Having launched in its home land and other markets last fall, subsequent to its unveiling at the beginning of September, the new generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class has now had its construction tested out in the dreaded evasive maneuver known as the moose test.
Mercedes Clase S – Maniobra de esquiva y eslalon
It’s time for the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class to take on the moose test. Specifically, this is the S400d 4Matic with the standard Airmatic suspension but without rear-wheel steering.
The drivers praise the big sedan’s handling. However, the first run at 47.85 miles per hour (77 kilometers per hour) is a failure because the car goes off course. The video’s narrator blames this on the driver not being familiar with the vehicle.
The testers eventually find that the key to getting a good result is activating the Sport+ driving mode. It lowers and stiffens the suspension, which is enough to get through the cones at 45.98 mph (74 kph).
There’s an attempt at 47.22 mph (76 kph) that is nearly successful. The driver nudges two cones, which is enough for a failure. Although, in the real world, this result looks like it would be enough to avoid a moose in the road.
It would be interesting to see an S-Class with rear-wheel steering take on the moose test as a comparison against this one. Presumably, the system would make the handling even tighter and possibly would allow for even faster speeds through the cones.
In the slalom, the S-Class also does well. The suspension controls the body, and the driver is able to maintain control.
The US doesn’t get the S400d model. Instead, the entry-level version in America is the S500 4Matic Luxury Line that starts at $109,800 (plus $1,050 destination) and gets a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with Mercedes’ EQ Boost integrated starter-generator. The other powertrain option is the S580 4Matic that starts at $116,300 and boasts a twin-turbocharged V8 with EQ Boost.
