[S350L-E240]

Yeah when you read this it does feel convincing to know i dont have the 500 and not feel too bad about it either,



It's a week day. The alarm goes off at the same time every morning. You leave your house at the same time, drive to work and get there at roughly the same time as you always get there. That's just the way it is, the way the commuting cookie crumbles.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that your car's engine has six cylinders. Now, given the various anomalies that can crop up on any car journey, road works, traffic jams, accidents, slow-moving lorries, blah, blah, do you really think you'd get to work any quicker if it had two more?

Why fork out £63,015 for a Mercedes-Benz S500 with its five-litre V8 engine when the 3.7-litre V6 in the S350 could work just as well, saving you £11,945 in the process. And that's before we go into insurance, petrol costs and emissions-related taxation.

Once you've settled into the highly agreeable environment that is the S350's cabin then driven a few relaxed miles passed in serene quietness and comfort, you hardly feel short-changed in the capacity department. This 245bhp car can still go from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, just 0.9 slower than the 306bhp S500. And since the former has a top speed of 153mph, while the latter is electronically limited to a top speed of 155mph, an autobahn trip would be a similar experience in either.

What you don't get in the S350 is the extra torque. That bit of accessible extra urge when overtaking that slow-moving lorry, getting up to speed from slip-road to motorway, or zipping into that gap in the traffic. Where an S500 develops 339lb ft at 2,700-4,250rpm, the S350 makes do with 258lb ft at 3,000-4,500rpm. Which is still fairly respectable. It's just nice to have a bit more power, especially coming in lower down the rev range. But if you're trading up to an S-Class from a slower car, you're hardly going to miss what you've never had in the first place, are you?

Let's face it, you're in a pretty privileged position to be buying an S-Class. And if you can afford the S350, you could probably get the S500 without too much of a stretch. In the end, it's your call. Maybe the running costs will swing it for you, or perhaps the residual values when it comes to re-sale time. You're hardly likely to regret getting one or the other. Either way, it's nice to have the choice.

Colin Ryan

FACT FILE
Price: £51,070
Engine: 3724cc, V6, 24v, 245bhp
On sale in the UK: Now
Rivals: Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ
Verdict: A little more sedate, but still just as sumptuous

Source : Top Gear Road Test 8th June.

[Shan2nu]

That's all fine but the problem is that the S350 you drive in India is a bit less powerful and slower.

The Indian S350 produces 235bhp and does 0-62mph in 9.2 secs.

Ofourse 2 more cylinders with more power wont take you to your work place faster than the S350, considering the traffic n all.

But then, there are so many other cars that can do the same.

If nothing, buying a S500 will make you feel bigger. It may have the same degree of comfort, similar safety features and the same number of gadgets, but the fact that there's a V8 lying under that hood will make you feel better, no matter what.

Regards...
Shan2nu

[GTO]

Correct. A Maruti 800 will get me to my workplace in the same amount of time as my Vtec. But will it give me as many smiles? Naah...fat chance.

BHP - Its never enough

GTO

[S350L-E240]

I'm sorry but GTO your comparing of M800 with Vtech is out of the question,
Ive driven both cars and until u slosh the gas pedal u wudnt even know which is which,

And shan2nu,
Just spoke to DCIL and they said that was for 320 and he'll let me know in a while how much is the 350 time,

[Shan2nu]

No, the S320 did it in 9.48 secs. The S350 manages just 9.20 secs. These are the OD figures, tested using the "Racelogic V-box".

Never listen to what the copmpany claims. There are ppl who claim the Vtec does 0-100kmph in 8.8 secs, but i know it doesn't, so i stick to the OD figure of 9.92 secs.

Regards...
Shan2nu

[GTO]

S350,

Closer to being more relevant, how about a regular 1.5 EXI versus the Vtec? The 1.5 city is 95% the car that a Vtec is....but the difference in driving pleasure is just oh-so-much! Going with Colin Ryan, you wont feel short-changed in a regular 1.5 exi either. But still, the word on every enthusiasts tongue is "Vtec".

Like you said, until you slosh the gas pedal...you wont know which is which. But for an enthusiast - The gas pedal is the most important control of a car!

GTO

[Dippy]

Ahh the greed for BHP I'm sucker to that too...

Right on with the Vtec thing GTO

[S350L-E240]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (GTO @ June 11 2004,16:08)]But for an enthusiast - The gas pedal is the most important control of a car!

GTO

So then u agree AMG is better then M! lol

[aadix]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (S350L-E240 @ June 11 2004,16:57)]

So then u agree AMG is better then M! lol

anywayz wanted to say
s350 this is a perfect example of the saying "aah bhel mujhe maar"
ie in english" come bull hit me"

[S350L-E240]

lol aadix,
the point is like i said it's only the Bhp that matters most

So AMG is a clear winner!

[shravan316]

Yeah...an AMG is most definitely a very clear winner, but, a Vtec is not as expensive as the AMG. Sure it can't match an AMG in performance nor driving pleasure, but, i think it is more than sufficient car for Indian driving conditions. U need the German Autobahns to exploit the real power of an AMG.

[ravi_28_8]

i would say the power, Brand, luxury are most imp..... u might fit an ff and super charger in 800 and make it run fastert then the vtec, but still vtec is vtec and u will b happy with it for many comforts. U know first impression is the best impression, so the first thing anyone see's is which car ie brand. it is all abt how u compromise on it......... for me i look at the power and its brand name.