W221 S-Class Sedan(Current)

The W221 is the replacement for the W220 S-Class Sedan. Production of the W221 first began in late 2005, selling 2006 models. The new S-Class was larger in all dimensions to accommodate new safety features and also to provide more interior space for the passengers.
The exterior styling was a big change from the previous S-Class. Gone were the smooth, fluidic curves. Now, there are sharp lines and creases on the body. Also, huge wheel arches gives the W221 an aggressive stance. The front is a large, one piece headlamp cover, housing the Bi-Xenon lights. A huge air dam on the bumper sucks in air like a monster. Above that is an elegant grille; adorned with chrome with the Mercedes-Benz Tri-Star on the bonnet. The rear end is developed from the Maybach rear. The S-Class also features the Bangle-Butt. Tastefully elegant, yet aggressive. The huge wheel arches, the creases and the sharp edges gives the W221 a powerful, aggressive, yet elegant look. Once someone arrives in an S-Class, an aura of prestige surrounds him. The S-Class just has that stance.
You just finish attending a ball. You step out of the entrance with your beautiful lady. You then see your chauffeur bring your other beautiful babe, the S-Class. Others stare at you in awe, but that doesn't matter. The door opens and courtesy lighting floods from the cabin and the doors. The car emits a soft, warm glow to welcome you on the car. You step inside and sit on the seat. You pull the door a slight bit and then it closes. You admire the incredible lightness of the door. Meanwhile, as soon as the door closes, a stream of fibre-optic ambient lighting surrounds the cabin. It just creates that nice surrounding feel. Also, a warm glow appears on the footwell to make sure you can see around the car while not distracting the driver. The gleaming wood trim then catches your eye. The wood trim is based on the W220. However, with the new COMAND APS system, the two-tone dashboard is completely clean. The display screen housed at the top, the air conditioning vents, elegant air conditioning controls and that's it. That's all you see. All you see is the the wide blade of wood streaming across the dash and into the door panels. You feel like changing CDs, no problem. You push a small tab on the dash and out pops the CD-Changer. If you want to adjust your seat, just push a button and the electronics do the rest. The seats are heated and ventilated. Also, available are dynamic multicontour seats. Air cushions inflate to the direction where the car is turning to provide extra support. Massage function is also featured. The rear passengers are also pampered. An optional, Executive Rear Seating package allows passengers to have their own powered seats, ventilated and heated with massage function. Also, it splits seating into 2+2, separating the rear bench with a beautiful centre console. A rear entertainment system is also available. Four types of leathers are offered: Premium Leather, AMG Passion Leather featured on the S63 AMG, Exlusive Passion Leather featured on the S600 and AMG Exclusive Passion Leather featured on the S65 AMG.
Tons of new technology is featured on this S-Class. Never had night vision been used on a car. The Night View Assist system uses an infrared camera and projects the image onto the COMAND APS screen. This allows the driver of the S-Class to see in the dark. The Distronic system featured on the previous S-Class is now newly improved into the Distronic Plus. Distronic Plus not only tells you the distance inbetween two vehicles, it also slows the car into a complete stop. Systems on previous S-Class vehicles such as ESP(Electronic Stability Program), Brake Assist Plus, ABS(Antilock Brake System) and Surrounding Airbags as a standard. The newest safety concept featured on the S-Class is Pro-Safe. This is composed of 4 parts: Perform-Safe, Pre-Safe, Passive Safe, Post Safe. Perform-Safe helps you to drive safely. This includes features such as ABS, ESP, Brake Assist Plus, Distronic Plus, Night View Assist, Bi-Xenon Lights with cornering function, Adaptive Brake lights, COMAND APS and Multicontour seats. Pre-Safe operates on the few critical seconds before collision. It has features such as seat belt pretensioners and windows are automatically closed. Also, the seats and headrests are moved to put occupants in the safest position. The air chambers in the seats are inflated to provide more support. All these features best prepares the occupants for the upcoming collision. Passive-Safe protects the occupants during the crash. Adaptive Restraint System has sensors that detect the severity of the crash and provide passengers with the necessary protection. Sensors in the door panels sense compression and will response by moving the passenger to the safest location. With the rigidity of the passenger cell, the cell remains intact in a crash and also provides maximum protection if the car rolls over. The smooth surfaces of the car also provides more protection for other road users. Post-Safe protects the occupants after a collision. The engine is automatically switched off and fuel is cut off from the engine. This prevents a fire. Hazard warning lights are also automatically activated to prevent other road users from crashing into the vehicle. The doors are automatically unlocked to help rescue the occupants faster. Also, when air is needed, windows are automatically lowered to improve air circulation. After a collision, marks on the windscreen and rear window appear to guide rescue personnel on cutting the A and C pillars more easily. This helps them to rescue the occupants more quickly. Finally, a rescue guide developed by Mercedes-Benz helps rescue more effectively. Therefore, with Pro-Safe, Mercedes-Benz protects the occupants as best as they can be protected.
The W221 also features very advanced drivetrain systems designed to provide maximum comfort, convenience, safety and performance. Standard gearshift is the 7G-TRONIC 7-Speed automatic transmission. On the S600 and the S65 AMG, AMG Speedshift is used(5-Speed automatic). Featured on all S-Class models up to the S500(S550) is the Airmatic DC air suspension. On higher models, an adaptive suspension known as Active Body Control is used. The W221 is featured with a variety of engines and chassis. This chart should help you understand the different displacements.

S320CDI 3Litre V6 Diesel
S420CDI 4Litre V8 Diesel
S280(Asia Only) 3Litre V6
S350 3.5Litre V6
S350L 3.5Litre V6
S450 4.6Litre V8
S450L 4.6Litre V8
S500(S550) 5.5Litre V8
S500L(S550L) 5.5Litre V8
S600 5.5Litre V12
S600L 5.5Litre V12
S63 AMG AMG 6.2Litre V8
S65 AMG AMG 6Litre V12 Biturbo

These various engines allow Mercedes-Benz customers to have a large selection of different power outputs. For those seeking more exclusivity, there is Designo. Designo allows you to personalize your vehicle with unique paint schemes, exotic interior trims and exclusive interior colour combinations. Another variation is the S-Guard. The S-Guard is based on the standard S600 but with armour plating. The S-Guard has an International protection rating of B6/B7, providing protection against military rifles and explosives. With all these individuality options, who wouldn't choose Mercedes-Benz? Every Mercedes-Benz vehicle suits our own individual needs. This S-Class is truly amazing. It has lived up the legend and is the current holder of the throne. The question is, will it's heir live up to this name? No one knows.... yet.