Mercedes Class S – legacy of luxury

What is a luxury?

That’s a question luxury brands must ask and seek answers to on a daily basis. What’s luxury today becomes a mass-market product tomorrow, so brands must always up their game.

Consider how the definition of luxury has evolved throughout the ages.

In ancient China, the wife of the Yellow Emperor, Leizu, discovered the silkworm when sitting underneath a mulberry tree. As she sat there, a silk worm’s cocoon fell into her tea. When she reached to fish it out, a delicate thread spooled loose, which fostered the idea of spinning thread to make silk. The discovery ignited China’s trade activity and gave rich individuals a new way to flaunt their social status.

Today you won’t surprise anyone with silk.

A set of robes dyed in Tyrian purple was the ultimate manifestation of wealth and power in Ancient Rome; so much so that only the emperor could afford it. It took 10,000 sea snails called Murex to produce enough dye for one robe.

Today you can browse for pics of a chihuahua in a purple sweater.

In Ancient Athens, fish served as a barometer of luxury. Delicacies such as eel or sea perch signalled that you had lavish taste. Some even judged the person’s political inclinations based on the fish they ate. If you ate sushi in Ancient Athens, would they call you a bloody Republican or snivelling Democrat?

The point is, the luxury of yesterday tends to become a norm of tomorrow.

The history of Mercedes S Class doesn’t span back to the middle ages unlike Roman robes, as it started rather recently in 1951. Yet, the S Class quickly climbed to the top of the luxury food chain, culminating in the masterpiece of industrial engineering we recognize it for today.

This upcoming January, a new Mercedes S Class will launch in the Middle East. After reviewing the list of innovations by the manufacturer, we daresay that the S Class won’t be joining the club of outdated luxury items anytime soon.

Massage center

How do you like your massages? Do you prefer Swedish, Thai, or hot-stone massage?

The new iteration of Merc class S further cements the fact that if you’re ready to lay down enough cash on the table, everything under the sky can be built for you. Including a massage centre on wheels.

There are 10 unique massage programs available in the new Mercedes S class. Electric motors work in tandem with heaters to emulate the sensation of a masseur driving an elbow into your sore spot. Roman emperors be damned.

Smart home compatibility

Do you remember how we discussed the internet of things and 5G network in our recent post? One of the most prominent features has been the ability to remotely control your home from the comfort of your driver seat.

You might’ve thought it would take at least 10 years to reach that point. Well, you will be pleasantly surprised then.

With MBUX (Mercedes Benz User Experience), you can send voice commands to your Alexa. Turn on an oven, warm food in the microwave, switch on romantic music in the dining area – and you don’t have to leave your car for it.

The future is here; it’s just not evenly distributed.

AR navigation

It pains to admit, but 3D glasses have gone out of fashion in movie theaters. It induces dizziness, and is just a pain in the rear to wear for 2 hours. Fortunately, where cinematography dropped the ball, Mercedes picked it up.

You don’t need 3D glasses to enjoy 3D experience in the new model S. The proprietary Augmented Reality system projects three dimensional signs right onto the road. It’s like a verdant green graffiti painted on the granite specifically for you.

Moreover, if you pass a sign – such as speed limit, excavation, no-entry, one-way sign – and fail to notice it, the system will display it. Impressive for what is essentially a bunch of code.

Virtual coach

Everybody needs somebody to rely on. A great coach will push you beyond your limits, draw your attention to the details you’ve missed, and save you a lot of time and grief.

Turns out that if you pack the interior of the car to the brim with mini-cameras and speakers, you can pull off a virtual coach.

The virtual coach observes your body language and eye movement and adjusts accordingly. For example, it can turn on more energizing music in case it detects that you’re falling asleep. Or it may start a massage session if you wriggle in your seat. Or it may even suggest you pull over if you show the signs of sleep deprivation.

We hope the coach won’t yell too hard if we drop a bag of chips in the saloon though.