There’s this argument regarding whether it’s tacky or not to drive your own Mercedes-Benz S-Class or simply allow yourself to be driven in it, but that’s not completely relevant here because what we’re talking about is actually owning the car.
Carscoops.com, one of the major international automotive websites has posted an article giving five main reasons why you should consider buying an used W221 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Well, you’re probably thinking right now: “I could give you ten times more reasons”, but let’s hear them out.
First of all, as expected, is the level of comfort the older generation of the S-Class still offers. Since it uses an earlier version of the AIRMATIC air suspension, there’s nothing quite like it in terms of ride refinement and absolute serenity. You can have sportier options, perhaps even more spacious interiors (even though that’s doubtful in this price range), but more comfort is simply out of the question.
Apart from its ability to constantly drive over fluffy clouds, the S-Class has also been known for its high level of technical advancement, introducing features way ahead of their time. For instance, the W221 generation we’re talking about was first launched in 2005 and came with gadgets like the Night View Assist, pre-collision system, cooled seats, the AIRMATIC suspension, adaptive xenon lights and tonnes of other stuff you still don’t get on most of the modern cars.
The third reason is the most petty of them all and it involves fuel consumption. For a large luxury barge -and an old one at that – you’d expect the W221 to sipp up fuel like a black dog on a hot day. Depending on what you decide to buy, that may or may not be true. For instance, the V6 turbodiesel S 320 CDI is capable of returning surprisingly low fuel consumption figures, while the S 400 hybrid will also prove to be the best choice in terms of money left at the pump for petrol powered models. And if you’re feeling really, really cheap (or eco-conscious, your choice), you can always go for the newer S 250 CDI which uses a 2.2-liter four-pot turbodiesel engine developing 204 hp – it doesn’t sound like much, but if it’s comfort you’re after, consider this frugal choice as a means of ensuring comfort of mind as well as the physical comfort we’ve already talked about.
The fourth reason mentioned by Carscoops.com is the car’s design – so it’s purely subjective, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who’ll call the W221 S-Class bad looking. It is a serious, elegant purposeful vehicle that perfectly matches its looks with the way it drives. Those wide fenders were really a touch of genius giving the car that particular note that builds character and sets it apart from the competition.
Fifth and final reason has to do with that very competition we were talking about at the end of the previous paragraph. The W221 S-Class, say the people at Carscoops.com, is better than the D3 A8 and cheaper than the F01 7 Series (and also better, we might add). With that in mind, the W221 S-Class faces a different type of competition as well, since a lot of smaller-but-newer cars with less mileage can be bought for the same amount of money, so one would have to be very certain it’s one of these big luxurious cars he wants, or he might find himself checking out VW Passats or Audi A6s, for instance. Or, why not, another great car: the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
