Facelifted W222 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 450 L launched in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The wait is finally over and the people of Malaysia today can own the new W222 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. As we expected, the S 450 is in the long-wheelbase AMG Line trim.

With the new facelifted 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450, you get a new radiator grille, with three louvers instead of four and a new bumper design too. The headlights now come as Multibeam LED units with Ultra Range high beam that projects light up to 650 metres ahead. It also sports a three-bar DRL array, instead of the single one. The rear gets the redesigned twin tailpipes and bumper with a new diffuser. The tail light design now features the crystal-look design that was seen first on the W213 E-Class. The S 450 L now rides on AMG 10-spoke, 20-inch wheels, wrapped in 245/40 front and 275/35 rear run-flat tyres.

The interior of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450 is very plush with leather stitched seats and the steering wheel is wrapped in Nappa leather with touch-sensitive controls. There are three interior colour combinations available - black, nut brown/black and a silk beige/espresso brown mix. A high-gloss brown eucalyptus wood trim is standard for all the upholstery choices.

Now you get a refined dual 12.3-inch digital screen layout which is seamlessly integrated under one glass cover. For infotainment, the S 450 comes with COMAND Online as well as a touchpad controller. The rear-seat entertainment system has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration and is linked to the 13-speaker Burmester surround system as well. Features included are a premium 64 colour LED ambient lighting, a surround view camera, illuminated door sills as well as Keyless-Go, wireless charging for mobile devices, and an Air Balance package.

The S 450 is powered by a 3.0-litre bi-turbo V6 petrol engine which produces 367 PS of power and 500 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, which can pull the 1,955 kg car from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.4 seconds and can attain speeds up to 250 kmph. Mercedes Dynamic Select driving programme has a range of driving modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual) that tunes the Airmatic suspension as per the mode selected.

In terms of safety features, there is the new Distronic adaptive cruise control which automatically slows down for curves and junctions on the road. You also get the Active Braking Assist, Distronic Plus proximity control, tyre pressure monitoring system, Crosswind Assist, ten airbags, autonomous emergency assist and semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

The new S 450 is available in seven colours which are Obsidian Black, Diamond Silver, Iridium Silver, Selenite Grey, Cavansite Blue, Magnetite Black, and an exclusive shade called Diamond White Bright. The Mercedes-Benz S 450 L AMG LIne will cost you around RM 699,888 on-the-road. If you are planning to go for the exclusive Diamond White Bright colour, you can expect to shell out RM 705,888.