2016 Mercedes Benz S550: Review of Dr. Bukola Saraki’s Official Car

Having reviewed cars of some Nigerian officials from President Buhari, Gov. Fayose, Ooni of Ife, HRH, Sanusi Lamido among others, the lists will be not complete without taking a review of the Senate President’s wonders on heels. The SP came under backlash last year when the Premium Times broke an exclusive that the Senate took delivery of some exotic cars despite been under economic crunch and recession, Dr. Bukola Saraki was quick to explain his stand on the issue and how the cars came about. I won’t bore you with the details as we are interested in that now. It may be of note that these cars were supplied by the Lagos Auto- Sellers, Mr. Lanre Shittu. The official car of the Senate President is 2016 model Mercedes Benz S550, of course, its an armored car.

Introduction
The S-Class full-size luxury sedan has long been the face of class, sophistication, and cutting-edge technology for Mercedes-Benz. The latest S continues the tradition with perhaps the most pampering cabin on the market and enough gadgetry to put technophiles into a state of utter bliss.

Overview
Supple leather, exquisite wood garnishments, and good metal trim cover every inch of the S-Class’ interior, creating an air of old-world opulence. Fire it up and bring the electronics to life, however, and it immediately becomes apparent that the big sedan has all four wheels firmly planted in the 21st century. The S-Class is the world’s first car to be able to detect and react to bumps thanks to an optional “MAGIC BODY CONTROL” system. This technology uses stereo cameras to scan for imperfections in the road surface ahead and prepare the chassis to smooth out any potholes or bumps.

Style and Power
Outside, the S-Class combines traditional touches like a formal, upright version of the corporate Mercedes grille with flowing surface detailing borrowed from the automaker’s rakish four-door sedan models. Notably, the lighting system is comprised entirely of LED units – in fact, there’s not a single incandescent lightbulb to be found inside or outside of the car.

Standard and Optional Features
Every S-Class model comes standard with a navigation system, a Burmester AM/FM/CD/SiriusXM stereo system, a panorama sunroof, heated seats, leather upholstery, a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, full LED exterior and interior lighting, a power rear window sunshade, adaptive high beam assist and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Night View Assist Plus
Mercedes engineers managed to improve the S-Class’ night-vision system with the introduction of Night View Assist PLUS, which is equipped a special pedestrian detection function. The Pre-Safe braking system has also been improved to reduce injuries in unavoidable crashes. Mercedes says the car can apply maximum braking pressure automatically around 0.6 seconds before what is recognized as an unavoidable accident. The system therefore acts as something like an “electronic crumple zone,” Mercedes contends.

Occupant Safety
In addition to ABS and ESP stability control, the S-Class boasts nine supplemental restraints including two-stage front air bags, a knee air bag for the driver and pelvic air bags which work together with curtain and side air bags to provide extra protection for front occupants in dangerous side-impact collisions. Rear seatbelt airbags are optional. A standard “ATTENTION ASSIST” system can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents a year in the U.S.A. A steering sensor is coupled to smart software that uses 70 parameters to establish a unique driver profile during the first 20 minutes of driving. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system identifies the erratic steering corrections drivers make as they begin to get drowsy and triggers an audible warning and a “Time for a Rest?” message with a coffee cup icon in the instrument cluster.

Specifications


General
Body Style: Sedan
Size: Full size
Market Segment: Luxury
Weight: 4740 lbs

Exterior
Length: 206.5 in.
Width: 73.7 in.
Height: 58.0 in.
Wheelbase: 124.6 in.
Ground Clearance: 5.75 in.
Front Track: 62.9 in.
Rear Track: 63.2 in.
Weight Distribution: TBD
Drag Coefficient: TBD

Interior – General
Seats: 5
Passenger Volume: 125.0 cu. ft.
Cargo Volume: 16.4 cu. ft.
Cargo Volume (Seats Folded): TBD

Interior – Front Row
Volume: TBD
Leg Room: 41.9 in.
Head Room: 37.8 in.
Shoulder Room: 59.1 in.
Hip Room: TBD

Interior – Second Row
Volume: TBD
Leg Room: 42.3 in.
Head Room: 38.5 in.
Shoulder Room: 58.7 in.
Hip Room: TBD

Propulsion
Fuel Type: Gas
Engine Type: 4.7L V8
Power: 429 hp @ 5250 rpm
Torque: 516 lb-ft @ 1800-3500 rpm
Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic
Highway Fuel Economy: 25 mpg
City Fuel Economy: 15 mpg
Forced Induction: Turbocharger
Direct Injection: Yes

Chassis
Layout: Rear Wheel Drive
Front Suspension: Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension: Multi-Link

Wheels
Front: 18″ Aluminum
Front Tires: 255/45R18
Rear: 18″ Aluminum
Rear Tires: 255/45R18

Trailering & Hauling
Trailer Weight: TBD
Payload: N/A
Tongue Weight: TBD