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.

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Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or transporter for transporting purposes. •► Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock. •► Shift the automa ...

Door control panel
Door control panel 1 Opens the door 2 Unlocks/locks the vehicle 3 Adjusts the seat electrically 4 Stores settings for the seat, exterior mirrors and steering wheel 5 Adjusts and folds the ...

Inserting the brackets into the loading rail
– Insert bracket 1 into the center of loading rail 4. – Press release button 2 and push bracket 1 into the desired position in loading rail 4. – Let go of release button 2. – Press lockin ...