2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Not New, but Renewed
Wait, isn't this product a replacement?
To be honest, when I saw the words "2027 S-Class", my first reaction was: "What? Mercedes-Benz has launched a new generation so quickly?" As a result, after reviewing the information, I took a deep breath-it was not a replacement, but a mid-term change. A little disappointed? No, it's the opposite. When you really get into this car, touch the stitches, and feel the calmness of the chassis, you will think: What's so great about the replacement? This kind of confidence that a father can still make you shut up with a slight adjustment is what a real old man should look like. In terms of appearance, the headlights have become narrower, active shutters have been added to the grille, and there are some aerodynamic winglets under the bumper-you think they have not changed from a distance, but you can't say how they have changed from a close distance. But the overall situation is more energetic. Mercedes-Benz is really addicted to playing with this "invisible modification", but it has to be taken and it is indeed effective.
Interior: It's still the same VIP room, but the curtains have been replaced with velvet
If you expect the entire instrument panel to be split into a curved giant screen like EQS, you may be disappointed. The S-Class still retains its iconic large vertical central control screen, plus a floating instrument panel-but the details have changed. Material? Now the wooden veneer in front of me feels like some kind of drained rock layer, with a subtle grainy feel. The seat perforation pattern has changed from a dot matrix to a more complex diamond-shaped intertwining. The stitching uses extremely thin silk threads, which are almost invisible in dark light, but you can feel the "Oh, this is handmade" difference when you slide your finger over. What broke me the most was the seat massage function-the old massage felt like a small hammer knocking behind me, but now it is as soft as hot spring waves, combined with seat heating and the new "active fragrance ionization" system, I almost fell asleep in the back row. The two screens in front of the boss seat in the back row have been upgraded to 11.9-inch OLED, with ridiculously high brightness and excellent reflection control. Seriously, this interior iteration is not for keyboard car gods, but for people who spend three hours in their cars on a conference call every day-they can tell the difference at a glance.
Motivation? The V8 is still there, but the 48V will steal the show
The one I test-drove was an S580, a 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo, and a 48V light hybrid. Parameters? 503 horsepower, 516 lb-ft-same as the old model. But it feels completely different when driving. In the past, the gearbox would hesitate for half a second when starting. Now the motor will help you make up for some torque when you step on the accelerator, and then the engine will keep up. The frustrating feeling of "clicking" connection disappeared, and was replaced by a smooth push similar to the start of a high-speed rail. And the 48V system can now glide purely electric for longer periods of time during high-speed cruising-although it is only a few hundred meters, with the energy recovery paddle, you can feel like a "single pedal" in the city (of course, S-class car owners will probably not play this way). But what I want to complain about most is the sound wave-Mercedes-Benz actually added active noise reduction to the V8! The carriage was as quiet as a library, and I could hardly hear the roar of cylinders exploding. Later, I switched to Sport mode, the exhaust valve opened, and the sound became a little louder. But if you're an old-school V8 enthusiast, you might find this car too elegant. But then again, who cares about the sound of S-class car owners? What they care about is whether the boss in the back row can sleep.
Chassis: Magic Carpet 2.0, but this time it's really pre-read
Mercedes-Benz has been blowing about its E-Active Body Control, but to be honest, the previous system was a bit "silly"-the camera only adjusted the suspension when it saw the pit, and its response was always half a beat slow. This upgraded version of the 2027 model adds lidar and road pre-scanning algorithms. How was the actual experience? I deliberately ran over a section of national highway covered with repair scars. There was almost no ups and downs on the body. Only the sound of tires running on uneven roads could be heard, but I couldn't feel it at all. What's even more outrageous is cornering-on a fast ramp, the suspension actively compensates for roll, the body remains almost level, and you feel like you are sitting in a ball fixed by gravity, no matter how the steering wheel turns, no matter how you don't stumble. This is fucking anti-physical. The only moment that makes me think,"Oh, this is still a car" is the continuous speed bump. The suspension response will be a little harder, but it is much more advanced than the "clat-clat By the way, the steering angle of the rear wheels has increased, and now the maximum is 10 degrees-the turning radius is comparable to that of an A-class car, and even a lady in the parking lot can easily park it in.
Technology: L3 smart driving can finally be used, but there is an awkward point
Mercedes-Benz has obtained approval for L3 autonomous driving in Germany. The 2027 S-Class can legally remove your hands from the steering wheel and look at your mobile phone at high speeds (subject to certain conditions). I experienced this system in a closed venue: setting up navigation, turning on Drive Pilot, a small green steering wheel appeared on the dashboard, and then the car accelerated, slowed down, and changed lanes by itself-the whole process was as soft as an old driver, neither urgent nor slow, and followed the car. Leave enough distance away so that the car behind won't think you are provoking. But the embarrassment is that this L3 is currently only valid on some high-speed sections in Germany, and regulations limit speeds below 60km/h. That is to say, you can only use it to swipe your mobile phone during traffic jams, but it will quit when it reaches a clear road. Mercedes-Benz said it will expand through OTA in the future, but when will it be legally implemented in China or the United States? God knows. In addition, the AR-HUD is really powerful. The navigation arrows are projected directly on the road ahead, which feels like playing a racing game, but when the sun is strong, it will be a little unclear-this is a common shortcoming of OLED HUD.
Summary: Not a newcomer, but still a king
You might say,"Isn't this just patching old models?" That's right, but the problem is that when the original version is good enough, patching is smarter than tearing it over and over again. You don't need to change Liu Haiping like the iPhone every time you replace it. What S-class core users want is: quieter, smoother, more comfortable, and more reliable. The 2027 S-Class has no revolutionary breakthroughs in major items such as engine, gearbox, chassis, and smart driving, but every change accurately hits the pain point of daily use. If you are the owner of the W223 now, there is no need to change your car for this mid-term modification; but if you are driving the previous generation or even older S-Class, then this car will tell you that the definition of luxury is not just a pile of materials, but every subtle iteration makes you feel "well, value for money." By the way, one last strong suggestion: Be sure to choose the back row with active ambient lighting-drive in the city at night, the ambient lights rhythm with the music, plus fragrance and massage, I dare say you really don't want to get off the bus.
