Mercedes-Benz S600 reviews

2002 Mercedes-Benz S600 Driving Impressions

The S500, like other luxury Mercedes, is in its element on the Autobahn. If all that was ever asked of the car were to drive on smooth, straight roads at 120 mph, it would be unbeatable, great value for 85 grand. Set the cruise control by using big digital numbers displayed on the speedometer screen, then sit back and relax. You got your optional Adaptive Cruise Control which watches your tailgating, your ESP which helps control the car when you can't, your Brake Assist which slams them on when you don't hit them as hard as you should, your Adaptive Damping for the shocks, your traction control, your rain-sensing wipers, your 10 airbags (frontal, doors, and airbag curtains over the windows), your high-intensity xenon headlights, and your automatic Tele Aid emergency calling for that slim chance that you would need it.

The Airmatic suspension uses compressed air in bellows-like springs in each corner, to maintain constant ride height regardless of load. On the highway, the car is lowered by about an inch, which improves aerodynamics and thus fuel mileage. Airmatic also incorporates the adaptive damping system, which allows you to adjust the shock absorbers according to road conditions, load and speed. This is not the same as the more complex active suspension, which is optional on the S500 (standard on the S600 and S55 AMG), and which virtually eliminates body roll in cornering, squat under acceleration, and dive during braking.

We must say we were surprised that the suspension wasn't perfect. It rocked over shallow holes in the road at 10 mph, and we could feel it lift from side to side over rough or grooved surfaces, at the speed limit. We could feel a jiggling in the steering wheel, over bumps on an otherwise smooth road.

The Sport package on our test model didn't alter the shocks or springs, although it did increase the wheel size from 16 to 18 inches, fitted with very smooth-riding and grippy Michelin Pilots. The Airmatic suspension with Adaptive Damping has three settable positions for shock stiffness, and we found the firm setting to be quite livable even around town.

As expected, the ride itself is quiet, real quiet. But at idle the engine was a little noisier than expected. However, when the hammer is dropped the big V8 makes neat noises. The car is most fun when it's using its torque and growling. This big, elegant luxury car can feel like a hot rod.

The specs say the engine produces its full 339 foot-pounds of torque between 2700 and 4250 rpm, and we're not about to challenge a dynamometer with the seat of our pants, but it didn't feel like the V8 hit its sweet spot until nearly 4000 rpm. And when you floor it at 3000 rpm, it kicks down a gear, to get more power even if theoretically (and paradoxically) it loses torque. The five-speed electronic transmission is even mapped to downshift two gears at once, in some situations.

The car is super-smooth and quiet again as the revs increase into the 5000-rpm range, so it's easy to hit the 6000-rpm rev limiter in second or third gears when you're in the manual shift mode. One time we floored it in third gear to pass on a two-lane, it kicked down into second on its own, and hit the rev limiter on the way back up.

On a wet freeway, with cruise control set at 72 mph, the traction control got a workout. Whenever the tires hydroplaned in puddles that formed in the freeway grooves, you could feel the wheels spinning and biting, spinning and biting. It was interesting to blast through them like this, with no feet. A few times the cruise control deactivated because the brakes were automatically dabbed.

That traction control made us a little nervous once, pulling onto a two-lane from the side of the road. Truck suddenly comes barreling over the hill at us. Spun a little gravel to get out of there. Except, our traction was still being controlled even after our rear wheels were on pavement; for whatever reason, the car didn't believe we should be acceleratin