VIDEO: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Explained in DETAIL

The movie opens up with "The Chancellor's Mercedes", a stately, regal automobile that looks like it could rival Rolls Royce in styling. I think that's what's lost in today's Mercedes. The best they offer, the S-class, arguably looks like an upscale Asian car, rather than the pinnacle of German automotive accomplishment.

I have no doubt that the new S-class will be a truly remarkable car with respect to technology, research, development, handling, features and gadgets, and so on. But in terms of appearance, it doesn't say "Mercedes" like they once did.

I really enjoy these clips of how cars are designed, tested and produced, regardless of the make and model. But seeing the S class is especially unique given their features.

Yes It is and will continue as king of the hill in its own class ...by far better than the 7 or A8 ....but let the numbers talk when it goes on sale....

The Mercedes S-Class wasn't the 'king of the hill' when the Audi A8 came out in 2011. All three German car mags -- in their comparo tests in 2010, 2011 and 2012 -- consistently rated the Audi A8 king of the hill
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/vergleichstest/audi-a8-bmw-7er-mercedes-s-klasse-und-porsche-panamera-im-vergleich-1837382.html?show=2

http://www.autozeitung.de/auto-vergleichstest/audi-a8-bmw-7er-mercedes-s-klasse-zwoelfzylinder-langversionen-test/fazit

http://www.autobild.de/artikel/vergleich-audi-a8-mercedes-s-klasse-1036272.html

Mercedes is very careful about protecting the image of the S-Class even when it wasn't the best car -- that's why many Americans have been suckered into believing the S-Class is the benchmark. But almost every car eventually gets overtaken by a better new car at some stage of its life cycle.

When Mercedes USA saw that the S-Class was defeated by the A8 in German tests, it refused to supply the S-Class for comparos in the U.S. car mags in 2011, claiming that a new S-Class was coming out -- that's hilarious because the new S-Class only came out this year, two years later. Mercedes USA did not want to be seen as losing to the Audi A8 in comparison tests -- in order to maintain the false illusion in America that the S-Class was a better car. E.g., here's an April 2011 Car and Driver test of the Audi A8, BMW 7 series, etc -- Mercedes refused to send an S-Class car for the comparo. C&D said: "Mercedes-Benz ought to be here with its S-class, long the ­preferred shipping container for dictators and divas alike. But the current model is counting down the months to retirement, and the new one isn’t ready for C/D comparison testing, so the company requested that we proceed without it."
http://tinyurl.com/87x9uxm

In 2011, the Germans realized the Audi A8 was better than the S-Class and 7 Series so they bought more A8 than those other cars. Car and Driver: in mid 2011: "'Good news for Audi in the luxury segment: last month’s sales figures for Germany are out, and the A8 surpassed both the Mercedes-Benz S-class and the still-fresh BMW 7-series. This tells you something about the A8's excellent image here [in Germany]. On common German home turf, Audi is entirely on par with Mercedes and BMW. In fact, one could argue that it has achieved the most comfortable position. Audi quite simply stands for superior innovation and design. Mercedes-Benz, by contrast, seems to go after every niche and struggles to recast itself as a sportier, more youthful brand; BMW tries to shift its focus from aggressive sportiness to “sustainability.” '
http://tinyurl.com/l4se8s9

In fact your post is giving me the reason, S class still the benchmark in luxury that's why ALL Magazines wants to test it against the latest offerings. You know now that everybody notice you cause for or for bad everyone wants to talk about you. 7 or A8 did not reach the sales of the outgoing S class for one of 2 reasons: the Advertising company and their commercial strategy is bad and MB have the Best Advertising , or most of the Americans know the Luxury not necessarily means the best numbers of the track (Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley as reference) But I bet you would not pick an RS8 over a Ghost or Bentley. What Make you the king of the hill in this case is the way that project Luxury and exclusivity, S class excel Audi or BMW on both. And thats why they are doomed to fail. The MB BRAND will survive ONLY if they build cheap cars to compete with the AUDI and BMW...IF I were the Owner of MB definitely would do everything to start to process mass consumed cars and and would keep the MB brand as LUXURY , but now they are mixing the cheap cars with expensive ones. Does Aston Martin or Rolls Royce does the same? Nope this a problem that apply to German brands , cause even Porsche is starting to do the Same. Another Example on how to loose direction is BMW. There was a time when the M3 was the King of the hill but different versions of the C63 are now challenging the kingdom of the Ultimate Driving Machine. That problem start when BMW decides to become in a luxury car and MB in Sport car. Now we have a lot of cars the are differentiated by tenths of seconds in performance and offer almost the same stuff. Luxury cars will always be heavier than the Sport cars , no matter how power you put on the car, that is a Fact, RS8 is an extraordinary car. slightly better than the any AMG S in straight line, but in Luxury still behind the S and something that "I" do not care : exclusivity, Ancestry, prestige still qualities that put the MB ahead of the AUDI or BMW. We remember MB building cars from the very beginning and BMW, motorcycles, Audi (aka Auto Union) they remind bikes and cars...

What upper class cars did the Germans buy this year? In Germany this year, the biggest sellers are the Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series. The Germans are the best at building and testing upper class fine cars, so they should be the most knowledgeable about buying these luxury cars. Germans understand ancestry, prestige, exclusivity, luxury, sportiness of these cars better than Americans. But from what you are telling us, more Americans are buying the Mercedes S-class because Mercedes has the "Best Advertising" -- not because it is the best and most luxurious car.

OBERKLASSE (UPPER CLASS) CARS SOLD & REGISTERED IN GERMANY IN 2013

CAR MODEL JUNE SALES (JANUARY TO JUNE SALES)

AUDI A8 238 (1,676)

BMW 7 SERIES 202 (1,639)

MERCEDES S-CLASS 94 (1,381)

PORSCHE PANAMERA 255 (1,169)

VW PHAETON 108 (873)

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL 34 (210)

JAGUAR XJ 29 (159)

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE 6 (41)

LEXUS LS 5 (30)

ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST 3 (17)

ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 2 (16)

MAYBACH 0 (5)

Source: Germany Federal Transport Authority
http://tinyurl.com/mrfaequ


Wall street Journal: Audi A8 L W12 Exclusive: Luxury Can Be Lonely

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303360504577408262346324318.html

http://kayzencars.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2012-Audi-A8-L-W12-Interior-pictures.jpg

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/454772/2012-audi-a8l-w12-interior-photo-454812-s-986x603.jpg

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/454772/2012-audi-a8l-w12-interior-photo-454816-s-986x603.jpg

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/454772/2012-audi-a8l-w12-interior-photo-454815-s-986x603.jpg

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/12q2/454772/2012-audi-a8l-w12-interior-photo-454814-s-986x603.jpg

You still do not see my point: The most luxurious cars are also the most expensive, (check the sales of the 6GT and you may see the point, is the best BMW for me but also so expensive as the 7, S or even A8 and in some cases even more How many you think they will sale?) therefore of course the sales wont be the same as the cheaper version. Top S Class is Almost twice of the top 7 or RS8 in price , so commercially who will sale more? ...This rule apply all the way up to the Rolls Royce...Or do you really think that the Ghost is less luxurious than a 7 or A8 just cause the sale more cars than Rolls? We can not understand each other...So keep buying what you feel is the best for driving RS8 and will keep with S class for Luxury pal.

m...and thanks for the links man , AUDI is pushing the standards in the interior to an extraordinary levels ....Outstanding pictures...