On the road, the S-Class cars impress with their size and silence. You should be aware that these are not the easiest of automobiles to guide through traffic or to park. Mercedes-Benz, obviously aware of this problem, installed a pair of chrome-plated wands that rise from the rear fenders to mark the vehicle corners when the gear selector is put in reverse.Sheer mass is much less of a factor in highway driving. Any S-Class vehicle will waft along with ease at legal speeds and above, protecting those inside from noise and temperature extremes. You can hear the powerplant (regardless of model) when the throttles are opened wide, but a steady cruise is a quiet cruise.
Despite their weight, the 8- and 12-cylinder cars are capable of impressive performance. The 4960-lb. S600 sedan is said to be capable of reaching 60 mph from rest in less than 7 seconds and will, when circumstances allow, crack the 150-mph barrier. Our experience showed that the S500 was only slightly slower than these numbers.
Weight did have an effect on our test model's superbly-engineered chassis. Though some critics might disagree with our observations, we found our S500 a less-than-ideal mount for twisty-road driving.
Body roll was very much evident, and getting through tight turns was a chore. Let it be said that the brake and throttle manipulations of the traction-control system (which cannot be disengaged) played a role in damping our enthusiasm for pushing the big sedan toward its limits.
On the other hand, it would be impossible to criticize ride quality. Smooth is too mild a word to describe the S-Class' silky progress over any kind of pavement.
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