Mercedes-Benz S-Class (C217)

Mercedes-Benz C217
Overview
Manufacturer	Mercedes-Benz
Production	2014–present
Model years	2015–present
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F) Grand tourer (S) Personal luxury car
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door convertible
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Front-engine, all-wheel-drive
Related	Mercedes-Benz W222
Powertrain
Engine	4.6 L M278 V8 (turbocharged gasoline) 5.5 L M157 AMG V8 (turbocharged gasoline) 6.0 L M279 AMG V12 (turbocharged gasoline)
Transmission	7-speed 7G-Tronic Plus automatic 9-speed 9G-Tronic Plus automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,945 mm (115.9 in)
Length	5,027 mm (197.9 in)
Width	1,899 mm (74.8 in)
Height	1,411 mm (55.6 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mercedes-Benz C216

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class (C217) is a full-size luxury car/grand tourer manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 2014.

The C217 model succeeded the CL-Class (C216) and is the current version of the S-Class coupé. It is also the first Mercedes coupé to carry the S-Class name since the 1990s.

Development

Concept S-Class Coupé (2013)

The Concept S-Class Coupé was unveiled in 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show to showcase the appearance of the upcoming S-Class coupé model. It features an all-new design compared to the previous CL-Class model, utilizing the brand's Sensual Purity design philosophy first developed for the W222 S-Class in 2009.^[1][2]

Production car unveiling

The production version of the S-Class coupé was announced and unveiled in February 2014, with its first public showing at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014.^[3] Mercedes showed the S500 model (known as the S550 in the United States market) at the Geneva show.

At the New York Auto Show in April 2014, Mercedes made the first public showing of the S 63 AMG 4MATIC model.^[4] The S 65 AMG model, which includes a V12 Bi-Turbo engine, was unveiled in July 2014.^[5]

Safety and technology

S 500 Coupé

Interior

It features all the latest driver assistance and safety systems introduced in 2013 on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222), including Traffic Sign Assist with wrong-way driving warning function.

Suspension

The C217 coupé continues to offer the AIRMATIC semi-active air suspension as standard. The C217 introduced an update to the hydraulic fully active Magic Body Control suspension (which debuted on the W222 sedan model), called Active Curve Tilting. This new system allows the vehicle to lean up to 2.5 degrees into a turn, similar to the way a motorcycle leans into a turn. The leaning is intended to counter the effect of centrifugal force on the occupants and is available only on rear-wheel drive models.^[6][7][8]

Lighting

Like the W222 sedan, the C217 coupé includes full-LED lighting on the exterior (including full-LED headlamps with Intelligent Light System and Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS) and interior of the vehicle. Optional headlight features include 47 Swarovski crystals in each headlamp: 30 crystals for the turn signals and 17 for the daytime running lights.^[9][10]

Equipment

• Nine airbags as standard
• ESP Dynamic Cornering Assist
• Traffic Sign Assist with Speed Limit Assist and wrong-way driving warning function
• COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (as standard)
• ATTENTION ASSIST (as standard)
• ADAPTIVE BRAKE (as standard)
• DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist
• Brake Assist system BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist
• NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints
• PRE-SAFE, PRE-SAFE Brake, PRE-SAFE PLUS, PRE-SAFE Impulse, Pre-Safe with pedestrian detection and City Brake function
• Beltbags
• Active bonnet
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• Full-LED headlamps with Intelligent Light System and Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS
• Night View Assist PLUS (pedestrian/animal detection) with flashing Spotlight Function
• Head-up display
• COMAND Online with Touchpad
• Active Parking Assist
• Active Blind Spot Assist
• Crosswind Assist
• Torque Vectoring Brake
• Backup camera
• Electric parking brake with emergency braking function
• Direct-Steer Electromechanical steering with Steering Assist
• MAGIC VISION CONTROL wipers

Models

S 500/S 550

The C217 S-Class coupé launched with the S 500 model, known as the S 550 in the United States market. The vehicle features a twin-turbocharged 4.6L engine paired with a 7-speed or a 9-speed (only for rear-wheel drive version^[11]) automatic transmission. In most markets, the S 500 is fitted to a rear-wheel drive drivetrain with optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive; in the US, 4MATIC is standard.

S 63 AMG

Through the Mercedes-AMG sub-brand, the second S-Class coupé model launched is the S 63 AMG. Featuring a 5.5L turbocharged V8, the S 63 is the performance model V8 within the S-Class lineup. Like the S 500, the S 63 is offered with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, though with only all-wheel drive (without Magic Body Control) in the United States.

• 
  US-market S 63 AMG coupé
• 
  US-market S 63 AMG coupé

S 65 AMG

The S 65 AMG is currently the top-of-the-line S-Class coupé model. It features a 6.0L turbocharged V12 Mercedes-Benz M279 engine paired with a 7G-Tronic automatic transmission. The V12 model is available only with rear-wheel drive (4MATIC not available).

• 
  S 65 AMG
• 
  S 65 AMG

Convertible

The S-Class Convertible at the IAA 2015.

The convertible version of the S-Class (codenamed R217), which was unveiled at the International Motor Show Germany in 2015, has many lightweight reinforcements that its driving style is similar to that of the coupé version. Safety is maintained by a roll-over system, which is pyrotechnically actuated behind the rear passengers if required.^[12]

Maybach S 650 Cabriolet

Based on the convertible version of the AMG S 65, the Maybach S 650 Cabriolet will be produced in a limited run of 300 units.^[13]

References

1. formtrends.com/mercedes-benz-exterior-design-director-on-sensual-purity/
2. "Mercedes Concept S-Class Coupe is two-door indulgence [w/videos]". Autoblog.com. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
3. "2015 Mercedes S-class Coupe: The flagship has landed". Autoweek. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
4. "2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe bringing big, fast style to New York". Autoblog.com. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
5. "2015 S65 AMG Coupe is 186 miles per hour of pure luxury". Autoblog.com. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
6. http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-1721304-1-1710008-1-0-0-1710107-0-1-12759-614216-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html Under the microscope: Curve tilting function - Curve artist
7. "How the Active Curve Tilting Feature of the S-Class Coupe Works". BenzInsider.com. 16 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
8. "The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé: The high-end coupé" (Press release). Stuttgart, Germany: Mercedes-Benz. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
9. "2015 S-Class Coupe (C217) Has Swarovski Crystal Headlights". Autoevolution. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
10. "2015 Mercedes S-Class Coupe leans into the good life". Autoblog.com. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
11. http://www.worldcarfans.com/114070477721/mercedes-benz-to-offer-9g-tronic-on-s500-coupe-starting Mercedes-Benz to offer 9G-TRONIC on S500 Coupe starting January 2015 - report
12. Mercedes S-Klasse Cabrio auf der IAA: Sitzprobe im offenen Luxus-Liner für vier. Auto Motor und Sport.
13. Westbrook, Justin Tyler (2016-11-15). "The Mercedes-Maybach S 650 Cabriolet Is A Hilariously Expensive Way To Hate Rain". Jalopnik.com. Jalopnik. Retrieved 2016-11-22.