Photo: Daimler AG
In a press release detailing how Mercedes-Benz just added the left-hand drive S 600 variant of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Japan we noticed something extremely peculiar.
Apparently, the Sonder Klasse (Special Class in German) comes with both types of steering position in the Land of the Rising Sun, making us wonder what would be the purpose or at least advantages of such a strategy.
To give you an idea of how messed up is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class there, just think about this for a moment: the S 400 Hybrid and S 550 (S 500 in Europe) are available with either left-hand drive or right-hand drive steering, while the newly-introduced S 600 only comes with left-hand drive steering, as does the S 65 AMG and the S 63 AMG 4Matic.
On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz Japan also offers the S 63 AMG with rear-wheel drive in the lineup, and that one only comes with right-hand drive steering. How messed up is that?
To refresh your memory, in Japan you drive on the left side of the road, just like in the UK or other Commonwealth countries, so driving a left-hand drive car there must be horribly unsafe, especially when passing another vehicle, as you have a humongous blindspot towards the front.
We are now waiting for one of our Japanese readers to enlighten us and explain to everyone why people in their country would want to buy a car that has the steering wheel on the other side than all the other vehicles on the road.
Until then, we've also sent an email to Daimler AG in order to find out why the peculiar lineup strategy in Japan. We will let you know if we find out anything else about the subject.
To give you an idea of how messed up is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class there, just think about this for a moment: the S 400 Hybrid and S 550 (S 500 in Europe) are available with either left-hand drive or right-hand drive steering, while the newly-introduced S 600 only comes with left-hand drive steering, as does the S 65 AMG and the S 63 AMG 4Matic.
On the other hand, Mercedes-Benz Japan also offers the S 63 AMG with rear-wheel drive in the lineup, and that one only comes with right-hand drive steering. How messed up is that?
To refresh your memory, in Japan you drive on the left side of the road, just like in the UK or other Commonwealth countries, so driving a left-hand drive car there must be horribly unsafe, especially when passing another vehicle, as you have a humongous blindspot towards the front.
We are now waiting for one of our Japanese readers to enlighten us and explain to everyone why people in their country would want to buy a car that has the steering wheel on the other side than all the other vehicles on the road.
Until then, we've also sent an email to Daimler AG in order to find out why the peculiar lineup strategy in Japan. We will let you know if we find out anything else about the subject.
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