How Mercedes Intend To Keep Every Finance Director Happy
2014-10-14 05:16:51
With CO2 emissions of just 65g/km, the Mercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in Hybrid should be a welcome addition to the options of luxury limos available to captains of industry when it arrives in the UK from November. Billed as “one of the most advanced saloons in the world”, it will be available in the UK exclusively as a long-wheelbase variant based on the S500L AMG Line.
Against a starting price of £87,965, a higher-rate 40% tax payer will pay just £1,758 in company car tax per year, qualify for free road tax and for those who have their headquarters in the capital, be exempt from the London Congestion Charging zone. As if all of that isn’t enough to get every Finance Director operating in a FT-SE 250 company excited, Mercedes-Benz also claim that the S500 Plug-in Hybrid is also capable of averaging 100.9mpg on the combined cycle.
The new model heralds the introduction of the third hybrid model to join the S-Class range. It sits alongside the existing S300 BlueTEC Hybrid and S400 Hybrid but this is the first version that is capable of being charged externally. From a domestic supply, a full charge should be accomplished in around two hours and give the car an electric-only range of around 20 miles thanks to an 8.7 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Under the bonnet sits a 328bhp 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo petrol engine which is mated to a 114bhp electric motor. This gives a combined output of 436bhp and an impressive 479lb ft of torque – enough to accelerate the car to 62mph from a standing start in 5.2 seconds before going on to an artificially limited 155mph.
As you would expect of a cutting-edge Mercedes S-Class, the S500 Plug-in Hybrid comes bristling with technology. The Comand system allows the car to use its GPS co-ordinates to predict downhill sections of road and achieve maximum energy recuperation. The intention is to build up and store as much electrical energy as possible before entering built-up areas so as to maximise the amount of time it is capable of travelling on electric-only power. A pulse can even be transmitted through the accelerator pedal to advise drivers to back-off and allow the petrol engine to shut down so as to increase efficiency.
Owners are able to connect to their car via a tablet or smartphone app and view up-to-date information on the car’s charge status, available range and service schedule. For optimum comfort, the settings for the interior temperature can also be set remotely prior to the arrival at the car.
The S500 Plug-in Hybrid is based on the long-wheelbase S500 AMG Line. It comes similarly specified with 19-inch AMG wheels, AMG body kit, intelligent LED headlights, noise insulating glass and leather clad memory front seats.
This is an abridged article especially prepared by First4Auto on behalf of EcoCars4Sale.
Reported By
Andrew Merritt-Morling
Chief Editor
