15-year old Mercedes-Benz S-Class, out on the autobahn

The Germans took a 15-year old Mercedes-Benz S-Class out on the autobahn. How did the luxury saloon behave along the no-speed limit sectors? All we can say it just like a good old wine.

A Mercedes-Benz S-Class W221 went out on the German autobahn, ready to prove it still is what it came into the world as. The car rolled off the assembly line 15 years ago. The odometer reads 190,000 kilometers (118,060 miles).

The saloon features a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine that spits out 235 horsepower and a peak torque of 540 Newton meters. The unit delivers resources via an 7-speed 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.

The Germans built this diesel versions exactly for what it does right now. Long quiet drives on the autobahn. The low fuel consumption for such a class, luxury and comfort are the aces up the sleeve of the premium car maker.

The Germans also put the acceleration to the test. The time takes its toll. The stop watch shows 8.45 secons. The over 2-ton saloon is thus almost one second slower than it was when it first laid its wheels on the tarmac. According to the technical specifications sheet, the diesel S-Class came with a top speed of 250 km/h.

The dashboard may seem out of date and it is, compared to what the new S-Class shows today. But back then, in the year 2006, it was a ground-breaking model. It featured a multifunctional steering wheel and a glossy LCD screen. There was a round controller in the center console that commanded the infotainment system. Occupants benefited from the presence of leather seats. Wooden inserts in the dashboard rounded up the profile of the luxury car.

What happens when the 15-year old Mercedes-Benz S-Class hits the autobahn?

Visibly worn out in terms of design and equipment, the luxury saloon rolls on the autobahn with pride, just like it used to do over a decade ago. It stays composed and shows no hesitation when the driver pushes the throttle pedal.

Meanwhile, the needle of the speedometer continues to go towards the top speed and the engine plays smoothly until it hits over 240 km/h (149 mph).

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