On the within, although, the Mercedes has loads of materials richness and acres of house, and it has taken on a conspicuous quantity of digital show expertise meant to win again prospects who’ve had their head turned by Tesla over the previous 10 years. It’s a contact roomier and airier-feeling than the Bentley, and has higher visibility and a much bigger boot.
On some degree this can be a working automobile, whereas the Bentley is way more of an indulgence. You’ll be able to inform the distinction. There’s an honesty and a bit much less imposing grandeur in regards to the Mercedes; you wouldn’t really feel fairly as a lot must placed on a jacket and tie to drive it – though, funnily sufficient, I suppose an excellent many will.
Not the entire automobile’s ‘digital enhancements’ are price their place, although, even when their adoption is considerably inevitable within the coming luxurious epoch of the over-the-air replace. There’s an upsized augmented actuality head-up show and a set of 3D digital devices, which between them can moderately bombard and confuse your eyeballs with all types of knowledge you could or could not really feel you want.
The fascia is dominated by a sq., 12.9in touchscreen infotainment system that appears to awkwardly displace among the fittings round it, and which is raked simply far sufficient from the vertical to mirror gentle admitted by the nearside home windows immediately on the driver’s face. All are included for ‘wow’ issue, actually – not, I believe, as a result of they make the S-Class simpler to function on any degree.
Plainly, Mercedes thinks S-Class house owners and drivers need extra digital tech at nearly any value. To be truthful, you do study to adapt the automobile’s settings so that you just don’t get bamboozled by pointing navigation arrows and holographic wizardry when on the wheel. You get used to the touchscreen controls for thus many issues, too; I wouldn’t select them, however I might study to reside with them.
Perhaps that was why, on the finish of our take a look at, it wasn’t really all the brand new cabin expertise that appeared to promote the S-Class quick. In contrast with the Flying Spur, it was really the cabin supplies. The Bentley’s knurled, mirror-chrome air vents, switches and fittings simply look so good; their temperature, texture and solidity all make them a uncommon deal with to the contact, too. Its leathers are superbly smooth and add an opulent end wherever they’re used (which is sort of all over the place there isn’t actual chrome or wooden). Should you don’t just like the ‘drinks cupboard’ walnut veneer, there’s fairly the array of alternate options. In and out, nearly each inch of the automobile each appears and feels actually fairly lavish.
