2009 Mercedes-Benz S550: A Special Class of Car

By Mike Blake, Carlisle Events

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Quiet, elegant and with a back seat that is limo-worthy, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 looks, acts and feels as a luxury car is supposed to.

The S-Class of Mercedes dates back to the 1950s and is arguably the world’s best-selling flagship luxury sedan. The name “S-Class” comes from the German word “Sonderklasse,” or “Special Class,” and since the Mercedes W116 officially became known as an S-Class vehicle in 1973, five generations of the delineation have been produced, with each moving the luxury bar higher.

S-Class vehicles are known for the elegance inside and out, and also for their technological advances and electronic inclusions. The ’09 S550 continues that tradition. Previous versions were fully equipped and the ’09 model adds to the package with gear shift paddles on the steering wheel, new push-pull power window switches and a “Hold” convenience braking feature. The S550 gets new standard equipment including active ventilated and heated front seats, a wood-leather steering wheel, a power trunk lid and new seven-twin-spoke 18-inch wheels, as well as a really cool seat air bladder that massages and re-inforces ribs and seat during turns.
Following another automotive tradition, S550 gets its numerical name from the size of its engine, a 5.5-liter V-8 powerhouse that delivers 382 horses and 391 lbs.-ft. of torque.
Sleek, powerful, substantial and luxurious, the S550 looks the part of a European-style luxury sedan, with special body styling, confident lines, contoured side skirts, heavy doses of chrome, alloy wheels, sports suspension, a muscular front bumper with large air intakes and pair of twin tailpipes. Weighing in at a solid 4650 lbs, the 5-passenger S550 measures out at an assertive 199.4 inches in length, 55.8 inches in height and 77.8 inches in width on a 116.3-inch wheelbase.

Under hood, the S550 has the brawn of a sports car and the torque of a truck underneath that luxurious demeanor. This Mercedes is powered by a 5.5-liter V-8 engine coupled to a 7-speed driver-adaptive transmission. This set-up yields a robust 382 hp and a potent 391 lbs.-ft. of torque. The manufacturer says this luxury sedan will explode from zero to 60mph in 5.4 seconds, but during my tests, with the vehicle set up as you would have it when you drive it off the lot, the test S550 managed a zero-to-60 run in 6 seconds-flat, with the quarter-mile accomplished in 14.6 seconds. During the speed tests, the car showed stability and smoothness and there was a perception of traveling at a much slower rate of speed.
On the highway, the car responds when asked, steering is tight and receptive and the vehicle showed little yaw in quick maneuvering, while a low center of gravity allows the S550 to hug the road. The Mercedes-Benz active suspension is worthy of race car track work, and smoothes out road irregularities, and twin-sliding calipers for the front brakes provides superior stopping power.
One excellent piece of technology included is the blind-spot assist, a warning system that monitors both blind spots and warns the driver whenever a turn signal is activated with a vehicle in the blind spot. At low speeds, the system also scans available parking spaces and displays a “P” in the dash if the car will fit in the space. When reverse gear is engaged, the parking system superimposes guidance lines on the rear-view camera display, and the guidance lines actually change with steering input to make parking easier. Another technological advance is Night View Assist, an innovative option that can extend the driver’s ability to see ahead to nearly 500 feet as invisible infra-red light from two projector beams mounted in the headlights light the road ahead.
EPA rated at a gas-guzzler-taxed 14mpg in city driving and 22mpg on the highway, my week of testing in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, with Interstate 81 seeing 70 percent of the miles, my test vehicle showed an 18.6mpg average.

Inside, you get unparalleled Mercedes comfort, roominess and luxury. Multi-contour leather sport seats, iPod, all linked to the German-engineered knob-style COMAND system. The COMAND system for navigation is not as direct as touch-screen but it works relatively well and is easy enough to set. But the concept is still not as user-friendly as a six-figure luxury car should be.

Mercedes-Benz safety is not overlooked as in addition to the electronic help, the car is outfitted with adaptive dual-stage front airbags, side airbags mounted n the front and rear, full-length head protection curtain, 4-wheel ABS brakes with brake assist, electronic stability program, predictive occupant protection system, anti-theft alarm with engine immobilizer, tele-aid emergency calling and communication system and 24-hour roadside assistance program.

The 2009 S550 is base priced at $89,350, my test ride stickered out at $111,550, including a gas guzzler tax of $1,000, and options including the rear view camera, night view assist and messaging front seats for $4990; active body control ($3960); sport package with 19-inch 5-spoke wheels ($5690); parking guidance and blind spot assist ($2880); sunroof ($1050); iPod ($425); leather interior ($1330) and destination charges of $875.

The 2009 S550 is a special class of luxury.

Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

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