2015 Mercedes-Benz S 500 Coupe

Stylistically self-assured presence, exclusive appointments and refined sportiness – the new S-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz combines the classic proportions of a large, sporty coupé with modern luxury and pioneering technology. As a world première, the breathtaking two-door coupé can be optionally equipped with the MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension system with curve tilting function. Additional technical highlights are the head-up display and the touch pad feature. Optionally available expressive LED High Performance headlamps, each featuring 47 Swarovski crystals, produce a uniquely striking appearance.

“The success of the new S-Class impressively demonstrates Mercedes-Benz’s status in the luxury segment. The new Coupé underlines this position in exclusive fashion”, stresses Ola Källenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Marketing & Sales. “The large coupé has always been the supreme pinnacle of our model range and that’s why it’s now called the ‘S-Class’ again.”

“The world premiere of the active curve tilting function demonstrates the possibilities offered by Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive,” notes Prof Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for corporate research and Mercedes-Benz Cars development. “The vehicle leans into bends much like a motorcyclist, thereby reducing the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle’s occupants. On country roads in particular, this means greater driving pleasure and ride comfort for our customers.”

The new S-Class Coupé arrives at dealerships in the second half of 2014. The two-door car is initially available with a 4663 cc V8 biturbo engine. The S 500 Coupé has a rated output of 335 kW (455 hp), its torque level peaks at 700 Nm. The sporty motoring experience is significantly enhanced by the emotional sound produced by the exhaust system.

Like the S-Class Saloon, the new Coupé is available with numerous new assistance systems that make driving even more comfortable and safer. The “Intelligent Drive” systems include PRE-SAFE® Brake with pedestrian detection, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Brake Assist BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus. In addition to a distance and collision warning function in conjunction with Adaptive Brake Assist, which offers collision protection from speeds as low as 7 km/h, the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system installed in even the standard vehicle also features an additional function: when a danger of collision persists and the driver fails to respond, the system is able to carry out autonomous braking at speeds of up to more than 100 km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. At speeds of up to around 50 km/h the system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles,and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to around 40 km/h.

As in the Saloon, the PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system has been expanded by the inclusion of PRE-SAFE® PLUS. PRE-SAFE® PLUS can recognise an imminent rear-end collision and warn following traffic by flashing the rear hazard warning lights at a high frequency. When a danger of collision persists, the system can “lock” the brakes of the stationary vehicle prior to a rear-end collision and activate the PRE-SAFE® belt tensioners immediately before impact. This action minimises the risk of whiplash injury by reducing the forwards jolt caused by the impact and ensuring that the occupants are in the best possible position.

Extremely low wind noise was a declared objective when developing the S‑Class Coupé. The aeroacoustics experts implemented form optimisation measures as early as the design phase. Furthermore, the bodyshell and door sealing concept were configured to reduce wind noise. With success: the S‑Class Coupé is the world’s quietest series-production car in terms of wind noise, as proven by measurements taken in the wind tunnel using an artificial head to simulate the driver’s ear and test drives with specially trained test people. To assess a car’s aeroacoustics, Mercedes-Benz uses its own aeroacoustics index that has proven successful in numerous tests. In addition to the sound level in the interior, psychoacoustic variables such as sound sharpness and articulation quality (speech intelligibility when there are various forms of background noise) are taken into account.

Numerous optional extras are available to make the interior of the S-Class Coupé exceptionally luxurious and comfortable. For example, the AIR‑BALANCE package including the components “fragrancing” and “ionisation” plus additional air cleaning by means of activated charcoal filter is available, as is electric armrest heating as a component of the Warmth Comfort package. If the vehicle is equipped with the optional Seat Comfort package, the front seats feature the ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot-stone principle.

In cooperation with high-end audio specialist Burmester, two especially high-value audio systems have been developed: the Burmester® surround sound system and the Burmester® High End 3D surround sound system.

Design: sensual purity at its most beguiling

“Our new S-Class Coupé is one of the most gorgeous coupés of all time, representing the most radical aesthetic departure from its predecessor,” says Gorden Wagener, Vice President Design at Daimler AG. “The sensuous flowing silhouette in interplay with the clear progressive design language forms a perfect symbiosis and expresses our philosophy of sensual purity with pithy precision.”

The exterior: flowing profile of perfect proportions

The S-Class Coupé is characterised by typical rear-wheel-drive proportions, emphasised by the hallmark Mercedes dropping line. The long bonnet with pronounced lines and powerdomes, the low greenhouse with high beltline, the accentuated wheel arches as well as the large wheels (18- to 20-inch) and the broad visual effect created by the rear reinforce the S-Class Coupé’s aspirations as a masterpiece of automotive refinement. With a wheelbase of 2945 mm, the Coupé is 5027 mm long, with a width of 1899 mm and a height of 1411 mm.

Its convex and concave modelled surfaces lend the S-Class Coupé a sensuous character. The sculpted appearance lends it classic elegance that forms a perfect symbiosis with the modern-progressive design idiom.

The full-LED headlamps with their iconic eyebrows as daytime running lamps lend it an extremely self-assured and distinctive gaze. On the S-Class Coupé the eyebrows have been further refined with a semicircular counter-curve. In combination with the standard LED Intelligent Light System, unique headlamps with no less than 47 Swarovski crystals are available. 17 angular crystals form the flare-shaped daytime running lamps, with 30 round-shaped crystals making up the turn indicator lamps.

The S-Class Coupé features a panoramic roof extending over two-thirds of the entire vehicle roof; with a surface area of around 1.2 m2, it appears almost 150 percent larger than on the predecessor model. MAGIC SKY CONTROL (optional extra) makes it possible to switch the transparency of the roof at the push of a button, from light to dark. When light, the roof is almost completely transparent and allows an open-air experience, even in the coldest weather. When dark, light transmission, i.e. the proportion of outside light that is allowed through into the interior, falls to less than 1 percent and thus reduces heating-up of the vehicle by up to 10 °C. In addition, it is possible to shade the interior completely by means of a roller blind.

The interior: modern luxury as avant-garde design

The interior design of the new S-Class Coupé is an enthralling combination of sculptural, sensuous volume elements and components, and the clear geometry of its basic architecture. High-class appeal, quality workmanship and exceptional touch and feel are a treat for the passengers’ senses, so that the car’s interior represents the highest level of “modern luxury”.

The S-Class Coupé’s dashboard fascinates with its architecture, giving rise to a vehicle of unique character in the upper coupé segment. This was made possible by repositioning the airbag to a completely new, low location. This concept enables the large, two-part wide-screen format TFT display to be placed in a prominent “hovering” position in front of this trim surface. Under the display, the sportily elevated centre console extends to the vehicle rear. All lids and armrests are lavishly covered in leather.

The use of the finest materials, surfaces, colour combinations and seam designs contributes towards achieving a truly exclusive car interior. Air vents, switches, belt extender rosette and trim elements are in electroplated “Silver Shadow”. This gives the trim elements a particularly high value appeal and enhances the three-dimensional effect of their surfaces.

In front of the armrest is the touchpad (optional) with its black high-sheen surface and chrome-look surround. As on a smartphone, the touchpad allows all the head-unit functions to be operated using finger gestures. The touchpad also permits letters, numbers and special characters to be entered in handwriting – in any of the head unit’s languages. Diverse controls, e.g. for the multimedia system, are arrayed as keys in a semicircle in front of the central control element.

Both the front and the rear seats have a pronounced sporty character, the two rear seats are designed as individual seats. The Exclusive package optionally includes seats in designo Exclusive nappa leather with a striking diamond backstitching pattern on backrests and seating surfaces. The front seat belts are integrated in the rear side panelling without interrupting the waistline with windows open; seat belt extenders make them easily accessible for the seat occupants.

Less distraction: Head-up display

The optional head-up display brings important information directly into the driver’s field of vision, presenting it on the windscreen to ensure less distraction from the traffic situation. The system informs about vehicle speed, speed limits, navigation instructions and driving assistance system messages.

The technology is based on mirror optics and a full-colour display module with a resolution of 480 x 240 pixels which operates with high-power LEDs. They project the virtual image, which measures around 21 x 7 centimetres, into the driver’s field of vision where it appears to float above the bonnet around two metres away. The resolution of more than 60 pixels per degree of viewing angle ensures a needle-sharp image. A special light sensor located near the top edge of the roof automatically adjusts the brightness of the head-up display to the exterior lighting conditions.

Lower transversal forces: active curve tilting function

MAGIC BODY CONTROL (optional extra), the first suspension system with the ability to “look ahead”, had its world première in the S-Class. With the curve tilting function the Coupé introduces a further world first for series-production cars: The curve tilting function makes the Coupé lean into bends in a manner similar to a motorcyclist or skier. The lateral acceleration acting upon occupants is reduced in a way akin to when driving in a steep curve, and passengers sit more firmly. On country roads in particular, the new curve tilting function enhances motoring enjoyment and comfort. The aim is not to achieve higher cornering speeds, but a new driving experience: the S-Class Coupé glides elegantly through bends.

The MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension system, optionally available for the S 500 Coupé includes the new curve tilting function in addition to the Active Body Control (ABC) and ROAD SURFACE SCAN functions. With Active Body Control the suspension struts are equipped with hydraulic cylinders (so-called plungers), in order to adjust the force in each strut individually. Depending on the curve driven, the curve tilting function changes the preload each individual spring. This allows the vehicle to incline automatically and continuously in fractions of a second on bends – depending on the road angle and vehicle speed. The innovative suspension system detects curves using both a stereo camera behind the windscreen, registering the curvature of the road up to 15 metres ahead, and an additional lateral acceleration sensor. The curve tilting function can be selected as one of three drive modes (“Curve”, “Comfort”, “Sport”) using the ABC switch; it is active in the speed range from 15 to 180 km/h.

Emotively sporty sound: exhaust system with flaps

The emotive sound of the exhaust system makes a decisive contribution to the sporty driving experience. The deeper sound components ensure a fuller, sportier sound. In the transversally positioned rear silencer of the twin-pipe exhaust system there are two flaps that can be opened and closed pneumatically depending on the engine speed.

When the flaps are open the exhaust gases are conducted through the rear silencer along a different path so that the vehicle sound becomes more powerful. The switching point of the flaps depends on the selected drive mode – in S mode, the flaps open earlier than in E mode. As soon as the S-Class Coupé engine starts, the power of its sound can be heard.

A long tradition: large coupés from Mercedes-Benz

The history of the large Mercedes coupés in the post-war years dates back to 1952, when Mercedes-Benz launched the legendary 300 S Coupé – a “car for the world’s elite” as the automotive press of the time judged. It was followed in 1956 by the 220 S Coupé of model series W 180, which created a sensation in particular due to its self-supporting three-box body. From 1961 to 1971 the elongated, elegant Coupé of model series W111/W112 enthralled no less than 29,918 highly discerning customers, who were able to choose between the Type 220 SEb Coupé six-cylinder models and the Type 280 SE 3.5 Coupé eight-cylinder models.

The SEC coupés of model series C 126, which remained in the programme of the Stuttgart-based automotive brand for ten years and of which over 74,000 were sold, were based on the S-Class of 1981. In 1992 the successor model (model series C 140) was presented at the Geneva Motor Show, also featuring for the first time as an S 600 Coupé with a 290 kW (394 hp) twelve-cylinder engine. It was to be the car in which the Electronic Stability Program ESP® had its world première in 1995. Later on this coupé was renamed “CL-Class”. Another forefather of the new S-Class Coupé celebrated its world première under this name in March 1999. With pioneering innovations such as active ABC suspension (Active Body Control) and bi-xenon headlamps this two-door car set new standards.

Supreme exclusivity, sophisticated design and trend-setting state-of-the-art technology were combined in the last CL-Class (2006). This luxury coupé opened up a new dimension of vehicle safety with the introduction of the PRE‑SAFE® Brake. Beyond this, Mercedes innovations such as the Intelligent Light System with five light functions and PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant safety were also part of the vehicle’s standard equipment.

The new S-Class Coupé and its innovations seamlessly continue the tradition of large coupés into the future.