W220 S-Class Sedan

The successor of the W140 was the W220 S-Class sedan. This replacement came in 2000. Whenever an S-Class is introduced, everyone is dazzled. The W220 was no exception. It looked fresh. It was a completely new design. Some even considered it "un-Mercedes like". People were not used to such a fresh idea from one of the oldest and most traditional car manufacturers.
The design of the W220 S-Class was a whole new concept. The S-Class was no longer big and chunky. It has been tamed and refined. Exterior dimensions were smaller in all ways. However, the interior offered more interior space thanks to the new space saving concepts. No longer did the S-Class have the once elegant, angular lines. The exterior was curvy and fluidic; from the headlights to the body to the bumpers. The W220 offered a new level of elegance. All the shapes of the car linked together gave the feeling of flow. Flow is the feeling you get when you look at a car and the front just flows; connects to the rear. This gives the car a lighter, younger and fresher look.
The interior also showed signs of elegance and fluidity. Once you step into the front seats, a sweeping strip of wood on the dashboard catches your eye. You then look at the extensive details of the interior. Below the gleaming wood trim is the newly developed COMAND APS. The COMAND APS has GPS, the audio system, the radio and controls many other features in the car. All these features housed in the centre console are surrounded by beautiful wood inlays. You then feel around you and find yourself indulged in soft leather upholstery. However, their is a disappointing side of the car. The top of the dash is not covered in leather. It is merely textured plastic. Also, the controls and keys are hard plastic. Many are also disappointed about the wood trim on the door panels. However, as a whole, it's still nice. The W220 still had it's gadgets. For example, automatic closing doors. We all know that the doors on full-size luxury sedans can be quite heavy. With automatic closing doors, you merely have to pull a bit and the electronics does the rest for you. Powered seats were standard on all models. Memory seats are optional for base models and standard for higher models. Multicontour seats with massage function is also optional.
Many safety enhancements have been made to the w220. PreSafe braces the occupants of the vehicle for the collision. Seat position is raised, head restraints are moved to absorb the impact, also, seat belts are tightened. Curtain airbags are standard. Also featured were LED lamps. LED lights take less time to light up than conventional bulbs. This allows other drivers to notice the vehicle. Featured for the first time is Distronic. Distronic is a electronic system to keep a safe distance between two vehicles. Parktronic shows guidelines for the driver during reverse. Available as an option was Linguatronic. Linguatronic allows the driver to give commands to the car through speech. Xenon headlights are standard on early vehicles. On later models, opaque headlamp covers were replaced by clear covers. The Xenon lights were replaced by Bi-Xenons. Bi-Xenon headlights swivel to the turning direction. This allows greater visibility during cornering at night.
A new suspension was developed for the W220 S-Class sedan. An air suspension, Airmatic, was developed for the W220. This is combined with ADS(Adaptive Dampening System). This allows suspension to stiffen during turns and provide a soft, comfortable ride during straight stretches. 3 driving modes are available, Comfort, Standard, Sport. The W220's ride height could also be adjusted for suiting different terrains. Various engines were offered. This chart should help you understand the different engines.

S320 CDI 3.2Litre Inline-6 Diesel
S420 CDI 4.2Litre V8 Diesel
S280 2.8litre V6
S320 3.2Litre V6
S350 3.7Litre V6
S430 4.3Litre V8
S500 5Litre V8
S600 5.5Litre V12
S55 AMG 5.5Litre V8 Supercharged

During 2001, an S63 AMG was produced in limited numbers. It used a 6.3Litre naturally aspirated V12. In 2005, an S65 AMG was produced. It used a 6Litre V12 Biturbo producing a staggering 612hp. Throughout it's reign the W220 S-Class has been criticized for build quality and reliability. The name of Mercedes-Benz and the S-Class was severely damaged. However, the W220 was replaced by the W221 in 2006. The W221 S-Class would redeem the name of the legendary S-Class.