S-Class for sheer luxury, elegance and comfort

And that it is, in many ways. For starters, it is probably the smoothest, creamiest, super deluxe automotive carpet ride I have ever floated in and it is also the most technologically advanced motoring experience I have encountered to date. Just to describe even half of it in detail would take a few days of research and hands-on experience and then to write it all down in such a way that readers won't fall asleep halfway through.

Just to give you some hint of what I am talking about, the S-Class brims wall to wall with gizmo marvels such as Efficient Drive Technology, Intelligent Drive and the Essence of Luxury which, virtually on their own, would seem like rocket science to many. I am also dead serious when I say that it this car is probably only a few tweaks and international legislation away from being fully Autonomous or, in plain English, able to drive itself.

For example, something called Distronic Plus, in conjunction with Steering Assist and Stop and Go Pilot, will keep the car in its correct lane, apply the brakes and accelerate at speeds of up to 200km/h without driver assistance.

As is always the case with all three the top smart German luxury chariots, the list of optional extras for this already fully-kitted our luxury saloon is so long (and complicated) that it would take as long to write about in detail as trying to describe the standard kit list which varies from model to model (and the melting point of your Platinum Card).

Big Body Control

Just for openers, the big V8 models can be equipped with Magic Body Control that detects bumps and uneven road patches with the help of surface scanning technology and will then "prepare" the car's suspension to glide over the uneven bits.... (I did warn you)

Standard across the six-model range is Pre-Safe which will now even brake automatically for pedestrians. It will also try to avoid a rear-end prang by activating the rear hazard lights to warn cars driving behind. If it senses that a vehicle approaching from behind will not be able to stop in time to avoid smashing into you it will also automatically activate full braking and seatbelt-tensioning to reduce whiplash.

When it comes to passenger safety the S-Class has always been ahead of the pack and the new S-Class offers more protection than a dozen chaperones looking after a young duchess on a visit to Italy in Victorian times.

Take a deep breath and relax because we are not even halfway through telling you about what else you will come across in elect brag-mobile for the seriously-rich.

However, I will spare you the finer details so that you can make the Mercedes salesperson earn his or her bonus by asking them to explain the finer details of features such as Adaptive Highbeam Assist, Night View Assist and most of the other systems and when they are finished with that, to illustrate the functioning of lighting intensity, the intricate satnav (navitainment in Mercedes-speak), the "Hot Stone massages", interior lighting changes, the touch-sensitive phone keypad, the various "perfuming options" for the cabin and the concert-class sound system.

While the salesperson is doing the talking and demonstrating you can slide into the car, sit back and relax in the soft-as-a-baby's -bottom leather seating (which you can adjust to suit your own contours) while your eyes play over the shiny metal bits and the gleaming wood finish. If you are in the backseat your will even be able to experience the comfort of heated armrests.

To say the relaxing, tuned-in atmosphere of this smart Merc's living quarters even beats First Class international air travel on some airlines is no overstatement. It is plush, classy and refined in capital letters. To master this car and to really benefit from all its fine offerings will take some night study though.

Top of the class

Some might find this spanking new show-off S Class too over the top, a tad overwhelming, even intimidating, but when it comes to comfort, class and creamy ride nothing else compares in this price range and it just underlines once again why the S Class has traditionally sold more cars than its competitors.

But this Benz is more than just sheer luxury and fancy fixtures. It's also an absolute pleasure to pilot, thanks to the muscle under the hood. Our test car was the S350 Blue Tec (With the "normal" not extended body) which is the "entry level" S Class that, even in standard form, costs an eina-eina R1,2m+.

This model is powered by a 3-litre twin turbo V6 diesel engine that kicks out 190kW and 620Nm and propels the car from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds and on to an electronically restrained top speed of 250km/h, which makes it no slouch.

When driven more hooligan than company chairman the S350 moves off fairly rapidly but not so that it will leave you breathless. The transmission is also programmed more for comfort than for speed, although in Sport mode it does feel a tad livelier.

What did come as a surprise is the composed manner in which this lux-saloon clings to the tar, even when be pushed through the bends. The feather-bed suspension is near-perfect, even on rougher surfaces although the added specification AMG suspension on our test vehicle did feel a tad too taut at times.

The cabin is well-cocooned against outside noises and the superb sound system and near-perfect aircon, subdued lighting and lingering smell of perfumed air deliver a very clear, strong message that the occupants are definitely occupying the best seats in the house.

The answer to the bottom-line-question is, YES it is, in many ways, better than its main opponents in the BMW and Audi stables as well as Lexus, Jaguar and Porsche. In fact, I reckon it is going to give Rolls and Bentley a run for their money - and bear in mind our test car was only the S350 and there are still a number of higher-ranking S models above it, including a few S500's and S AMGs.

The new S-Class is a world-beater when it comes to technology, luxury and comfort but to own one will cost you between R1,217,591 and R2,830,388.