2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Review

Even as BMW, Audi and Jaguar throw new cars into the luxury-flagship ring, Mercedes-Benz has kept its S-Class sedan competitive, with sedans that start below $90,000 and top out at more than double that.

The S-Class is still a spectacle of refinement — though it's dinged in small part by an inconsistent accelerator pedal.

While the S-Class is four years into the current generation, new for 2010 is the V-6-powered S400 Hybrid, which we cover in greater detail here. It anchors the bottom of the S-Class lineup. In order of ascending price, the rest of the lineup includes the S550, S63 AMG, S600 and S65 AMG. Click here to compare the group. All five models employ rear-wheel drive, but the S550 also offers all-wheel drive. I evaluated an all-wheel-drive S550.

See also:

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible axle weight. The actual load on an axle must never exceed the gross axle weight rating. The gross axle weight rating can be found on the vehicle identificat ...

Pedestrian recognition
WARNING Pedestrian recognition may be impaired or inoperative if: • pedestrians are partially or entirely obscured by objects, e.g. parked vehicles. • the silhouette of the pedestrian in ...

Data stored in the vehicle
Information about electronic data acquisition in the vehicle (Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951) Your vehicle records electronic data. If your vehicle is equipped with mbrace3, ...