Good to drive and almost offensively luxurious, the oil-burning Mercedes-Benz S350 CDI is the one of the best private limos money can buy, writes The Wheel Deal

Cruising around in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class is like stepping through a shopping mall in an expensive, perfectly tailored suit. From its regal physique to that unashamedly luxurious interior, not only does this range-topping Mercedes make you feel like a million bucks, it also seems to buy you the sort of respect that’s usually reserved for foreign dignitaries, heads of state and the most revered captains of industry. Facelifted and sporting an advanced diesel engine, this new S350 CDI is no different and, offering reasonably guilt-free levels of fuel economy, once again proves why Stuttgart’s flagship is the finest private limo money can buy.

Strong and dapper on the outside, the arrow-shaped S350 sports some of the most impeccable road manners I’ve yet to encounter in a modern car. And that’s because, designed to pamper elite members of high society, it benefits from being fitted with Merc’s famed AIRMATIC air suspension. Working in tandem with an electronically controlled damping system, this pneumatic trickery allows the big S350 to make even the roughest surfaces feel like you’re rolling across an avenue of marshmallow. On a waterbed. In fact so complaint is this German that words like “harsh” and “unruly” shall never be uttered inside its cabin. And rest assured that if they ever are, they’re probably just being used to describe a poor day’s trading on the JSE.

Yet as velvety as this Mercedes’ ride may be, its bias towards unworldly driving comfort doesn’t mean it’s completely inept when it comes to twirling the steering wheel and threading its considerable mass through corners. Though far from sporty and prone to pushing wide, the diesel-powered S is otherwise surprisingly competent during swift changes of direction. Sure, there might be a considerable amount of body-roll – especially when the suspension is set to Comfort Mode – but once you learn how to deal with this and the fact that there’s not a lot of feedback telegraphing through the front wheels, the S350 is satisfying enough to keep you mildly entertained; an that’s quite an achievement for a car with such humungous proportions.

Speaking of which, I also wasn’t expecting to be quite as impressed by the sprightly performance offered up by that six-cylinder oil-burner nestling under our test car’s bonnet. Only displacing three-litres – that deceptive chrome badge on the boot would have you think otherwise – it proved more than proficient at hauling the Merc’s hefty 1 995kg kerb weight across town and country. Understandably it’s no ball of fire – I found that there was a noticeable flat spot below 2000rpm – but for the average S-Class owner it twists out more than enough grunt for the job at hand. Quiet as a stealth fighter, this lump delivers reasonable economy too, with our unit’s onboard computer registering an overall consumption figure just short of 11l/100km.

The most impressive aspect of the S350, however, has to be its VIP lounge of an interior. Built to survive Armageddon, this überplush monument to the jet-set lifestyle is like a presidential business suite on wheels. Swathed from floor to ceiling in the finest leather and wood, the generous inner sactums of the S-Class represent the epitome of automotive comfort and are home to a range of gadgets that would give 007’s Q apoplexy. From massaging seats and eight-inch DVD screens mounted in the back of the front headrests, to infrared night-vision and a proper working fridge hidden behind the back seats, this flagship Mercedes is crammed with the most amiable technology known to mankind; most of which deserve another 500 words to highlight in any proper detail.

Of course with all these widgets doing their bit to push up the list price, the S350 CDI wears a significant price-tag; one that will only ever be accessible to those with walk-in wardrobes and black Amex cards. But should you be able to afford it, you’ll be treated to a level of executive motoring that even cars from the Rolls-Royce and Maybach stables will struggle to eclipse.

Mercedes-Benz S350 CDI Fast Facts:

Engine: 2987cc, six-cylinder turbodiesel
Power: 155kW at 3600rpm
Torque: 540Nm from 1600 – 2400rpm
0-100km/h: 7.8 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 250km/h (claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 8.6l/100km (claimed combined)
Price: From R965 000