New S550 Cabriolet
I just acquired a new S550 Cab and I thought would share a few observations. I had a chance to test drive an S550 coupe a while ago and was very impressed w/ the quality of the build and the driving experience. The V8 is strong and silky smooth. The interior materials are first rate and the attention to detail was far better than I expected. I wanted to acquire a convertible that could take 4 passengers if necessary and that limits the choices considerably. The S550 was about $100K USD less than a Bentley GTC V8 and I found the Mercedes to be a much more modern and agile (if that's a word one can apply to this segment of automobile) than the Bentley. In sport mode the engine is quite responsive and the car cruises in above 80mph on the open highway effortlessly. Steering is reasonably well weighted and communicative and the suspension is superb for a car of this weight and size. The car rides on air (literally) but does not float or wander. The soft top is extremely well done and gives the impression of a coupe rather than cabriolet even at high speeds. There are lot of electronic gizmos and gadgets, but the heated air to the neck (Airscarf) and wind deflector (Aircap) are very useful. My wife of course is enamored of the massage seats and the ambient lighting. I had always admired the 280SE 3.5 cabriolet of 1971-72 and I give credit to Mercedes for re-introducing a full size cabriolet. Of course the C and E class have their own iterations but I think Mercedes has made extra effort to provide the build quality and attention to detail that befits the S class.
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