Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

[Aveyro]

 

Very basically, a two-door, four-seat version of the all-conquering Mercedes S-Class – formerly known as the CL – that competes with the Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB11. A big, soft GT-car designed to do big distances without throwing out your lower back. An S-Class you drive, rather than get driven in. We like it very much indeed.

 

Our favourite luxury saloon was recently updated with new tech, engines and so-on, and now the Coupe that shares its underpinnings has been given most of the same upgrades. Besides a set of OLED taillights and a ‘Panamerica’ grille (as seen on other, newer AMGs) for the AMG S63 and V12-engined S65, there are no real aesthetic changes. None that you’ll notice, anyway, which ought to keep owners of the outgoing model (and incredibly similar-looking E-Class Coupe) reasonably happy. The same is true of the interior – the steering wheel and screens are new, but they’re nothing we haven’t seen in other Mercs, or radically different from what was there before. If you’re familiar with the current E- or S-Class saloon, you’ll be right at home here.

 

Most of the changes are under the skin. So the ‘base’ S500 has been replaced by the S560, which gets a new 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine that’s more powerful and, thanks to cylinder-deactivation, more economical than the 4.7-litre engine it succeeds. And of course there’s the latest in semi-autonomous driver assistance tech, including the newest version of Merc’s adaptive cruise control that can slow the S for roundabouts, tolls and upcoming junctions.

 

Driving

What is it like on the road?

 

 

And it’s those driver assistance systems that, by and large, dominate the driving experience. There’s a lot going on in the S-Class, but happily most of its systems are so well integrated you’d never know it was doing half of what Mercedes claims. The one exception would be the active speed limiter which, if you’ve got the cruise control set, pegs your speed at whatever the car thinks the limit is. Sometimes it is wrong, and tries to slow you to 30 in a 70 or speed you up to 80 in a 50. Annoying, yes, but nothing that can’t be solved with the tap of one of the MANY steering wheel buttons. Besides, shouldn’t you be paying attention to what the limit is anyway? That said the Driving Assistance package is optional and well worth having (you don’t buy an S-Class to skimp on options) at £2,580 – it gives you the full suite of Mercedes’ excellent safety and assistance systems.

 

Three engines are available in Britain. The S560 gets a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with cylinder deactivation for 469bhp, 516lb ft, 0-62mph in an entirely adequate 4.6 seconds and a 155mph top speed. The AMG S63 also gets a 4.0-litre V8, but this time with 612bhp and 663lb ft. Both have nine-speed automatic gearboxes. Meanwhile the S65, of which Mercedes only expects to sell a handful in Britain, gets an old seven-speed auto because the new nine-speeder can’t handle all the torque from the mighty twin-turbo V12.

 

Since the facelift we’ve only driven the 560 and 63, and true to form both are very good indeed. Of course the AMG is shoutier, its engine-note more hard-edged and responses more immediate, but the 560 is plenty fast enough and has this wonderful, laid-back character that really suits it. And if you want the Magic Body Control suspension – which leans the car into bends like a motorcyclist and scans the road ahead for speedbumps, potholes and so-on – it’s your only option. You can probably do without it, however impressive it is at ironing out massive speedbumps (if not the little, sharp stuff. Oh, and it’s £4,250).

 

Even though there’s mighty performance on offer from pretty much any variant, just as you’d expect the S is more adept at rapid distance-demolishing rather than joyous switchbacks. That’s fine by us, and means you may as well embrace the waft, eschew the AMGs, save your money and buy the 560.

 

On the inside

Layout, finish and space

 

 

We immediately stepped from the S into a GLC, and while the quality of the leather, switchgear and layout naturally catch your eye, what really highlights the difference in interior quality between the S Coupe and a ‘normal’ Merc is the clickwheel. While both use one to control their infotainment systems, the one in the S-Class feels heavier, more satisfying to use and operate. BMW’s iDrive feels exactly the same in a 1 Series as it does in a 7 Series, so we commend Merc for going the extra mile. Because these little things matter when you’re spending north of £100k.

 

The dashboard is gorgeous and the technology it houses first-rate. The front-seats (which, like those in the convertible, have a vent in the headrests that blows hot air at the back of your neck) are among the most comfortable fitted to any car, and though access can be a bit of a pain, you can sit a couple of adults in the back without soliciting too many complaints. Ambient lighting gives a choice of 64 colours, the optional high-end Burmester stereo is needlessly capable and the twin 12.3in displays are easy to muddle your way around and configure to your liking. This interior responds especially well to bright leathers, so we’d urge you to stay clear of black and go for something else – anything to bring out the stitching/quilting.

 

The boot isn’t massive, but there’s more space back there than you get in either the Bentley or Aston.

 

Owning

Running costs and reliability

 

 

You’re not buying an S-Class Coupe – the flagship two-door Merc – to save money. You could buy an E-Class Coupe and get broadly the same look, most of the luxury and all of the tech for half as much. But you don’t want to do that, do you? Which is why it’s of no concern to you that the cheapest S-Class Coupe – the S560 in AMG Line trim (the only trim available in the UK, besides the proper AMGs) starts at £103,715. The S63 is from £127,515, and the 65 is from a staggering £189,615.

 

And options are pricey – the S560 we tested was optioned up to £133,672 (six of that the fancy leather, five the stereo and another four for the suspension) – but who cares? That said this is not a car that demands you throw a load of options at it – S Coupes come as standard with everything you could conceivably want and more. 90 per cent as desirable even without all the added extras.

 

The S Coupe should at least be relatively cheap to run, at least given its size and performance. The 560 promises 34mpg and 188g/km, while the 63 gives 31.7mpg and 203g/km. As for the S65, if you have to ask then it’s probably not the car for you.

 

Verdict

Final thoughts and pick of the range

 

Beautifully engineered bits of kit that nail the brief – brilliantly capable long-distance GTs that are fast, loaded with cutting-edge technology and, if you go for the right spec, actually quite subtle. One of the most cosseting, relaxing things to drive everyday – not quite as special as its flash, handmade competitors, but at a fraction of the money you can’t complain.

Edited April 6, 2020 by -Dark
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