SPY: Probably, the last scoops of the FEP 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W 222)

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Just 22 days left and the new S-Class will be officially revealed at Hamburg. Close, but still not cigar. The reaction after the leaked photos showcasing a completely uncamo-ed series car was simply overwhelming across the internet. We feel you wouldn't mind seeing a new bunch of latest spy shots, in which the S-Class AMG Sport prototype wears minimal exterior cladding.

The new S-Class under the 222 model generation will be company's most technologically advanced automobile in history. Everything got even more digitalized and sharpened, in sheer elegant style. An icon of great Mercedes design - progressive, classic, yet even more inspiring and radically different from its ancestors. This S-Class, as those preceding, will never fail and never seize to amaze everybody.

Comfort level has been raised to new heights with the new luxury concept of the interior. Dynamics have never been sharper - the new MAGIC RIDE CONTROL, MAGIC BODY CONTROL and the newly engineered Mercedes Rearwheel Architecture (MRA) are the ultimate trendsetters of the segment.

Intuitive use, friendliness and social connections have become a piece of cake with the outstanding new generation of the COMAND Online, which from MY2015 (meaning summer of 2014) also gets a multifunctional touchpad and a helping Head Up Display, a first for a Mercedes-Benz.

The new S-Class will be world's safest place to be in with the help of multiple investments in developing the perfect active and passenger safety measures. Efficiency is also one of the many strong points of the new flagship from Stuttgart: from I4 to V12 (S 600 from MY2015) going through V6 and V8 and experimenting with diesel, petrol and plug-in hybrid technologies.

At the launch, the range-topping S 500 will receive Merc's 4.7-litre 8-cylinder twin-turbo engine producing 435 hp. From December 2013, the output of the V8 unit will increase to 455 hp. Furthermore, at the start of sales, Mercedes-Benz will offer the S-Class in other two new variants: the S 350 BlueTEC with 252 hp and the S 400 HYBRID with 326 hp. In the next two to three years, the new S-Class will also receive a brand new lighting technology based on laser. This technology has already been previewed on the Concept GLA showcar.

If you would to read more substantial details on the new S-Class, we invite you to take a look in our special category at http://www.tinyurl.com/W222Special !

Image Credits: Motor Authority

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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The S-Class: a Classic in France

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Mercedes-Benz and France have enjoyed a very special relationship right up to the present day: the Stuttgart-based manufacturer i.e. has remained true to the Salon Mondial de l’Automobile (International Motor Show) in Paris since it was introduced in 1898 and has time and again celebrated great premieres, especially with models of the luxury class.

This constant presence also reflects the fact that vehicles of the luxury segment were the focus of the German brand’s product line long before ‘S-Class’ became the official designation: Mercedes-Benz and the predecessor brands have always been synonymous with luxury, comfort, and safety.

In 1972, Paris also became the stage for the official launch of Stuttgart’s world-famous luxury class: with the top-of-the-range models from Mercedes-Benz having already borne the ‘S’ in their model designations for many years, the 1972 Motor Show in Paris was to be the first time that the German automotive manufacturer officially presented an ‘S-Class’ to the public. Internally, this vehicle was known as the 116 model series.

Breakthrough in France

France has played a crucial role for Mercedes-Benz from the outset. The automobile was invented in 1886 practically simultaneously by Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler in Germany. But the new form of transportation owed its first successes and final breakthrough to our French neighbours: while initially viewed with scepticism by the Germans, the automobile was more than welcome to sophisticated Parisian society, with its enthusiasm for technology.

For good reason an internal document of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) from 1902 referred to France as the ‘leading country of automobiles’, since ‘in no other country has the automobile gained even remotely as much ground’.

As early as 1898 the Automobile Club de France, established in November of 1895, organised the first international motor show in Paris on the terrace of the Jardin des Tuileries, running from 15 June to 3 July. Nearly 140,000 people attended the show to admire the 232 vehicles on display. To convince visitors of the efficiency of the new means of conveyance, vehicle manufacturers presented the new vehicles in test drives at Versailles, about 20 kilometres away.

In January 1899, the magazine Der Motorwagen wrote about this exhibition: ‘At this outstanding display of petrol-driven motor cars we should acknowledge the merit earned by the German engineers Benz in Mannheim and Daimler in Cannstatt for the introduction as well as, in part, for the dissemination of these vehicles in France, as is also unhesitatingly acknowledged here, both in the specialist literature and by the concerned industrialists themselves.’

The two German engineers may indeed be considered the founders of the French automotive industry: both had already presented their vehicles with the aid of French business associates at the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris. While the agent Emil Roger significantly contributed to the dissemination of the Benz automobile before the turn of the century, the French firms of Panhard & Levassor and Peugeot installed the Daimler engines built under licence at Panhard & Levassor in their own vehicles, so that the two firms qualify as the first motor car manufacturers in France.

‘The Daimler-Motorengesellschaft brought two Victoria cars and a heavy-duty lorry with a cargo capacity of five tons to the exhibition,’ reported Der Motorwagen in its February 1899 edition on the first Motor Show in 1898 in Paris. ‘With their smooth operation and power, these items may be said to outshine the French products to a fair extent.’ Benz automobiles were also on hand at the first Paris Motor Show: ‘Maison Parisienne in Paris has exhibited a number of quite lovely cars with two to twelve seats. This firm brokers mainly the sale and installation of engines from Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik Benz & Co. (Mannheim) in France and has achieved the same quite considerable success for the parent company.’

At the turn of the century, France again became the place where the vehicle – which was revolutionising individual mobility – received a proper portion of glamour. This development was especially the work of the Austrian businessman Emil Jellinek, who brought the German luxury class cars closer to the French and moreover gave these vehicles the brand name ‘Mercedes’. As an entrepreneur well-known in Nice, he began promoting Daimler vehicles in the upper levels of society in 1898. Baron Rothschild and other prominent figures purchased cars from him. By the time of Gottlieb Daimler’s death in 1900, Jellinek had sold the considerable number of 34 cars in this way, while demanding from the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and its head designer Wilhelm Maybach ever-higher levels of maximum technical performance.

Birth of the Mercedes brand

With his talent for marketing and sales, Jellinek finally managed to convince DMG that the future of the automobile lay in speed and elegance. ‘At the time I appeared on the scene, Daimler cars were solid, usable and operationally safe, but merely theoretical vehicles,’ quotes Jellinek’s son Guy. In speed he saw not the incentive to be incautious, but rather the actual point of driving a motor vehicle: ‘If I can’t get more out of an automobile than out of a team of horses, then I may as well go with the horses!’.

In April 1900, Jellinek and DMG reached an agreement on the sale of vehicles and the development of a new engine under the product designation ‘Mercedes’ – named after Jellinek’s daughter, born in 1889. Soon afterwards, within a few weeks, Jellinek ordered a total of 72 vehicles of different performance levels from DMG, which in 1900 was a truly large order. The Stuttgart-based firm delivered the first vehicle equipped with the new engine, a Mercedes 35 hp, to Jellinek on 22 December 1900.

This new ‘Mercedes’ developed by Wilhelm Maybach created quite an uproar at the beginning of the 20th century: at the time, it was the most advanced model in the world and even today qualifies as one of the first modern automobiles. As early as 4 January 1901, L’automobile-Revue du Littoral published an article stating: ‘There’s something new to see at present, not in Paris, but in Nice. The first Mercedes vehicle to be built in the Cannstatt workshops has arrived in Nice and has been put on display for all drivers, thanks to the generosity of its owner, Mr Jellinek. We have to admit that the Mercedes car is very, very interesting. This remarkable vehicle will be a fearsome competitor in the 1901 races.’

The journalist would prove to be right: the German cars indeed showed their mettle with numerous successes during the Nice racing week in late March of 1901. Jellinek himself entered the competition under the pseudonym of ‘Monsieur Mercédès’. The successes of the new car equally impressed the public and the experts. Paul Meyan, the General secretary of the French Automobile Club, also recognised the new supremacy of the German Mercedes automotive brand on the race tracks that had been dominated for so long by French makes: ‘Nous sommes entrés dans l’ère Mercédès’ (we have entered the Mercedes era), he wrote after the Nice Week of 1901.

Wilhelm Maybach, who Jellinek was convinced could ‘invent on command’ and who was celebrated by the French as the ‘King of Designers’, continued developing the automotive design: as engine power and maximum speeds increased, so did production and unit sales. Of the improved models, called Mercedes Simplex as of 1902, 232 cars were already produced in 1903, 698 during the next year and even 863 in 1905. The Mercedes-Benz Classic collection contains an especially spectacular exhibit of the brand’s top model at that time and an impressive example of the long tradition behind today’s S-Class: the elegant and luxurious touring sedan of 1904 comes from Emil Jellinek’s personal collection.

A ‘taste for Mercedes’ in France

By the turn of the century, the automobile was generating such enthusiasm in France that the previous exhibition site no longer offered enough space. The Paris Motor Show therefore relocated at the end of 1901 to the exhibition area of the Grand Palais on the Champs-Elysées. The largest preserved glass palace of today was built in 1900 for the Paris Exposition Universelle and afforded the burgeoning automotive industry a thoroughly glamorous forum: the main Art Nouveau hall is 240 metres long and 40 metres high, and covered by a 15,000 square-metre glass roof.

The 1902 Motor Show literally glistened, as the Salon of electric light. 230,000 visitors marvelled at both the lighting arrangements and the cinematographic demonstrations. Among the automotive exhibits, foreign makes like Mercedes especially impressed and stirred the interest of the public. ‘For the first time since the French have been holding their annual automotive exhibition, they’ve had to cope with powerful foreign competition,’ reported the Allgemeine Automobil Zeitung on the 1902 Paris Motor Show. ‘It was above all the Mercedes vehicles that were a thorn in the side of the French, followed by Benz with its new, modern model.’ The magazine Der Motorwagen even found the Paris Motor Show to reveal a ‘taste for Mercedes now absolutely prevailing in France’.

In a 1933 retrospective, the Automobil-Rundschau again recalled the special status in Paris of the top-of-the-line automobiles from Germany. ‘For the German motor vehicle industry the show in any event proved to be a crucial turning point: a German product had now taken the lead in the international automotive market,’ the magazine wrote in reference to the 1903 Paris Motor Show. ‘People are copying Mercedes. There are practically no cars without a Mercedes top, no engine without controlled exhaust valves, without a magneto ignition, without Mercedes cooling. All in all: a Salon de Mercedes, as one French trade paper aptly remarked.’ The article continues with great exuberance: ‘Mercedes automobiles from the Cannstatt factory are by far the most significant items in the show, and their impact on the entire French industry cannot be denied. There follows Benz of Mannheim with its own successful automobiles that are in no way inferior to the best French products.’

In subsequent years the Mercedes-Benz stand at the Paris Show continued to be the scene of important premieres: in 1928, the first 8-cylinder model from the long-established brand debuted as the Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460, and in 1930 the 770 model, or ‘grand Mercedes’, had its world premiere. The new Mercedes-Benz top model quickly became the preferred official vehicle for both royal and non-royal heads of state as well as for representatives of industry and high finance.

Presentation of the first S-Class in Paris in 1972

While the ancestors of today’s S-Class repeatedly impressed the public at the Paris Motor Shows, the first model range officially bearing the name ‘S-Class’ followed suit 40 years ago. In October 1972, Mercedes-Benz celebrated a double-premiere at the 59th Salon de l’Automobile in Paris with the 116 model series: together with the new model range, the brand from Stuttgart established a new name. The luxury class sedans have since been officially designated the ‘Mercedes-Benz S-Class’.

While the letter ‘S’ had appeared in the model designations of Mercedes-Benz luxury class models since 1949, ‘S-Class’ now became the incisive term for an entire family of models.

‘The new S-Class is the result of many years of theoretical and practical development work which, based on the established findings of the preceding model series together with the latest and state-of-the-art technological achievements, has disclosed new dimensions in the automotive sector,’ according to the 1972 Paris Motor Show press kit, whose front cover simply read: ‘Mercedes-Benz presents: the new S-Class’.
‘The vehicles which, besides superior performance, well-balanced handling characteristics and comfortable luxury, afford the utmost active and passive safety, have adopted many elements of the elaborate project studies C 111 and ESF 5 as well as ESF 13 (Experimental- S icherheits- Fahrzeug). A new class is accordingly setting standards that will continue to apply in years to come,’ stated Mercedes-Benz on this occasion in emphasising its tradition as the unrivalled manufacturer of luxury class vehicles.

Through its S-Class, Mercedes-Benz remained closely associated with the Paris Motor Show in subsequent decades as well. For example, in October 1992 among other models, the Stuttgart manufacturer presented the 300 SE 2.8 and 300 SD turbo diesel at the show, adding two less expensive and especially economical variants to the S-Class line. Interest was also stirred by the 300 SD, which while already being exported to the USA since October 1991, now became the first diesel model of the S-Class to also be available in Europe. Besides the two new models, the eight-cylinder and twelve-cylinder versions with re-designed engines were also presented in Paris. All three major assemblies dispense with mixture enrichment at wide open throttle, which led to slightly reduces power but better emissions characteristics.

New S-Class for the Motor Show’s centennial

For the 100th anniversary of the French show so rich in tradition, the Stuttgart brand couldn’t let the opportunity escape of once again celebrating an S-Class premiere there: at the 1998 Paris Motor Show Mercedes-Benz presented the new S-Class of the 220 model series to the world’s public; it was the successor to the 140 model series after seven and a half years of production.

‘Altogether the new S-Class owes its attractiveness to the classical virtues of a Mercedes-Benz – to the combination of reason and emotion. It guarantees serenity through trusted strength in comfort and safety, and guarantees pleasure through an elegant design and well-balanced ride characteristics,’ explained Dr Dieter Zetsche, at the time a Member of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG responsible for Sales, on the occasion of the presentation of the new member of the luxury class in Paris.

‘With its elegant appearance and its many technical innovations, the new Saloon will continue the worldwide successes of the predecessor model, which was manufactured a total of over 407,000 times and in past years has achieved an average share of 42 per cent of the world market in its segment,’ boasted the press release for the Paris Show. ‘Just like the predecessor model, the new S-Class will also be a trendsetter for the entire field of passenger car technologies. The new Mercedes Saloon implements over 30 technical innovations, for which Daimler engineers have filed a total of 340 patents. A large part of the innovations offered by Daimler-Benz as the first car manufacturer worldwide, are standard on the S-Class.’

The new features included the COMAND operating and display system and the innovative DISTRONIC autonomous intelligent cruise control, for example. But the keyless access and drive authorisation system, KEYLESS-GO and AIRMATC, an air suspension system that automatically adapts the action of the dampers at all four wheels to the given road and load conditions as well as to the driving style through active dampening and level control in the front and rear, also belong to the innovative highlights of this model series.

At the Paris Motor Show’s centennial, the motto of the new S-Class, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, also applied to the architectural and technical presentation of the Mercedes-Benz brand: besides the vehicles, the Stuttgart manufacturer’s exhibition also presented fascinating live performances and artworks from the eleven most prominent art schools that had turned their attention to the new S-Class.

A new era in automotive safety

Mercedes-Benz also highlighted technical innovations of the subsequently face-lifted S-Class at the 2002 Motor Show in Paris. ‘The world’s number one luxury class Saloon also stays in the fast lane technically and stylistically in model year 2003: at the Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz is presenting an S-Class that’s even more attractive and innovative thanks to modifications of many details,’ as the manufacturer pointed out in the press kit.

‘At the top of the new trend-setting high-tech innovations is the PRE-SAFE preventive occupant protection system, with which Mercedes-Benz has launched a new era in automotive safety.’ The system can detect a potential accident in advance and pre-emptively prepare occupants and the vehicle in seconds – by automatically correcting the seat positions and tensioning the seat belts, for example, for optimal airbag function.

The very special relationship between Mercedes-Benz and the Salon Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris has continued without interruption to the present day. 115 years after the debut and 40 years after the presentation of the S-Class from model series 116 in Paris, Mercedes-Benz presented the sculpture ‘Aesthetics S’ at the 2012 Show: stirred to life by state-of-the-art lighting technology, the artwork gives viewers a foretaste of the new edition of Mercedes-Benz’s top model.

The stylistic idiom presented in Paris already clarifies what will also distinguish the design of the new S-Class: ‘its timelessness and constant modernity’ in the words of Mercedes-Benz Head Designer Gorden Wagener, speaking in Paris.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Mercedes-Benz TecDay "S-Class Ambience: The Essence of Luxury" (III)

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X. 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 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. In this system, the interior space in the bodyshell's cross-members and side members is used as a resonance chamber for the woofers. A 3D surround sound system is available on request.

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 is the Intel Atom, a processor whose performance fully equals that of components in the latest laptops.

As a completely new feature, the developers have made the individual functions of the communication systems more tangible with on-screen visualisation and animations (see section "Operation"). The user is also able to adapt what is shown in the central display to their own requirements. With the exception of the navigation map (which always fills the complete display area), the central display is divided into a main area (2/3 on the right of the screen) and an additional area (1/3 on the left side of the screen). In standard configuration the additional area shows supplementary information about the selected main application, e.g. if the radio function is active, the artist and song title are shown, or the current channel in the case of TV.

It is also possible to permanently show preferred contents in the additional area (except when the full navigation map is active). It is possible to select a small navigation map, fuel consumption display, data connection display or entertainment information, for example.

In addition to this improvement in operating convenience, numerous new functions extend the multimedia options available, and transform the S-Class into a communication centre or a concert hall as required.

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. Information on the traffic situation is shown with hatched lines (rather than with vehicle silhouettes as before). Thanks to real-time traffic information, the navigation system is also better informed about the situation on the roads. Traffic data are now provided by the "Live Traffic Information" service. Unlike the previous data sources TMC and TMCpro, whose data are received by radio, "Live Traffic Information" uses a fast internet connection and is therefore particularly up-to-date.

As another new feature, a key word search can be used to enter destinations: only a few letters need to be entered, and the system will automatically display a choice of appropriate town/street combinations and possible points of interest. The letter combinations or key words can even contain spelling mistakes.

Example: if the driver enters STUT and BAD, the system will suggest 'Stuttgarter Strasse' in Bad Friedrichshall, 'Badstrasse' in Stuttgart and the 'Freibad Möhringen' swimming pool in Stuttgart. The entered key words are visually highlighted in the display of search results.

In the radio function the favourite stations can now be saved to an individually organised preset list for all wavebands (DAB, FM, AM) rather than to a general autostore function. Individual stations can then be called up using the favourites function. The "song tagging" function is likewise useful: songs just played in the vehicle can be flagged and then downloaded to a mobile device via iTunes and the internet connection.

The player is now able to recognise mixed tracks, i.e. video and audio files. Videos are shown as a preview in a small, animated area, and can be enlarged to full-screen format. The function "Play similar titles" suggests songs similar to the one currently playing, accessing the CD, Music Register or a connected source. Also new are the Coverflow display, the album cover search and the Picture Viewer as a slideshow.

The telephone module with Bluetooth® is standard equipment with COMAND Online. This supports the connection of the mobile phone to the vehicle via a standardised Bluetooth® interface. In addition "Convenience telephony" can be ordered as an optional extra by way of a pre-installation using a universal phone interface, whereby the mobile phone can be connected via a cradle in the centre console. Suitable cradles for various mobile phones are obtainable from Mercedes-Benz Accessories.

"Business telephony in the rear"with a hands-free function is optionally available for passengers in the rear. Connection of the mobile phone to the rear unit is likewise via Bluetooth®. Preinstallation with a universal phone interface is also possible for the rear. Telephony via COMAND Online is networked with the Business telephony in the rear. Calls can therefore be conveniently transferred between the driver and the rear, and functions such as call waiting or conference are also available. Business telephony is operated via a Bluetooth® handset integrated into the rear and featuring a convenient touch display. This allows functions such as seat adjustment to be operated intuitively.

The most important new functions at a glance:

Equal rights for every occupant: the entertainment features

The new S-Class is the first vehicle worldwide to offer a genuine multi-user system with Individual Entertainment in the rear. 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 multi-user system was technically realised by connecting COMAND Online with the Individual Entertainment system in the rear via a fibre-optic cable, a so-called MOST bus system (Media Oriented Systems Transport). Access to the sources from any seat is possible via the MOST ring, which works with a transfer rate of up to 150 Mbit per second. For the COMAND remote control function, digital radio technology is used for the first time instead of infrared technology. This makes operation throughout the vehicle possible from any position.

The well-proven SPLITVIEW for the driver and front passenger has been retained. COMAND Online forms a mixed image from two separate display images (e.g. TV and navigation). This is then separated in the high-resolution central display by means of prisms, enabling different screen content to be shown for the driver and front passenger depending on the viewing angle. The driver and front passenger therefore see different images – the passenger can watch television while the driver is following the navigation instructions.

Together with the DVD changer, headset and COMAND Online remote control, SPLITVIEW is part of "Individual Entertainment". The "Rear Individual Entertainment package" comprises a second DVD player (in the centre console for the five-seater, in the parcel shelf for the four-seater), two high-resolution 10.2-inch displays, remote control and two wireless headsets.

With Frontbass and up to 24 loudspeakers: the sound systems

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. Conventional woofers in the doors are therefore unnecessary. The mid-range speakers in the doors are relocated upwards. This improves sound brilliance and allows additional stowage space in the doors.

As alternatives to the standard sound system with ten loudspeakers, two very high-quality audio systems are available which were developed together with the audio specialists at Burmester: Burmester® Surround Sound system and Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system.

The features of the three sound systems at a glance:

The systematic use of analogue diplexers in the medium and high frequency ranges ensures an extraordinarily expressive and natural sound. Bass, mid-range, treble, volume, balance and fader can be individually adjusted. The listening experience can be enhanced even further with the Surround function or sound optimisation for the front and rear seats.

The Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system makes for an outstanding listening experience, with the best possible sound settings for every seat and, for the first time, three-dimensional sound in a luxury saloon car. This 3D surround sound is created with the help of special Burmester algorithms and three speakers integrated into the headlining. This system is visually distinguishable from the Burmester® Surround Sound system by these overhead speakers, door speaker covers and illuminated tweeters in the mirror triangles which extend electrically and light up in a choice of seven colour tones.This combination of analogue and digital technologies produces an extraordinarily expressive and natural sound – the Burmester "feel-good sound".

XI. Under the microscope: Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system - Three-dimensional sound in the car

The optional Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system provides an outstanding visual and acoustic experience.

As a visual highlight, the tweeters in the mirror triangles of the front doors are particularly sophisticated. When the head unit is switched on, they rotate by 360° and perform a screwing motion of ten millimetres towards the occupant. This ideally aligns the tweeters for an optimal sound impression.

If the ambience lighting is switched on, the two tweeters are illuminated in one of the seven available colours. The same applies to the overhead console, which is also elegantly emphasised by the ambience lighting and accommodates two of the three overhead speakers.

The Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system provides its unrivalled listening experience by virtue of 24 high-performance speakers and 24 separate amplifier channels with a total output of 1540 watts. At the same time an intelligent combination of analogue and digital amplifier technologies leads to a particularly fine and natural sound together with high performance reserves. While sophisticated analogue filter settings allow the best possible fine reproduction in the mid-range and treble frequencies, the digital amplifier - despite its compact dimensions – masters the highest dynamic peaks. The result is outstanding sound resolution and fine acoustic detail, combined with impressive impulse reproduction. This provides a rounded, warm and substantial sound experience founded on an impressive bass range.

The new, three-dimensional listening experience provided by the 3D-Sound system and created by the Burmester speakers integrated into the vehicle roof is unique. In addition to the two speakers in the overhead console, another speaker is accommodated in the overhead control panel. A 3D algorithm was developed specifically for the S-Class to create the unique listening experience made possible by these overhead speakers. The aim of the developers was to add a subtle spatial effect to the outstanding listening experience.

Apart from 3D-Sound, four other preset sound modes can be selected to suit every taste and audio source:

- Pure: audiophile sound reproduction with no additional effects, for unadulterated musical enjoyment

- Live: appealing, dynamic sound background akin to live music

- Easy Listening: milder sound background for relaxed listening over longer periods

- Surround: virtual surround sound

- 3D-Sound: three-dimensional listening experience provided by the overhead loudspeakers

Using the so-called VIP setting, the sound quality can be optimised for any of the four seating positions. This function has been carefully configured for each of the sound modes shown above.

The sophisticated sound compensation (VNC) has also been developed further. This ensures that the best possible sound impression is maintained despite changes in driving noise. VNC guarantees maximum listening pleasure at all times – whether on the motorway or in town.

XII. New control and display concept: Elegant new control centre

Two high-resolution TFT 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, as well as visual appeal and elegance, 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. Thanks to the fine structuring on the metal surfaces, each individual control has the sound, feel and attention to detail that makes Mercedes-Benz something very special.

The well-proven Mercedes-Benz operating philosophy with a multifunction steering wheel, DIRECT SELECT selector lever and COMAND Controller in the centre console has been retained. The engineers have, however, taken a new approach with the large high-resolution display depicting the instrument cluster, a display area showing the driving assistance systems next to the rotary light switch and a new position for the cruise control stalk, on the left below the combination switch for the wipers and indicators.

With Mercedes-Benz COMAND Online the customer is now able to adapt the contents of the central display to personal requirements. With the exception of the navigation map (which always fills the complete display area), the central display is divided into a main area (2/3 on the right of the screen) and an additional area (1/3 on the left side of the screen). In standard configuration the additional area shows supplementary information about the selected main application, e.g. if the radio function is active, the artist and song title are shown, or the current channel in the case of TV. If required, it is also possible to permanently display a preferred content item in the additional area, for example a small navigation map, fuel consumption display, data connection display or entertainment information. High-quality visualisation and animations make for convenient operation — changes in adjustments e.g. for the climate control or seats are immediately visible and therefore easy to follow.

The two screen displays have an illuminated "corona" for effect, making the display appear to be floating in space. This lighting can be individualised in seven colours as an option. Like the switch and controls illumination, the brightness can be adjusted using a rotary control between the instrument cluster and central display. Optionally, individual brightness levels can be set for the different lighting zones in the vehicle interior using the vehicle functions of the COMAND Online system.

The new instrument cluster: important information at a glance

The architecture of the instrument cluster in the S-Class is a new departure for Mercedes-Benz. For the first time a large TFT colour display with a screen diagonal of 30.7 cm (12 inches) in 8:3 format is used to display driver information. The large screen provides much more scope with respect to the presentation of contents, animation of displays and vehicle-related information, especially where the onboard assistance functions are concerned. The design of the two large dial instruments showing the vehicle speed (left) and rpm (right) follows the classic style. The menu for "Journey", "Navigation" and "Media" and the relevant sub-menus accessible between the two dial instruments are also familiar in principle, and are operated using the steering wheel function keys as before.

The central area between the dial instruments shows the driving assistance systems. When they intervene, the actions of systems such as DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist are notified to the driver by visualisation. The image from Night&Day View Assist PLUS is now also shown between the two instruments, where it is easily visible. In the process the circular scales of the two displays are reduced to three-quarter circles with revised scaling to provide the largest possible area for the camera image. In the central area of the display the driver also receives visual support when searching for a parking space. Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC shows recognised parking spaces (left/right, parallel or end-on parking) and guides the driver through the parking procedure. The graphics in this display resemble actual perspective views rather than two-dimensional images from above. Recognised speed limits and any supplementary signs are now shown in the speedometer for easy visibility.

Mercedes customers will find the classic displays and warning lamps easy to recognise. The distance information for the front PARKTRONIC sensors (left/right) is shown at the top, between the two dial instruments. Above this are the control lamps for the indicators/hazard warning system, lighting functions (parking lights, high beam, foglamps, low beam) and the distance warning. The outside temperature is shown at the top centre. The fuel gauge showing the volume in percent is located in the speedometer (6 o'clock position), and the speedometer also accommodates the control lamps for the ESP® functions, ABS, the warning lamps for the airbags (SRS - Supplemental Restraint System), the seat belts and the tyre pressure monitoring system. The coolant temperature appears in the 6 o'clock position in the rev counter, which also shows the current transmission mode, automatic transmission gear and the function displays for the electric parking brake, brake lining wear indicator and engine diagnosis.
Support for the driver: the ECO display

If required, three bar charts in the instrument cluster give the driver feedback about the economy of his driving style. The ECO display responds positively if the driver accelerates moderately, drives smoothly in an anticipatory manner and avoids unnecessary braking. The three bar readings stand at 100% if driving is particularly economical according to these criteria. When starting off all the values are at 50 percent, and a particularly unfavourable driving style causes them to decline. The aim is to arouse a competitive desire in the driver to achieve 100 percent if possible.

The central display: the control centre for infotainment and comfort

A completely newly developed COMAND Online generation has its world premiere in the new S-Class. It excels with intuitive operation and the immediacy of its functions, thanks to animated menus and images on a large display in 8:3 format with a resolution of 1440 x 540 pixels. For video and TV reproduction a part of the screen corresponding to the 16:9 format is used.

The large display is used for animations and 3D effects. An additional area on the display simplifies operation with a context-related representation of the current application or permanent display of the navigation map, for example, or - in the case of models with hybrid drive - a display of the hybrid functions showing the energy flow.

The animated high-resolution display concept is particularly impressive where the digital operating instructions for COMAND Online are concerned. Depending on the level of appointments, there is a context-sensitive display of the contents for the individual vehicle.

Operation: touch-sensitive telephone keypad, extended voice control, three different remote controls

The new control features include a touch-sensitive telephone keypad and an extended favourites function with twelve freely selectable memory places. The principal control element is the rotary pushbutton, with the usual direct access keys in the centre console for the most important functions.

Voice entry using LINGUATRONIC via the Speech Dialog System allows complete addresses to be spoken in one go, for example (one-shot input). The telephone and audio systems can also be voice-controlled. The option of having text messages (SMS) or emails read out is a new feature. Polish and Finnish are newly available languages, and Arabic is now fully supported.

The new COMAND Online also comes with three remote control variants:

- basic remote control (high-quality unit with chrome)

- rear handset incl. remote control function connected via Bluetooth

- iPhone® / Android app with remote control function via WLAN

Apart from showing and operating the COMAND Online functions (internet browsing, reading and writing SMS and email, internet radio, Mercedes-Benz services), the telephony functions, navigation, radio and TV plus the sound systems (see section "Multimedia features"), the central display shows and operates the many comfort functions, some of which are new. They include:

- Multifunction seats (contour and ENERGIZING massage function with programmes), settings

- Seat heating Plus

- Air conditioning, perfume atomisation, ionisation, panel heating

- Vehicle functions (seven-colour ambience lighting, locator lighting)

- Tow-away protection, various vehicle settings

- Camera functions (reversing camera and 360-degree camera).

- Digital radio (DAB)

- Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services (SDARS)/Sirius functions such as SiriusWeather via a map or in tabular form, GameAlert, MusicAlert for USA and Canada

- mbrace (Teleaid Pass) for China & USA/Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) for Japan

XIII. Noise and vibration characteristics: 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 bodyshell 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.

XIV. Under the microscope: performance-enhancing comfort - Comfort is also conducive to safety

Safety and comfort — the new S-Class sets new standards in both areas. The two attributes by no means only run in parallel, however: studies by the Customer Research Center (CRC) at Mercedes-Benz show that certain comfort characteristics have a direct influence on driver performance and wellbeing during and after a journey. Comfort is also conducive to safety.

Research on driver-fitness safety, the in-house term used by Mercedes-Benz to denote comfort on long journeys, has been one of the major tasks of the CRC for over 15 years. Well-known international scientists are regularly invited to the CRC to document the current state of research on noise comfort, vibration comfort and climatic comfort, and to analyse the effects on human performance.

The typical approach taken by the CRC studies on performance-enhancing comfort is initially to register the customer-related influencing factors. Findings on the subject of "long-distance journeys" are obtained by means of detailed customer surveys in Germany and the USA. One of the main findings is that uncertainty about events during a journey, e.g. traffic tailbacks, is a significant stress factor.

The second phase involves extensive practical driving tests to systematically examine the influencing factors for their relevance to performance-enhancing comfort. For example using three externally identical E-Class test cars which noticeably but by no means dramatically differ in their vibration and noise comfort, and which have different driver seats. 36 Mercedes customers with long-distance driving experience were sent on a 410-kilometre long circular route covering motorways and country roads in each of the cars, and this route was completed three times.

The fitness of the test subjects during and after the journey was assessed using a number of indicators. During the journey, the heart rate was monitored together with muscular tension in the neck area and the frequency of frowning as an indicator of dissatisfaction. The concentration of the hormone cortisol in the saliva gave an indication of stress levels. Directly after the journeys the test subjects were subjected to performance and alertness tests to assess their level of fitness. They were also asked to complete questionnaires and assess their level of fatigue, for example. Indirect indicators also taken into account included the average driving speeds and especially the length of the breaks taken by the drivers.

Dr. Götz Renner summarises the conclusions from the research as a "recipe for performance-enhancing vehicles": "Build a quiet vehicle, especially avoiding the low frequencies, add a good (driver's) seat and first-class climate control. Plan and schedule routes and rest breaks while avoiding tailbacks, entertain the driver, create the fundamental conditions for relaxation and assist him with functions such as the ENERGIZING massage function so that he can cope with stress and fatigue. This vehicle will then have a fit and alert driver – also after the journey."

These findings have already been incorporated into the new S-Class: it is quieter than any Mercedes-Benz before it. The seating system provides unprecedented comfort, including the optional ENERGIZING massage function for all four seats. And the new navigation system provides even more rapid and up-to-date traffic information to facilitate better route planning.

XV. Under the microscope: history - Milestones in comfort

The luxury-class models from Mercedes-Benz are always at the vanguard of the very latest automotive technology. Time and time again, they showcase brand new features which then come into widespread use. Here is an overview of the comfort innovations premiered by the individual S‑Class model series:

Model 220, W 187 (1951 to 1954)

- Heater with blower as optional equipment

Models 220 a/220 S/220 SE, W 180/W 128 (1954 to 1959)

- Improved spaciousness and comfort thanks to modern unitary structure
- Separately adjustable heater and blower as standard for driver and front passenger
- "Hydrak" automatic hydraulic clutch as optional equipment item (from 1957)

Models 220 b/220 Sb/220 SEb/300 SE/300 SE long-wheelbase, W 111/W 112 (1959 to 1965)

- Four-speed automatic transmission (from 1961)
- Air suspension (300 SE, from 1961)
- Long-wheelbase version available (300 SE, from 1963)
- Central locking system as optional equipment (300 SE long-wheelbase)

Models 250 S to 300 SEL 6.3, W 108/W 109 (1965 to 1972)

- Hydropneumatic compensator spring at the rear axle
- Air suspension (300 SEL, 300 SEL 6.3, 300 SEL 3.5)

S-Class 116 series (1972 to 1980)

- Cruise control as optional equipment (from 1975)
- Hydropneumatic suspension with level control (450 SEL 6.9, from 1975)
- Automatic transmission with torque converter as optional equipment (standard for 450 SE, 450 SEL, 450 SEL 6.9)
- Large headlamps and indicators, soiling-resistant tail lights and side windows
- Coupled-link axle with anti-squat control (450 SE, 450 SEL, 450 SEL 6.9)

S-Class 126 series (1979 to 1991)

- Electrically adjustable steering column as optional equipment item (from 1985)

S-Class 140 series (1991 to 1998)

- Electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission (standard for V8 and V12 models, from 1995)
- Speed-sensitive power steering
- Double-glazed side windows for maximum noise comfort
- Automatic climate control with activated charcoal filter and CO/NOX-sensitive sensors as standard (S 600) or as optional equipment
- Electrically folding exterior mirrors
- Power closing for doors and boot lid as optional equipment
- Adaptive Damping System ADS as optional equipment item
- PARKTRONIC electronic parking aid as standard equipment (S 600, from 1995) or as optional equipment (from 1995)
- Auto-Pilot-System APS navigation system as optional equipment (from 1995)
- TELE-AID emergency call system as optional equipment (from 1997)
- LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system as optional equipment (from 1996)
- Seat belts with automatic height adjustment

S-Class 220 series (1998 to 2005)

- 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with electronic control (S 430, S 500, from 2004)
- AIRMATIC air suspension with electronically controlled Adaptive Damping System
- Active Body Control suspension as optional equipment (standard for S 600)
- Laminated glass side windows
- DISTRONIC proximity control as optional equipment
- Automatic headlamp mode
- COMAND control and display system with dynamic navigation as optional equipment
- Multi-zone automatic climate control with individual control at each seat depending on the sun's position
- Luxury seats with ventilation and dynamic multicontour backrest as optional equipment
- KEYLESS-GO access and drive authorisation systemas an optional extra

S-Class 221 series (from 2005)

- 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with electronic control and DIRECT SELECT steering wheel gearshift
- Active Body Control (ABC) with crosswind stabilisation as an optional extra
- Further development of DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control (with braking to standstill) as an optional extra
- New control concept with a COMAND Controller on the transmission tunnel
- Dynamic multicontour seat with new massage function
- Foot-operated parking brake with electric assistance
- SPLITVIEW display as an optional extra (from 2009)
- Parking Assist as an optional extra
- Adaptive Highbeam Assist as an optional extra (from 2009)
- Speed Limit Assist as an optional extra (from 2009)
- Night View Assist based on infra-red technology as an optional extra

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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Mercedes-Benz TecDay "S-Class Ambience: The Essence of Luxury" (II)

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VII. Climate control: Many new features for a pleasant atmosphere

During the systematic further development of the entire climatic system, a particular focus was placed on the development goals of performance, air quality, precise regulation, noise level and efficiency. As a new feature, the AIR-BALANCE package comprises perfume atomisation, ionisation and even more efficient filtration compared to the standard model. The THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control in the rear has two additional zones to improve thermal comfort. Electric heating of the armrests, is a completely new feature.

The newly developed climate control unit of the THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control included as 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 with respect to temperature level, air distribution and air volume, for the front footwell temperature with a warmer or cooler tendency and also for the individual automatic modes with their climatic settings of "Focus", "Medium" and "Diffuse". The profiles, which differ in air volume and air distribution, can be conveniently set via the COMAND Online system.

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 AIR-BALANCE 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

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. Perfuming individualises the smell of the interior. The interior smell is not changed permanently, nor are the perfume molecules deposited on fabric surfaces or clothing. The fragrance is discreet and mild, and dissipates rapidly. Four interior fragrances (FREESIDE MOOD, NIGHTLIFE MOOD, DOWNTOWN MOOD, SPORTS MOOD) are available in attractively designed flasks. The fragrances were developed in collaboration with the perfume specialist Marc vom Ende (see "Under the microscope").

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 Mercedes-Benz 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).

Warmth Comfort package: heated armrests and seat heating Plus

The new S-Class Saloon is available with the optional Warmth Comfort package for all engine variants. This includes:

- heated front armrests (door and centre armrests)

- fast-action seat heating Plus for driver and front passenger

- heated steering wheel

- heated rear armrests (door and centre armrests)

- Seat heating Plus in the rear

The innovation in this package is the armrests, whose surfaces can be heated by heating elements on the same principle as seat heating. Originally conceived for the energy-efficient heating of electric cars, this panel heating in the S-Class makes for a particularly cosy environment. The armrest heating is switched on and off using the seat heating switch in the door panel, and can be deactivated via COMAND Online. The heating output of seat heating Plus can reach up to 2000 watts per sq. m., and can already be felt in the sensitive lumbar area after ten seconds.

Climate control: multiple adjustments, high efficiency

The new climate control system in the new S-Class combines energy efficiency with comfortable temperatures on every seat, and sets new standards in terms of the adaptability of automatic operation to the individual wishes of the occupants.

The new automatic climate control is operated via:

- the newly developed control panel below the centre vent

- the climate menu in COMAND Online

- the rear control panel in the rear centre console (if the optional rear climate control is specified).

To improve climatic comfort in the rear even further, a newly developed, water-flow controlled two-zone THERMOTRONIC rear automatic climate control system installed in the centre console is available as an optional extra. The air is taken into the interior of the centre console. The cooled air flows through a water-flow controlled heat exchanger, and is distributed to the separate left/right centre vents, the rear footwells and the vents in the B-pillars. Air distribution to both sides is automatically controlled by four step motors.

The basic functions of the air conditioning, i.e. automatic operation, temperature adjustment, air volume, residual mode, recirculation, defrost and heated rear window can be directly controlled by buttons in the front control panel. Other climatisation functions such the auxiliary heater, perfume atomisation, ionisation and footwell temperature can be accessed via the climate status display in the head unit, where the air distribution and ventilation modes are also accessible.

The air volume and distribution control have been developed further and improved in comparison to the climate control system in the preceding series. This means:

- Automatic modes "Medium" (comparable to the same mode in the previous model), "Diffuse" (for the lowest possible airflow, and not aimed directly at the occupants; most of the air flows into the interior from the defrosting and footwell vents) and "Focus" (a higher volume of air mainly from the ventilation vents)

- Separately adjustable fans for the driver and front passenger

- Front footwell temperature can be individually made warmer or cooler in five stages, and separately for the driver and front passenger.

The heat exchanger in the heating circuit has an output of 9.7 kW at an air volume of 8 kg/min. Diesel models are equipped with a heat exchanger featuring three integrated PTC heating element rows with a selectable six-stage heating output of 1.5 kW. An electronically commutated auxiliary water pump allows residual heat operation when the ignition is switched off. The flat-tube evaporator in the refrigerant circuit has an output of 8.8 kW. In non-hybrid models the refrigerant compressor is variably externally controlled, and incorporated into the belt drive system via a magnetic coupling.

A large number of sensors are used to regulate the automatic climate control, e.g. venting and evaporation sensors, potentiometers in the vent selector wheels, multifunction sensor with moisture measuring cell and a ventilated interior sensor for the interior temperature in the area of the overhead control panel. Solar radiation is registered with the help of two separate solar sensors on the left/right of the interior, a sensor in the cockpit and a sensor on the parcel shelf. GPS navigation data are used to determine the direction of the sun and the altitude above sea level (elevation). In case GPS navigation data are not available, a fallback calculation of the sun's direction is made on the basis of the vehicle-encoded country of delivery, the time of day and the date.The air conditioning control system is then able to respond to a heat build-up caused by direct solar radiation, even when the solar sensors have not yet registered any change in the interior, e.g. if it is wholly or partly shaded by the A/B/C-pillars or roof.

Energy-efficient climate control: economical heating and cooling

Various measures have been incorporated to make the climate control system as energy-efficient as possible.

- Energy-efficient controlwith variable evaporation temperature and misting sensor

- PWM (pulse width modulated) blower control unit

- Internal heat exchanger with efficient cooling circuit

- Externally controlled refrigerant compressor with magnetic coupling (non-hybrid models)and internal oil separator

- Electronically controlled refrigerant compressor which can be operated within the most efficient range, whatever the engine speed

- Maximum heating combustion as efficient auxiliary heating for diesel models

- Green-tinted thermal insulation glass all-round as standard

- Optional extra: thermally and noise-insulated, infrared-reflecting laminated safety glass all-round

- Efficient surface heating as an optional extra

- Thermal insulation of the interior in combination with NVH measures.

As an optional extra, an auxiliary heater with radio remote control is available as part of the climate control system. In this way the interior of the parked vehicle can be heated or ventilated with fresh air, with activation as follows:

- Control panel in the vehicle

- Preset function using COMAND Online and the central control panel. The activation time is calculated automatically as a function of the vehicle's external and internal temperature

- Radio remote control with acknowledgement of successful transmission, also display of the remaining heating or ventilating time.

VIII. Under the microscope: Interview with Marc vom Ende - The fourth dimension of sensuality

Marc vom Ende developed the fragrances for the new perfume atomisation system in the S-Class. The 44 year-old is a senior perfume specialist for the fragrance manufacturer Symrise in Lower Saxony, heads its perfumery school and is a member of the jury for the innovation awards of the German perfumery retailers association. We spoke to him about his creations for Mercedes-Benz.

Mr vom Ende, you have already created world-famous perfumes such as "IcebergHomme" or "Alain Delon". Was it a particular challenge to create fragrances for a vehicle this time, for the new S-Class?
When I apply a body perfume I am expressing my personality and the mood I happen to be in. The requirement is similar for the interior smell of the S-Class: here too we should reflect the character of the individual driving the car, and also the atmosphere of the car itself. It was fundamentally important to me that the fragrances reflect certain personalities and characters. I did not want bland fragrances without a clear profile, but rather distinctive fragrances as an expression of a distinctive personality – in keeping with the ideals of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

How does a perfumery expert tackle this task, how were the perfume compositions for Mercedes-Benz created?
We always work with images that inspire us, and which we try to recreate with fragrances. As perfumers we know the entire range of available raw materials, and experience tells us which combinations lead to what results, creating certain harmonies. We gradually approach this ideal image.

When I started the development work I paid a visit to the interior designers in Sindelfingen. We had a very interesting exchange of views which caused me to deviate from the approach I had envisaged. Originally I wanted to work with the smell of leather, but then realised that the car itself smells of leather, and that my fragrances must go hand in hand with this. A visit to the research workshops allowed me to see the brand from a completely different point of view, and gave me new ideas for suitable fragrances. The presentation of the F800, for example, inspired me to create the perfume DOWNTOWN MOOD. The car is so delicate in structure, so light and airy, and I went home with the idea of this perfume in my mind.

So when creating the perfumes you took your inspiration from the interior of the S‑Class?
Yes, I already got to know the S-Class during an early development phase. But far more important to me was the brand itself and the working approach of the designers. I was very impressed with the care taken when selecting the individual materials and colour combinations. This gave me a new stimulus and point of view for my own assignment.

Have you had an opportunity to experience the perfume atomiser in the new S‑Class 'live'?
Yes, I was able to test the perfume atomiser in an S-Class, and during the creative work I also had a portable atomiser available. Being able to test the perfume atomiser was extremely important to ensure that the intensity of the fragrance is at the right level. We initially work with strips of paper, but the result produced by the technology used in the S-Class is different. In this case the perfume reveals its entire sensuality.

Could you briefly characterise the four S-Class fragrances – FREESIDE MOOD, DOWNTOWN MOOD, SPORTS MOOD and NIGHTLIFE MOOD?
Lightness predominates in FREESIDE MOOD, 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. DOWNTOWN MOOD outstandingly suits the interior, and has a floweriness 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. During the test drives I absolutely fell in love with this fragrance. SPORTS MOOD enlivens with a pleasant, natural freshness reminiscent of young light-green leaves, rounded off with slightly flowery nuances. And right from the start, NIGHTLIFE MOOD reminds one 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. I associate NIGHTLIFE MOOD 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.

IX. Under the microscope: actuators make the S-Class more comfortable - More than 100 little helpers

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.

In the fan filter tract of the air conditioning unit the air is taken in by a blower consisting of a twin-shaft motor and two impellers. The temperatures in the four air mixing chambers are regulated to the desired vent temperatures by the use of mechanically coupled cooling and warming flaps. A total of 14 step motors control the flaps of the mixing zones and air vents, and three step motors (four if the optional THERMOTRONIC rear automatic climate control is specified) control the flaps in the air ducts to the side vents and rear centre vent. There is also a step motor in each of the two air deflectors in the rear footwell. Plus there is the rear fan and a fan for the temperature sensor, making a maximum total of 21 motors.

With full specifications, up to nine seat adjustment motors bring each of the front seats and EASY ADJUST luxury head restraints into position. There are also six seat ventilation motors. In the rear there are up to twelve motors for each seat. This means that in an S-Class, 54 actuators take care of occupant seating comfort, while two more move the steering wheel to the desired position. There are also 14 pneumatic massage cells per seat, each of them activated by solenoid valves.

Other motorised helpers:

- Four power window motors

- Five motors controlling exterior mirror adjustment, folding and the parking position for the front passenger mirror

- Five motors for silent closing of the doors and boot lid

- Two motors move the tweeters in the mirror triangles if the Burmester® High-End 3D Surround Sound system is ordered (incidentally this has 24 speakers)

- A vibrating unit in the steering wheel in conjunction with Active Lane Keeping Assist

- A fan motor for the central display

- Two motors powering the panoramic sliding sunroof and sunblind

- Three motors powering the electric sunblind for the rear window and those in the rear doors

- Two motors for the rear belt feeders, two motors for the reversible belt tensioning in the front

- Two motors for the DVD players.

Credits: Daimler AG

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