Photo: Andrei Tutu
There was a big fuss at Mercedes-Benz’s stand about a plug-in hybrid model but it wasn’t for the S550 version. The C350 Plug-in hybrid gathered all the attention as it was a brand new car while the bigger S-Class was left in the back, silently watching.
And silent it is this car but only when you want it to be. That’s because next to the electric motor on-board that allows you to travel in EV mode for up to 20 miles (32 km) there’s also a traditional petrol engine that will cause a ruckus when turned on.
To be more precise about the specs we’ll mention that the Internal Combustion Engine is a 3-liter V6 making 329 HP and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. There’s also an electric motor on-board making 114 HP and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque, the total output being rated at 436 HP and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque, plenty even for a big girl like the S-Class.
Since this is supposed to be a green car it doesn’t mean that performance has to be subdued. Actually, thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor, when pushed hard, the S550 plug-in hybrid will do 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.2 seconds.
Of course, all the other amenities introduced on the new S are available, things like collision prevention assist plus, adaptive high beam assist, head-up display, pedestrian recognition, rear-end collision protection and so on. However, on top of all those, you also get next-gen regenerative braking to recharge the batteries on the go.
The model put up for display at Detroit also showed us just how much the batteries are eating into the boot and we have to say we’re not impressed. Actually, you’ll have a tough time going for longer trips to be honest as you won’t be able to fit too many bags in there.
Sales will begin this spring in the US and the price remains to be announced.
To be more precise about the specs we’ll mention that the Internal Combustion Engine is a 3-liter V6 making 329 HP and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. There’s also an electric motor on-board making 114 HP and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque, the total output being rated at 436 HP and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque, plenty even for a big girl like the S-Class.
Since this is supposed to be a green car it doesn’t mean that performance has to be subdued. Actually, thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor, when pushed hard, the S550 plug-in hybrid will do 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.2 seconds.
Of course, all the other amenities introduced on the new S are available, things like collision prevention assist plus, adaptive high beam assist, head-up display, pedestrian recognition, rear-end collision protection and so on. However, on top of all those, you also get next-gen regenerative braking to recharge the batteries on the go.
The model put up for display at Detroit also showed us just how much the batteries are eating into the boot and we have to say we’re not impressed. Actually, you’ll have a tough time going for longer trips to be honest as you won’t be able to fit too many bags in there.
Sales will begin this spring in the US and the price remains to be announced.
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