Mercedes-Benz S-Class Connoisseur's Edition launched

Mercedes-Benz has launched the S-Class Connoisseur's Edition in India. The car is available in two variants - S 350 d and S 400 and is priced at Rs. 1.21 crore and Rs. 1.32 crore, respectively (ex-showroom, Pune).

The most significant addition to the S-Class Connoisseur's Edition is a feature called Night View Assist Plus. This feature is claimed to enhance driver visibility during night drives. It uses infrared lamps to illuminate the road ahead. An infrared camera placed behind the windscreen then reads this illuminated area and displays the output as a greyscale image on the car's digital instrument cluster. A thermal imaging camera mounted on the front grille distinguishes any pedestrians and animals in front of the car and indicates their presence on the display of the instrument cluster.

The Connoisseur's Edition also gets an updated executive rear seat behind the front passenger. This seat comes with extended thigh support and a recline angle of up to 43.5 degrees. Additionally, it gets a cushion bag under the seat cushion, which has been engineered to deploy in the event of a frontal crash. This cushion bag can avoid the seat occupant from sliding beneath the seatbelt, while the rear seat is reclined heavily.

The S-Class Connoisseur's Edition further features an Air-Balance package that offers the option to choose from among six fragrances. The fragrance can be changed by simply changing the fragrance flask that is mounted in the generator located inside the glove box. Additionally, this package also comes with a filtering feature for the incoming and recirculating air. An ionisation function is also on offer that fills the cabin with negatively charged oxygen ions.

No mechanical updates have been made to the S-Class Connoisseur's Edition. The S 350 d continues to be powered by a 3.0-litre, V6 diesel engine that churns out 255 BHP @ 3,600 rpm and 620 Nm @ 1,600-2,400 rpm. The S 400 variant draws power from a 3.0-litre, V6 petrol engine that develops 329 BHP @ 5,250-6,000 rpm and 480 Nm @ 1,600-4,000 rpm. Both these engines are mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission.