Test drive Mercedes Benz S-Class W222 2013-NV sedan

Full swing

Fifteen years ago, all -wheel drive for many was associated exclusively with off -road. But then the engineers removed from the 4x4 formula another benefit security, after which more and more cars began to try on two leading bridges. Finally, Mercedes-Benz S-Class decided to do this.

The design of the modernized MB S-Class has many changes and additions, but they are almost not visible. The thoughtful work of designers who managed to significantly refresh the appearance of the car without distorting his previous face is affected.

The fully converted front bumper looks more aggressive, due to which solidity increased at the front of the body. No less contribution to the formation of the appearance is made by a higher grille of the radiator. The headlights became transparent. External mirrors have a different configuration.

The ison, where about forty elements are updated, was generally the same. The reason is the revision of finishing materials, and not the forms of certain details.

Many car systems have been improved, and some are re -developed. The S-Class is equipped, for example, the Pre-Safe device that can find a threat of a collision in a fraction of a second and take proactive measures to translate passenger seats to the optimal position, tighten the seat belts and close the hatch. As a means of warning about threatening danger, adapted sensors of traffic stabilization systems (ESP) and emergency braking (Brake Assyst) are used. Pre-Safe acts according to the principle of reversibility: if the collision manages to avoid, the tension of the belts weakens, passengers can return the seats to their previous position and open the hatch again.

Of course, most of all we are not interested in the appearance and the interior of the machine. The constant all -wheel drive is the main reason for our meeting. Schildik 4matic used to decorate Stuttgart cars, but for the first time appeared on S-Class. This was worth expecting, because last summer Audi one of the main competitors produced an all -wheel drive A8. And although the designers of Mercedes-Benz are a little late, the receipt of the model on the Russian market can be called timely: winter is the best season for testing such machines.

We leave the parking lot of Daimlerchrysler in Moscow. On the streets of chaos: the capital's transport is practically paralyzed by the next snowfall. There and there are huge traffic jams, mainly due to the fact that cars simply do not move. Even studded rubber does not save many.

However, for us this problem does not exist on the gas pedal, and all -wheel drive (of course, with the participation of ESP, in this case, not allowing the wheels to spin idle) reliably provides the machine with a progressive movement.

We are looking for and find a large desert platform to experience an off-road drive in a seriously, without interference, but at the entrance we stumble upon a massive border, the height of which is comparable to the clearance of the machine. Not wanting to take risks, we are going to retire, but in time we notice the key with the image of the car and the arrows up and down: our S-Class is equipped with adaptive air suspension, and the size of the road clearance can be set manually. One press, and after a minute we occupy the starting position on the snow virgin land. And it began ...

We would have a chance to observe this from the side, they would consider that some oligarch went crazy. The six hundredth, with a roar rushing along the wasteland, now and then disappeared from sight in the snow clouds raised by him, the sight must be unforgettable. We were struck by not so much visual spectacity as the ease of driving in such modes. It turned out to hold S-Class in a controlled skid is completely simple even with the traffic stabilization system disconnected. And first of all, because the car is more behaved as a rear -wheel drive.

It is easily seasoned in a skid or, conversely, pulls out. At first, of course, it resists a little and strives out of turn (the presence of a forty percent of the torque on the front axis and sixty on the rear is affected), but it is worth a little take the steering wheel and throw the gas, as everything falls into place. S-Class behavior is predictable, unlike many other all-wheel drivers, which are skidding, like rear-wheel drive, then jump into a uniform shift in both axles, as befits a complete drive, and stretch out of the current situation thanks to the skills acquired by the driver when managing the front-wheel drive .

Half an hour spent in the style what kind of rich man is wearing here?, Satisfied our research curiosity; I liked the actions of the car in a critical situation. In any case, a person who has moved from the usual Mercedes-Benz S-Class to 4matic will not be discouraged by his habits on a slippery road and will certainly note that the car has significantly increased exchange rate stability.

Under the hood of our modification stood a 4.3-liter V-shaped eight that endow the car with good dynamics: 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds. S-Class, equipped with a new twelve-cylinder engine with double turbocharging, reaches hundreds even faster in 4.8 seconds. Impressive. Like the price. It is a pity, not everyone is so rich as to buy even cheap rear-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz ...

Technical characteristics MB S430 4MATIC

The body carrier, all -metal.
‹Number of places, people. five
Equipped mass, kg 1905
Full mass, kg 2505
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm 5038/1855/1444
Base, mm 2965
Maximum speed, km/h 250
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 7.4
Control consumption of fuel, l/100 km:
- City cycle 18.3
- Country 9.2
- Mixed 12.5
Engine:
- Type V8
- working volume, cm3 4266
- Power, L.S. Under Min-1 279/5750
- torque, NM at min-1 400/3000
- power supply system distributed injection
Transmission automatic., 5-speed, constant full. drive unit
Tire size 225/55R17
Wheel suspension is independent, on pneumo elements
Disc, ventilated brakes
Steering gear-rake, with gur
Price, $ 130,000

Text: Oleg Kalaushin
 

A source: Magazine 5 wheel [03/2003]