harshness) relating to the body, suspension and powertrain, plus the dimensional concept for the interior, includes all aspects of suspension, climatic, seating and noise comfort and also incorporates the development of intelligent assistance systems.
The aim of the NVH measures for the bodyshell was to better the already very good preceding model with respect to vibration and noise comfort, but without dispensing with intelligent lightweight construction methods. The bodyshell structure of the new S-Class reaches new heights in dynamic rigidity thanks to new structural concepts and specific NVH measures in the bodyshell. These include:
Integral NVH front section concept consisting of extruded aluminium side members, cast aluminium elements at the transition between the front section and passenger cell, also at the damper domes, and integral supports as vibration-damping structural components:
- Increased use of bracing struts for specific increases in rigidity
- Rear panel and cockpit cross-member of hybrid metal/plastic construction
- Use of foam sections in the A/B/C-pillars to increase body shell rigidity
This created a very good basis for isolating engine and suspension-induced vibrations, and therefore for achieving the ambitious objectives with respect to vibration and noise comfort throughout the vehicle.
The aeroacoustic specialists took specific measures to counter wind noises during their aerodynamic development work. To reduce high-frequency wind noise, the sealing systems around the windows and door handles were above all improved considerably. The newly designed exterior mirror and the correspondingly shaped A-pillar with a minimised shoulder height ensure the efficient drainage of water and spray hitting the windscreen, prevent the airflow from breaking off at this point and therefore avoid noises that might enter the interior via the windscreen and side windows.
The roof structure and the automatic tilting/sliding roof module were subjected to further aeroacoustic development to improve noise comfort in this area as well. In the case of the panoramic sliding sunroof, numerous air deflection measures, covers and seals with the appropriate geometry ensure the same high level of noise comfort as in the preceding model, despite the larger opening aperture.
A subdued, scarcely perceptible level of noise in the interior of the S-Class was the objective when configuring and coordinating the sound insulation measures. Particular attention was paid to transmitted engine noise and road roar. During the acoustic optimisation work, the focus was both on lowering the sound pressure level and on achieving the well-balanced and comfortable overall sound perception that is a hallmark of the S-Class.
To ensure that engine noise is perceived as refined and unobtrusive in the interior, the firewall insulation was extended into the side areas of the A-pillars. Additional sealing levels were also added in the form of high-quality injection-moulded components.
A major contribution to the improvement in transmitted engine noise was made by improved insulation in the transmission tunnel area, as well as a modular engine partition made of plastic. The different noise characteristics of the engines are taken into account by the use of different weights per unit area.
The electrically adjustable rear seats available as an optional extra are free-standing. High-frequency tyre noise was reduced by a large area of insulation extending from the seat surface to the rear panel and parcel shelf. Breakthroughs are kept to a minimum. An intelligent air ducting system inside the parcel shelf allows the necessary ventilation while reducing noise transmission via the parcel shelf. The textile underbody and wheel arch cladding has an insulating and absorptive effect which reduces high-frequency tyre noise in the interior.
MERCEDES-BENZ INTELLIGENT DRIVE: the intelligent car (late availability; subject to regulatory approval)
Making top-class safety available to everyone is the declared aim of Mercedes-Benz. This is why the S-Class hosts an extensive range of safety equipment, including numerous innovative driver assistance systems based on sophisticated radar, camera and ultrasonic sensors—which are collectively called Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive. The intelligently inter-networked assistance systems enhance both comfort and safety by reducing risks and hazards such as strong crosswind gusts, the blind spot or insufficient distance to other vehicles to an absolute minimum.
The basis for the numerous functions of the assistance systems is an extensive sensor system, which provides the vehicle with a 360-degree all-round view. This includes a new Stereo Multi-Purpose Camera (SMPC) behind the front windscreen in the area of the rear-view mirror and hence at the level of the driver's eyes. Two camera eyes provide it with a three-dimensional view of the area up to around 50 metres in front of the vehicle, and it is able to monitor the overall situation ahead for a range of up to 500 metres and thus detect the position and movement of objects, especially of vehicles and pedestrians. Two short-range radar sensors in the front bumper and at the side of the rear bumper respectively (range up to 30 metres), a long-range radar (up to 200 metres) including mid-range scan (up to 60 metres) behind the radiator grille and a multi-mode radar (up to 80 metres) in the middle of the rear bumper complete the sensor system.
The data from the camera and radar is amalgamated in a control unit in order to provide the systemspecific data for the various functions for a host of assistance systems - a process dubbed "sensor fusion" by the safety experts. Intelligent algorithms perform a visual evaluation of this threedimensional information in order to detect and carry out spatial classification of vehicles that are driving ahead, crossing, approaching from the rear and even oncoming, as well as pedestrians, within a large field of vision. In addition, the camera also detects road markings and a variety of traffic signs. The aim is all-round protection not just for occupants of the vehicle itself, but for other road users too.
The Stop&Go Pilot integrated in DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist is a semi-automatic traffic jam assistant, which at speeds below 60 km/h can follow the vehicle ahead even where there are no or unclear lane markings, thus enabling the driver to follow the flow of traffic.
The BAS PLUS Brake Assist System can now also detect crossing traffic and boost the braking force if the driver fails to apply the brakes sufficiently; the PRE-SAFE® Brake can detect stationary vehicles as well as pedestrians, brake automatically if the driver fails to react and thus prevent accidents up to 50 km/h and mitigate the severity up to 72 km/h. In flowing traffic, the PRE-SAFE® Brake provides similar assistance throughout the entire speed range from 7 to 200 km/h.
The enhanced Active Lane Keeping Assist can now also prevent the vehicle from unintentionally drifting out of the lane by applying the brakes on one side in the case of broken lane markings and the risk of a collision, e.g. through fast overtaking vehicles, parallel traffic or even oncoming traffic.
The host of assistance systems also includes Active Parking Assist, which facilitates automatic parking with active steering and braking intervention in parallel and perpendicular spaces, a 360° camera which can show the vehicle and vehicle environment from various perspectives incl. virtual bird's-eye view, a Traffic Sign Assist with wrong-way warning function, which can also provide a warning of speed limits and no-overtaking and no-entry zones, as well as the Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus, which provides an anti-dazzle permanent main beam within the main beam cone by specifically dipping the lights for other vehicles.
AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
With its S 500 INTELLIGENT DRIVE research vehicle, Mercedes-Benz in August 2013 became the
world's first automobile manufacturer to demonstrate that autonomous driving in rural and urban traffic is possible - and it did so on a historic route.
The approximately 100-kilometre-long route from Mannheim to Pforzheim followed the tracks of pioneer Bertha Benz, who had set out on the first long-distance automobile journey over the same route exactly 125 years earlier. In dense 21st-century traffic, the autonomously driving S-Class was required to successfully cope with some highly complex situations involving traffic lights, roundabouts, pedestrians, cyclists and trams. What makes this ground-breaking achievement even more special is that it was realised not through the application of extremely expensive special technology, but by means of production-based technology of the kind already available today in new E- and S-Class vehicles. The project thus marks a milestone on the way from the self-moving (automobile) to the self-driving (autonomous) car.
MERCEDES-BENZ RADIO: the world of driving culture
Mercedes-Benz introduced its own digital radio programme - broadcasting 24 hours a day with a fixed programme schedule and editorial content. Mercedes-Benz Radio can be received with an app for tablets and mobile devices, a web player for at home and on the road, or with the latest generation of the COMAND Online multimedia system in the vehicle. The innovative audio offering is also available in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which celebrates its world premiere at the Frankfurt show. Further model series featuring the latest generation of COMAND Online are to follow.
"We have long been serving the many digital channels and platforms with exciting international contents. So it is only logical for us to extend our offer with a digital audio format of our own. We are taking this new approach especially with modern target groups in mind, to whom we increasingly appeal with our compact models. The always-on generation uses Mercedes-Benz Radio as an additional channel to get information about our brand and brand world," says Lüder Fromm, Head of Global Marketing Communications Mercedes Benz Cars.
Mercedes-Benz Radio presents a 24-hour English-language premium programme from the brand with the star. The programme is a varied mix of high-quality editorial brand contents, sophisticated music and contents deriving from cooperation with selected partners. The emphasis is on stories from the product and brand universe of Mercedes-Benz. For instance, new vehicles and studies pertaining to all model series will be presented. Mercedes-Benz reporters are on hand at unusual events and immerse themselves in the world of the star. The programme is topped off by branded entertainment elements featuring Mercedes enthusiasts from all over the world as well as contents of partners, for example on the topics of travel, culture, sports, fashion, lifestyle and zeitgeist. The editorial orientation provides enough scope also to offer more progressive zeitgeist topics. "We will broadcast everything that has to do with the brand and its products - but in an editorial form, not a promotional form. This sets us apart from similar offerings," says Fromm.
Neither is the music programme oriented to the current charts, nor are there heavy rotations. It does not offer mainstream, but a mix of recent songs no more than two or three years old. There will also be pieces from mixed tape compilations introducing young artists just starting out on their careers.
One Touch Radio: world premiere at Frankfurt show
True to the motto "The world of driving culture", Mercedes-Benz Radio is fully integrated into the latest generation of the COMAND Online multimedia system. The Mercedes-Benz engineers have developed a simple, intuitively grasped operating system that permits starting and navigating through the radio programme at the push of a button.
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