07 Mb S Class Vs. Ls460

[imtheking]

Anyone seen the new S class MB? Simply beautiful...

NEW LS 460 is bad to...heard there is L version where the seats in the back actually recline...wonder how much that will run...

I hear MB has stepped up their game since so many customers have had problems in the past with their cars...everyone at my job who has a MB complains...some even have 2006 models like the CLS and have taken it to shop already!!!!

with all the new technology they put in cars....Al Bundy said it best "Just more stuff to break"...lol

[SW03ES]

I really like the new S class, it has a modern yet still elegant exterior and very nice fittings on the interior. I don't care for the 7 Series appliance like driving setup though. I prefer the more traditional interior of the LS.

Plus the S is going to START at $85k now, meaning it will start close to $10,000 more than a fully loaded LS460L.

[Rx330driver]

I agree, i love, simply love the new s class. the price is just what is holding me back. I was just talking about this with my family, how the ls has the same horsepower as the S550, but one is 30K more. What a shame. But i guess the 30K extra is for the presence and the prestige.

[SKperformance]

Benz is really hoping that the new S will bring them back . If the reliability is the same then i can't see anything for them positivly . As that is there biggest downfall next to having 5 standard features and 300 additional extra $ options that double the price of there cars.

[Rx330driver]

lol, they say the quality is coming back. I heard this statistic that said they cut their profits by 2 billion, from 3 to 1. lol. And it does kinda seem like they are trying. People still buy their cars tho for the prestige.

[SW03ES]

Thats the only reason why, for the prestige. Personally I think Lexus vehicles are much more comfortable, and the reliability and the fact that they're significantly less expensive is just a bonus.

The 3 pointed star counts for something, but the only two that really appeal to me are the CLS and the S, the CLS is pretty reasonably priced but it doesn't hold enough people, and the S is way too expensive.

Maybe one day...

[Jacob]

People still buy their cars tho for the prestige.

That's true. Otherwise why would somebody buy an S280

[bartkat]

I think the Toyota Avalon comes with reclining rear seats. :D

[obsidianr]

Too bad the new LS won't have this: http://www.autospies.com/article/index.asp...519&categoryId=

[Jacob]

Too bad the new LS won't have this: http://www.autospies.com/article/index.asp...519&categoryId=

I thought I read somewhere that it’s not that good.

Besides, does the new S have the ability to park itself?!!

[branshew]

I read in the Wall Street Journal that MB was panning an ad blitz for the new S Class. Something like 250 different print ads compared to their usual 20. Most of these ads are targeted at their new technology and safety features. Funny - as it is the new technology that is getting them into trouble w/ the reliability. I think SK's comments above hit the nail on the head.

Prestige is the only thing selling that car. Let's face it - heads of state, high powered business execs, celebs, and diplomats everywhere are still getting shuttled around in the S class. Why - who knows? Personally I'd rather be driving an A8.

Interesting though as I also read in the Journal that MB declared 2006 as the year of the E Class. This once world leader in total luxury market sales has really slipped - primarily due to recall problems w/ the new electronic brake systems. I think that they are trying to get the E back to the top. So which is it MB - the E or S?

[nc211]

I read somewhere on here that MB has decided to drop that electronic braking system due to the costs of it and all the problems.

[Rx330driver]

i dont think thats true. its already in production, they woudlnt cancel it like that

[branshew]

I read somewhere on here that MB has decided to drop that electronic braking system due to the costs of it and all the problems.

That wouldn't suprise me. They recalled over 680,000 cars with the sensotronic brakes.

I went to a MB "On Track" event a couple of years ago and got to drive some of their cars on a closed race track. As expected, part of the event was a sales pitch for their newest model which happened to be the latest E-class. The person giving the pitch made it sound like it was a "brake-by-wire" type of system where there is no physical contact between the brakes and the pedal.

I haven't researched exactly how the electrohydraulic system works, but that seems extremely risky to me. What happens if you lose power, have a defective sensor measuring pedal depression, etc?

[ED.]

I saw the new S at the STL autoshow we had here. It has more compartments in the door than my BMW! The armrest on the pass door opens up and you can store like change in there. Its bizzare. I like th ebuttons on the door to. They are real big. I mean like the ones for the windows and door locks. I sat in the pass seat so Im not too sure what it was like from the drivers side but it sure was a nice car. The analog clock brought me back to our Infiniti days. lol. They had the current LS there but not the new one. It was nice though. I like th efront end of the new LS but I hate the rear but Im sure itll grow on me. lol

thanks

[SW03ES]

Yeah why is Mercedes ripping off Infiniti now?

[Rx330driver]

analog clocks are the new fad in cars now. Everyone is doing it, except lexus apparently

[SW03ES]

Hopefully they resist the urge.

A car like a Mercedes shouldn't succomb to fads though. Its classless.

[nc211]

I think it was more of a "phasing it out" decision instead of halting the option on the current models that are still being made with it. I can't seem to find it when searching for it. I tried to find it under my name, but good lord, I've got now 17 pages of threads ....I need to get back to work!! Hahahaa. It was a link that one of us posted up from a autonews magazine article about the decision that technology has increased so much that the normal hydrolic braking setup actually comes pretty darn close to the electronic one now...or at least close enough to decide to phase out the electronic brakes and save money on the recalls. Maybe one of the other guys can find the thread under their names, or remembers what I'm talking about...

Short term memory is fading with my age....

i dont think thats true. its already in production, they woudlnt cancel it like that

[branshew]

I think it was more of a "phasing it out" decision instead of halting the option on the current models that are still being made with it.

You're not losing your mind. I read that in the Dec. 8th issue of Autoweek as well. Due to the cost of the system and the cost of the recall it has been incredibly expensive for MB to push forward with the technology. They will discontinue on the E-Class in mid 2006 when the car gets it's mid-life makeover. It will continue on the Maybach, SLK, and McLaren SLR.

It cost MB $175 million to develop the system in conjunction w/ Bosch and the recall cost them $173 million.

Hmm...$350 Mil for nothing - seems like yet another great idea from the falling star.

In the last 3 years MB has recalled over 1.3 million vehicles - that's gotta hurt.

[blake918]

analog clocks are the new fad in cars now. Everyone is doing it, except lexus apparently

I like the analog clock. I think it makes for a good focal point and dresses up the center stack nicely. B)

[RFeldes]

Actually, the early 90's Mazda 9 series had an analog clock. I agree with Blake.. They give the cabin a softer feel. Maybe they should put a Wesminster chime on them..

[blake918]

Yeah why is Mercedes ripping off Infiniti now?

Infiniti? Analog clocks in the dash have been around almost as long as the ice. lol I'd have a hard time considering this a fad since MB has used the analog clock many times before.

Maybe they should put a Wesminster chime on them..

LOL That's great!

[SW03ES]

Yeah why is Mercedes ripping off Infiniti now?

Infiniti? Analog clocks in the dash have been around almost as long as the ice. lol I'd have a hard time considering this a fad since MB has used the analog clock many times before.

Infiniti is the one that mainstreamed the analog clock in the center location of the dash. Just because other manufacturers have used Analog clocks before doesn't mean that this style clock in this very location is original to them. Its clearly a ripoff from Infiniti.

Thats what I don't like about this car, its not original. The exterior and the interior are clearly influenced heavily by the BMW 7 series, the switchgear the same. The only thing untique to Mercedes about this car is the hood ornament.

[blake918]

Infiniti is the one that mainstreamed the analog clock in the center location of the dash. Just because other manufacturers have used Analog clocks before doesn't mean that this style clock in this very location is original to them. Its clearly a ripoff from Infiniti.

Thats what I don't like about this car, its not original. The exterior and the interior are clearly influenced heavily by the BMW 7 series, the switchgear the same. The only thing untique to Mercedes about this car is the hood ornament.

Look at the Infiniti line-up. How can you say that the very location is original to them when the clock in each model is in a different spot? If it was truely their trademark, they would make damn sure it was in the same spot in every car. I'm doubtful that Infiniti was the first manufacture to put the clock in the same spot as the new S class (I research it some more later.).

At any rate, Infiniti doesen't sell enough cars/suvs for anything of theirs to be considered mainstream. Infiniti's one-hit-wonder G35 doesn't even have the clock in that same location-it's jumbled in with climate control readouts at the top of the dash.

No arguement as far as the 7 series influence is concerned.