Circa 2007, when Mercedes remodeled their ever-famous S class, they may have built the most attractive super sedan on the market. With its eye-catching looks, smooth ride, and over-the-top interior styling, the car was almost perfect... The real issue, besides the outrageous price tag, was the V8 or V12 gas-guzzling monsters that resided under the hoods of a majority of the S classes. After seeing all of the beautiful lines on the exterior of the car and experiencing the luxury of the interior, any practical person would still say that averaging about 18 mpg (that's the V8) is horrendous considering the price of gas is not going to drop anytime in the near future. Hearing a load of grief from countless enviro-friendly consumers, Mercedes may have finally come up with an automobile that will silence their voices; the new 2010 S400 Hybrid.
The new S400 may look nearly identical to the S550 inside and out but is certainly worlds apart. The S400 will not be powered by the enormous V8 found in the S550 but by a less powerful but a whole lot more fuel efficient, V6 Hybrid. There is nothing screwy about the V6s internals because it is built and runs just the same as any other V6, however, it is mated with an electric motor. The fact that the engine has not been tampered with in order to somehow fit another electric motor or ion battery inside should be a relief to those who are skeptical of new technology. The electric engine is powered by a lithium-ion battery and is truly the first of its kind. The pair produces upwards of 295bhp accompanied by 284 torque, no small numbers indeed! Now it must be said that the overall performance of the S400 is in no way comparable to the S550's V8, however, it does pack quite a punch when you put your foot down.
The new hybrid design in the S400 actually restores energy when you stop at a traffic like or stop sign due the engines "stop-start system" (MBUSA). This adds to the already impressive gas mileage achieved by the V6. The average mpg for the S400 is an astonishing 22.5 mpg; very impressive given the overall size and weight of the vehicle. Now yo may think that high gas mileage equals miserably slow 0 to 60, the Merc does it in a respectable 7.2 seconds. Another interesting spec to note is that the hybrid technology found in the S400 is the first to use a lithium-ion battery as its powertrain. Times certainly are changing and Mercedes seems to be headed down the right track with this new automobile. If you recall what I had said earlier about the only real issue with the S class Mercs is the terrible gas mileage; problem solved! It is also important to mention that the vehicle's MSRP is $87,950; just a small price to pay on the way to environmental cleanliness. On a final note, the car is truly a work or art in the sense that you can still get a ritzy Benz and help save the environment too, but don't think they wont make you pay for it!
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