2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 First Drive

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2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 First Drive Ruling the Ruling Class Just outside of Paris, in the town of Sèvres, sits the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures. Inside, you'll find two glass jars containing objects made from a mix of platinum and iridium alloys. One represents the meter, and the other the kilogram. Everything in the world is measured against these two — for lack of a better word — yardsticks. If you didn't see my metaphor coming, it just hit you square on the nose. Meet the newest S-Class, the sixth generation of Mercedes' full-size four-door sedan, internally known as the W222. Bigger, brasher, and packed with more luxury and technology than ever before, the W222 is the latest luxury titan against which all other wannabes will be compared. Despite what Cadillac might want you to think, this is the luxury car standard. Remember that Mercedes-Benz sold more than 515,000 examples of the previous-generation W221 S-Class. The question then becomes: How good is this new Mercedes-Benz flagship? Like all S-Classes before it, the W222 is more than just another car for Mercedes. The S-Class, along with the SL, has traditionally been a harbinger of fancy new Benzian technology. And this S-Class is absolutely stuffed with it. For instance, the new S-Class drives itself. No, really -- Benz's latest leviathan is a semi-autonomous car. Using stereo cameras mounted above the rearview mirror, Traffic Jam Assist allows your S-Class to follow the car in front of it up to 37 mph. All you need do is sit there with your hands in your lap (or more likely, on your phone) and your feet off the pedals. To activate the system, just apply the brake while stationary, flick the Distronic (Mercedes-ese for radar cruise control) lever down, and goose the gas. The cruise control is then set for 37 mph and the S-Class simply yet smartly begins following the car in front of it in terms of speed and direction until you retake control or your speed increases. Above 37 mph, the new S-Class can still sort of handle itself. READ THE FULL STORY 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class First Look 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 First Drive 2013 Audi S8 vs. 2013 BMW Alpina B7 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor Sport Truck Revealed 2013 Honda Civic Si First Test 2014 Mazda3 May Debut With Best in Class MPGs 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition Revealed 2014 Fiat 500L First Drive Subscribe to Motor Trend REFRESHING OR REVOLTING Refreshing or Revolting: 2014 Mazda3 Hatchback POPULAR ON YOUTUBE 2013 BMW 750Li vs 2013 Jaguar XJL Supercharged! Head 2 Head TOP BLOG Porsche's Fundamental Shift TO OUR E-MAIL SUBSCRIBERS: YOUR PRIVACY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS EMAIL IN ERROR OR WISH TO UNSUBSCRIBE, PLEASE CLICK HERE. Write to us at: Motor Trend Digital Newsletter 831 S. Douglas Street El Segundo, CA 90245 Privacy Policy (c) 2013 Source Interlink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.