2009 Mercedes Benz S500 4Matic

it kills me how these are all bloody 4matics now.

 

Nice, she is actually an S550.

 

What's wrong with 4matic? My wife drives an E350 4matic and it is a wonderful car, and that AWD works beautifully in all kinds of inclement conditions. Frankly I am very happy she's in that car, great peace of mind knowing she's in a very safe capable machine. I'm such a fan of AWD I just bought the kids a Subaru Impreza.

I keep thinking about upgrading to an S-class, but they are so BIG. Not sure I could get used to it. Pretty car!

 

It's what the market demands man. Look at Jag, BMW, hell even Bentley and Maserati! They all offer AWD on their popular models. Never thought I'd see it, but it happens anyway.

I drove an S550 4Matic for 3 years. Drove an S500 4Matic for 2 years before that. Both were fine in inclement weather. My 500 HP RWD BMW M5 with winter wheels and tires is also fine in bad / icy / snowy weather. I know how to drive it.

Most people buy AWD because they perceive extra safety and security, when really, it's not a substitute for careful and skillful driving. But, they sell like crazy and manufacturers can charge extra for them. Ta da!!

If we had better training across the board, maybe AWD wouldn't be so widespread, but that's not gonna happen.

Pretty car!

 

to each their own. awd to me is not necessary unless one lives in a very snowy environment. I don't think it's even necessary here in NJ and we've been getting clobbered with snow of late. I personally think the awd adds unnecessary weight and detracts from the driving experience (not to mention the AWD cars come with increased right height which from an aesthetic perspective hurts the car). I had an AWD Audi a long time ago and I don't think i'll ever buy an AWD car ever again. I love the ability to slide the rear tires at more manageable speeds as well.

 

Thank god BMW is refusing to go AWD on their M cars.I hope this stays this way though I've heard rumors of an M6 gran coupe possibly coming. Haven't kept up on the news of late so who knows maybe it's already here.

Great car BTW I love M3s and M5s. The v10 just screams i've had a lot of experience behind the wheel of them.

 

I've had my '07 s550 4matic since new, 120,000 so far, the best DD I've ever had.

 

Amazing depreciation on these S class cars....
If you can deal with no warranty, you get car a 3/4 years old for around 40%
of original cost.
Nice rides...

 

agree 100% i'm always tempting to pick one up. I did the same with a used 7 series a six years back. Was an absolute steal and one a wonderful car. So quick and comfortable.

 

M6 Gran Coupe is already here - IMO the sexiest car of the BMW lineup. Also serves as their halo car right about now, with the other cars in the M6 line. The M6 Gran Coupe is one of the VERY FEW cars I would ever sell my current M5 for.
Guess what? The M6 GC is RWD!!! Further, I have not heard any chatter about BMW introducing AWD for their M-Series cars. You can get plenty of bolt-on M-spec stuff for the regular line cars and you can also get AWD there, so maybe that's their strategy.

FWIW, the AWD systems of the Mercedes-Benz AMG cars are actually serving to make the cars quicker.................

 

It's not just perception. Sure if you are a good enough driver with *premium* snows an M5 might not be a death trap in snow. But now put snows on the AWD car. Its just basic physics. With equal rubber AWD will always beat RWD in snow conditions no matter how great of a driver you are because they can find more traction and the ultra modern AWD systems can shift power all over the place.

As for training, I can personally handle RWD fine and, since I have done perf driving days and the like, am probably skilled beyond the likelihood any "average" driver would be. That said I have 0 interest in pushing a high HP RWD car through snow with snows on it. I just cant see any sane reason to do that when I can easily just have an AWD second car. If I had to own one car, I'd make it an AWD and sacrifice the .01% of the time Id be kicking the rear wheels out in a controlled oversteer for the 5 months a year there is a chance for significant snowfall in the NE. So given that even as an enthusiast it isn't something I'd ever want to do, I can't see faulting regular folks (who just want to get safely from A to B) for making this choice.

In fair weather states its a different story and becomes much more personal preference. In states where it snows (and can snow a LOT), there are absolutely legit practical reasons for AWD.

 

My last S500 was RWD and I regretted it. Couldn't even get up my old driveway in the snow. My current S550 4matic is superb in the snow. I really don't feel anything other than excellent poor weather grip. I would never got RWD again. Also, yes it's a big car but I love it. Every time we go out in it with other couples they remark how comfortable the rear seats are.

 

You and I both. I have no trouble with my RWD Mercs in snow. I had my S600 in ten inches of the stuff a few weeks ago. Went laughing right on by all the stuck Subarus.

 

On the later cars '03 and later, when the warranty expires, so does the car.

 

Bought a 12 s550V4 for my wife, amazing car. I like it better than my M5.