Back Seat Passenger: Mercedes S-Class

Telling people you have a Mercedes S-Class is like telling people that you bought a luxury bungalow, owns a renowned football club or simply to imply that you are rich and able to afford Mercedes' flagship sedan. It's a symbol of power, status and prestige; it's a car which (mostly) CEOs or bosses are chauffered around town; it's a car which everyone hopes to own one.

Being most likely to be replaced very soon, the pre-facelift S300 still looks elegant and upmarket on the outside. The exterior design of the S300 has nothing to shout about, but bold curves and sharp lines at certain parts of the exterior prevents the S300 from being dull to look at. However, the best world of a S-Class is not on the outside, but is on the inside......

Forgive me to amendment my previous sentence. The best world should be at the back seats, where passengers are pampered with techs and comfort creatures. Digital climate control is available for each of the back passenger, where there are air-cond outlets at the centre and also one on each B-pillar.

There are also electric-powered leather seats with multiple configuration, electric window blind and illuminated vanity mirror for the rear left and right passenger. Now, the only thing that is lack of in this S300 is a headrest-attached LCD screen. Perhaps it is made available in the higher spec S-Class.

There are acres of space for the rear passengers too. You can dance Oppa Gangnam Style stretch your legs out to the max in the back seats without worrying the front seat is blocking you. Headroom is ample too, good for young CEO (or young-at-heart) with spiky hair. The cabin is impossible to be cramped for you, unless you are as tall as Yao Ming or as big-sized as a club's bouncer.

Pardon me for being underdressed...

Comfort is a priority when the S-Class is designed. Plush seats and great refinement where the engine, wind and road noise are greatly suppressed. Eventhough the suspension soaked up the undulations very well, but it's not the magic carpet ride-like that I imagined. There are some stiffness in the suspension setup that make the S300 feels planted on every corner with minimum body roll.

Visited Raub's gold mine's entrance.

Although the S-Class doesn't come cheap, most of the people who can afford one will have it in the buying list. The Mercedes S-Class not only has '3-pointed star' badge recognition, but the name is already a different (good) story of itself.

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