2008 Mercedes-Benz S Class Review

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The 2008 S550 has a 382-horsepower 5.5L V8 engine, while the S600 gets a 5.5L twin-turbo V12 engine that makes 510 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque. The S550's V8 is matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the S600's V12 runs through a five-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available on the S550.

Both the 550 and the 600 come extremely well equipped with both traditional luxury and comfort features and the latest high-tech safety and driving aids. All S Class models come with eight air bags.

Full leather upholstery and hand-polished wood trim are standard inside the S550, while the S600 gets hand-polished Gloss Burl Walnut trim.

One especially notable interior feature is the Dynamic Multi-Contour Seats, standard on the S600... see more

The 2008 S550 has a 382-horsepower 5.5L V8 engine, while the S600 gets a 5.5L twin-turbo V12 engine that makes 510 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque. The S550's V8 is matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission, while the S600's V12 runs through a five-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available on the S550.

Both the 550 and the 600 come extremely well equipped with both traditional luxury and comfort features and the latest high-tech safety and driving aids. All S Class models come with eight air bags.

Full leather upholstery and hand-polished wood trim are standard inside the S550, while the S600 gets hand-polished Gloss Burl Walnut trim.

One especially notable interior feature is the Dynamic Multi-Contour Seats, standard on the S600 and optional on the S550. In the front seats, 11 individually adjustable air chambers optimize support for your back, even adapting for cornering forces.

The standard sound system is a harmon/kardon audio system with 13 channels and 14 speakers. The system is MP3 and DVD audio compatible and also includes a six-disc changer and memory-card reader.

The S550 comes with plenty of high-tech equipment, including a navigation system with a built-in 20-GB hard drive, heated seats, special interior ambient lighting, a power rear sunblind, dual-zone climate control, bi-xenon headlamps with active curve illumination, heated washers, and a hands-free communication system with voice control.

The S600 adds nearly all the remaining S550 options as standard equipment, including an active night-vision system, dynamic rearview monitor, the Distronic Plus radar-based cruise control system, ventilated Dynamic Multi-Contour seating for the front and back, active head restraints, active body control (ABC), and a panoramic glass sunroof.

All S Class models get the latest version of the COMAND system, a screen-based interface that controls a host of vehicle settings, plus navigation, audio, and climate control functions.

The S Class also gets a new Brake Assist Plus system, which warns the driver of the potential for a collision, then applies full braking through the powerful four-wheel vented-disc system the instant the driver touches the brake pedal; the system also primes the car's safety systems. The S600 is also the first vehicle to be equipped with adaptive LED brake lights that flash rapidly during emergency braking, according to Mercedes-Benz.

The S63 and S65 AMG versions are available for performance enthusiasts, and feature all manner of AMG enhancements. The S63 AMG is new for 2008, and offers the AMG panache at a base price of $127,000 versus the S65's $194,000. The S63 is powered by a 518-horsepower 6.3L V8 that is mated to a smooth seven-speed automatic transmission. Highlights of the S65 AMG include a bi-turbo 6.0L V12 engine and the exclusivity that a $194,000 price tag offers.
Following a complete redesign in 2007, the 2008 S Class adds a second AMG version-the 6.3L V8-powered S63. Sirius satellite radio is now standard on the S550s. On the S65 AMG, the panorama sunroof moves from options list to the standards list, as do the multicontour massaging rear seats and Distronic adaptive cruise control. As usual, Mercedes' big flagship luxury sedan features leading-edge technology such as "smart" massaging seats, a night-vision system, and an advanced cruise control system. see less

Trims	City MPG	Hwy MPG	MSRP	Invoice	Displacement	Engine
S550 4MATIC Sedan	14	20	$89,700	$83,421	5.5L/333	Gas V8
S550 Sedan	14	21	$86,700	$80,631	5.5L/333	Gas V8
S600 Sedan	11	17	$144,200	$134,106	5.5L/336	Gas V12
S63 AMG	11	17	$127,000	$118,110	6.3L/379	Gas V8
S65 AMG	11	17	$194,000	$180,420	6.0L/365	Gas V12

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Â 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS STYLING | [8 out of 10]

Edmunds: "synonymous with state-of-the-art luxury"
ConsumerGuide: "defines luxury motoring"
Motor Trend: "Continues to set the standard"
Kelley Blue Book: "polished, sleek shape"

Given its hefty price tag, one expects a head turner, and the 2008 Mercedes Benz S-Class doesn't disappoint. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com are filled with praise for the style of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, inside and out.

As Kelley Blue Book says, the Mercedes-Benz 2008 provides a "polished, sleek shape," with its sloping front end and its classic Mercedes grille. Cars.com also singles out the front end of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz for its sleek style, stating that its "strong visual presence is highlighted by a sleek front end." The front end of the Mercedes-Benz 2008 isn't its only exterior appeal; Edmunds praises the "aggressive wheelwell flares and a wedgelike profile that's emphasized with a rising character line," and Automobile likes the "chrome/bright trim around side windows and on side of body." Motor Trend feels the latest S-Class "continues to set the standard" for full-size luxury sedans, while Car and Driver likes its "handsome exterior design," and ForbesAutos calls it "elegant." Cars.com reports the optional AMG Sport Package "gives the S-Class some of the look, if not the performance, of a high-performance AMG version of the S-Class."

(see full review)

2008 Mercedes-Benz S Class

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