Prices have been announced for a new S-Class that can return 100.9mpg, emits 65g/km of CO2 and can accelerate from rest to 62mph in 5.2-seconds.
The S500 plug-in hybrid lays claim to being one of the most advanced saloon cars in the world.
In the UK the car will be offered in long wheelbase form and will cost from £87,965 on-the-road and is subject to a BIK rate of 5%.
Equipment specifications are based on the conventional S500 L AMG Line – among the highlights fitted as standard are 19-inch AMG alloy wheels, AMG body styling for the front and rear bumpers, the LED intelligent light system, COMAND Online, noise insulating glass, leather upholstery and the front seat memory package.
Powered by a V6 biturbo petrol engine producing 333hp and an electric motor developing 116hp, the S 500 plug-in hybrid generates a total of 442hp and 650Nm of torque.
Despite this mighty performance, the car can travel over 20-miles on purely electrical power.
Based on the steel and aluminium chassis structure of the conventional S-Class, the S500 plug-in hybrid is the third hybrid model in the line-up, following on from the S300 BlueTEC Hybrid and S400 Hybrid variants.
Unlike its predecessors, the 8.7kWh lithium-ion batteries in the S500 plug-in hybrid can be topped up using external charging devices such as fast chargers.
A full charge on a typical public, three phase power point takes around two hours.
The technology is integrated to ensure as little energy as possible is wasted – the COMAND system looking ahead of where the car’s travelling to predict where energy can be recuperated, on downhill sections, for example.
Likewise, the car will look to regenerate as much power as possible in advance of entering urban areas where the electric-only driving mode can be deployed.
The car can, if desired, gently advise the driver on the most efficient driving style – sending a pulse through the accelerator to indicate when sailing mode can be engaged (shutting down the internal combustion engine) and the accelerator itself can be released, harvesting energy and boosting the range of the car.
The predictive gearshift strategy also uses the car’s radar system to sense if there’s a car in front and alters the gearshift accordingly based on the likelihood that the driver will wish to overtake – improving efficiency as well as the responsiveness of the car when required.
As with any S-Class, the S500 plug-in hybrid aims to set the benchmark in technology – both functional and comfort-orientated.
For example, the new variant uses a tablet or smartphone-based system to allow you to pre-heat or pre-cool the car ahead of your arrival through the innovative Connect me system.
The system can also remotely relay information to the driver when away from the car on the charge status, the predicted range and when the next service is due.
First production of the car starts next month with deliveries in the UK due in late November.
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