Mercedes S-Class vs BMW 7 Series vs Audi A8

Loved everything about the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and this time around, it's even a bit more fun to drive.

BHPian Aditya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

What you'll like:

• The best luxury sedan on sale in India. Period.
• Truly next-level technology, it's visible everywhere!
• More driver-focused than previous generations; owners will be happy to drive themselves
• Cabin is incredibly opulent & comfy. It's quite the royal experience!
• Powerful & punchy engines on offer
• Marvelous air suspension offers a plush ride & excellent road manners
• Loaded to the gills with technology, equipment & gizmos
• 5-star safety kit & radar-based systems. Among the safest cars ever built

What you won't:

• IMO, it lost some of the classiness & charm as compared to the W222 (outside & inside)
• Pricing (even for CKDs) is noticeably higher than the outgoing generation
• Cost of ownership is only for the 'money-no-object' personalities
• Technology overload and lack of buttons mean it's going to glitch out sometimes. Be prepared for it
• Many of the features we saw on the launch edition have been removed in the CKDs
• Large 20" wheels with low profile tyres are easy to damage. R18 wheels will be better suited to India
• Usable boot space is limited (no wheel well for the spare tyre)
• Reliability concerns over the air suspension & the car’s very complex electronics

Link to Review

BMW 7-Series

Link to Launch Thread

Audi A8

What you'll like:

• Massive size and unmistakable Audi styling
• Futuristic interiors. Packed with technology & 23-speaker Bang and Olufsen ICE
• Luxurious rear seat. Has a foot massager too!
• Fast V6 turbo-petrol; 335 horses on tap
• AWD gives it phenomenal grip, whether on dry tarmac or wet
• Feels smaller than it is while driving. Fun to drive on the open road
• Safety kit includes 10 airbags & a plethora of driving aids

What you won't:

• Simply overpriced. CBU pricing places it higher than the S-Class & 7-Series
• Diesel option is sadly unavailable. The other Germans offer 6-cylinder diesels
• While the air suspension is competent, it doesn't have that "magical ride" of the S-Class
• A 4-seater (not 5) due to the individual seats at the rear
• Many controls feel the same as the cheaper Audis
• Understated looks. Most people spending this kind of money want more attention to go with it

Link to Review

Lexus LS

Link to Launch Thread

Maserati Quattroporte

Link to Launch Thread

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Not even a question for me. No one does "luxury sedans" like the S-Class. It has always been - and for the foreseeable future will remain - the benchmark 1.5 to 2 crore sedan. Loved everything about the new S-Class and this time around, it's even a bit more fun to drive. That being said, I do feel the new exterior styling & tablet interior lacks the timelessness & sheer charisma of the W222. The W223 looks like new money, the W222 is old money. I think the W222 will go down in the record books as the "W140" of its generation. A legend.

The 7-Series is awesome, the A8 does the chauffeur + fun to drive thing well and the Lexus is super refined...all of these are exceptional flagship cars. Yet, the S-Class is a half-level above in the overall experience IMHO.

Here's what BHPian lamborghini had to say about the matter:

If it were the W222, I may have picked the A8 / 7 which I found to be better suited for a mix of self-drive and rear-seat comfort.

However, the new W223 has regained the top spot in my books.

While I wasn't a fan of the design at first, it really grew on me when I chanced upon it at the workshop whilst dropping off the C.

Hope to take a drive soon.

The LS with its obscene pricing doesn't cut it, and the Maserati is just not in the same league as far as chauffeur-driven limousines go.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.