A monster coupe that leans into corners like a motorcycle will headline Mercedes-Benz’s Geneva Motor Show assault.
The Stuttgart company will unveil the production version of the S-Class Coupe, which it previewed in Detroit in January, complete with optional Curve Tilting Function, which allows the big, pillarless, two-door to lean into corners by as much as 2.5 degrees to help flatten out its cornering profile. It’s said by Benz to be a logical extension of its Active Body Control and Road Surface Scan functions, both of which are geared up towards more comfort-oriented work in the limousine.
But with its bi-turbo 4663cc V8 pumping out over 335bhp of power and 700Nm of torque through the two-door S-Class, Benz has switched the focus of the system to garner more grip without losing its poise. Each suspension damper can have its damping force hydraulically adjusted, allowing the computers to tilt the car to suit the road conditions and the driving style. "The vehicle leans into bends much like a motorcyclist, thereby reducing the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle's occupants," said Dr Thomas Weber of Daimler AG. On country roads in particular, this means greater driving pleasure and ride comfort."
Mercedes is also introduces a refinement of the S-Class’s Collision Prevention Assist Plus,with which it can brake independently of the driver to avoid a crash at anywhere up to 105km/h.
A replacement for the outgoing CL-Class, the S-Class Coupe is still a large machine, stretching out to 5,027mm long, 1,899mm wide and 1,411mm high. It sits on a 2,945mm wheelbase to make it one of the longest-riding cars in the two-door world.
"It's as exclusive as it gets," said Ola Källenius of Mercedes-Benz.
The S-Class Coupe can now come with LED headlights with 47 Swarovski crystals in them. Then there’s the glass roof. Covering a full 1.32 sq m of real estate, or two-thirds of the S-Class Coupe’s total roof area, the roof gets the full Magic Sky treatment (which debuted in the SLK a couple of years ago), so can be switched from near-dark to clear at the push of a button.
Running on a range of wheel sizes, from 18 to 20in, the big coupe uses a high beltline, a long bonnet and a low glasshouse to emphasise its differences to the limousine it’s based on.
Even so, it carries over most of the saloon’s interior features, including its pair of TFT information screens and switchgear, along with its full-colour 21cm x 7cm head-up display system.