Review Car

2011 Mercedes Benz S430

The 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 delivers much more responsive performance, with crisp acceleration that should please any closet hot-rodder. Microprocessors and onboard sensors instantaneously determine forces acting upon the car, filter the data, and adjust the handling. There’s much technology here and learning all of the features takes some time. The 2011 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 we drove featured a substantial cup holder sprouting out of the left side of the passenger seat. It works well, but it rubs against the passenger’s left leg and we couldn’t figure out how to remove or stow it. Speaking of stowing things, there aren’t enough places to stow things in the S-Class.

The 2011 Mercedes Benz S430, the most popular model, offers plenty of power for quick passes, merging into fast freeway traffic, and accelerating out of corners. It exudes the tremendous presence of a Mercedes S-Class.

The top-level S600 and the high-performance S55 AMG get even more power for 2011. A lot more power. As if they needed it. Fast traffic is a description fits an S600 and an S55 AMG. It represents the ultimate in Mercedes-Benz luxury and power. The S55 AMG is a limited-production high-performance model. Drivers who are not familiar with driving a Mercedes may find themselves turning on the cruise control when they meant to signal a turn.

For 2011, The 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 comes with new safety systems that can actually anticipate a collision, and prepare driver and passengers to get through it as safely as they possibly can. Electric seat belt are activated, and the power seats adjust to a lower and more upright position. Mercedes-Benz calls this system Pre-Safe, and points out that it is the only system in production today that engages before the impact, when milliseconds can minimize the energy spikes that cause serious injuries. Also new for 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 is the availability of 4Matic all-wheel drive. The roofline, the C-pillar, creates a blind spot when you look over your right shoulder.

But there’s no blind spot through the windshield, not even in the spray of a truck in the rain, thanks to powerful wipers with no less than six nozzles to spew washer fluid. The 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 isn’t as lavishly equipped as the S500, but it’s hardly Spartan. The S430 comes with premium leather on the seats, seat backs, side panels, head restraints, magazine pockets, and door trim inserts. The seats are firm and multi-adjustable. We were surprised our S-Class car didn’t come with seat heaters, and it turns out they are optional on the S430 standard on the S500.The 2011 Mercedes Benz S430 adds premium leather to the remainder of the seats, center armrest, and door. It gets glove-soft Napa leather seating surfaces in place of the premium leather, and it doesn’t get much blusher. The S430 gets the glove-soft Napa leather in the other areas.As expected, the ride itself is quiet, real quiet. Underway the S-Class cars are very quiet and the engines feel very smooth. At idle, however, we found both the S430 engines rougher and noisier than expected.