Mercedes S580 V-8 vs. Electric EQS580: Which $100K+ Sedan Is Best?
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been untouchable, until now. Finally, another flagship sedan stands a chance of intercepting Benz intenders before they default to an S-Class, and that party-crasher sedan is from Mercedes itself. The fully electric EQS aims for the same top end of the market as the S-Class, but does so with a fresher formula than its conventional, almost stagnant counterpart.
At the top of the non-AMG EQS range is the EQS580, which keeps up with a Mustang Shelby GT500 in a straight line while suffocating occupants with silence and luxury. But this gas-versus-electricity battle is about more than just numbers and stifling quiet. If you have more than $100,000 for a luxury car that symbolizes wealth and good taste, you're probably going to look for a three-pointed star. Now, there are two choices when you get to the dealer. Both full-size Mercedes four-doors are 2022 Car of the Year finalists, but only one earns a first-place recommendation in this comparison. Which one is it—the gas model, or the new-age EV?
Mercedes Luxury, Imagined Very Differently
"S580" may literally be a part of the EQS580's name, but the two expensive luxury cars execute six-figure luxury in vastly different ways. The S-Class doesn't stray too far from what's made it a dominating force in its segment. Now available with I-6 and V-8 engines, the S-Class will add a plug-in hybrid model soon for those not ready to plunge into a fully electric future. And thanks to the EQS, loyal Mercedes buyers no longer need to look to the nearly $100,000 Tesla Model S or the spectacular—but barely established—Lucid Air. We're using the term luxury sedan loosely in this comparison; because the EQS580's rear glass lifts with the trunk lid, it's technically a hatchback.
Both the S580 V-8 and the EQS580 are far quicker than most owners will expect, yet each car relaxes its occupants with quietness and layer after layer of luxury and technology. Under its long hood, the S580's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 pumps out 496 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration to 60 mph comes in just 4.0 seconds despite an as-tested 4,961-pound curb weight, impressive in most comparisons but not this one.
The EQS580 weighs 5,822 pounds, but that heft is propelled by front and rear motors combining for 516 hp and 631 lb-ft. With standard all-wheel drive like the S580, the EQS580 hits 60 mph in only 3.7 seconds (the single-motor, rear-drive EQS450+ model is a bit slower). The Lucid and Tesla are (much) quicker but really, who cares? These are luxury sedans, not dragsters. Numbers aside, the sensation of hushed and near-instant acceleration at any speed is an amusing sensation we enjoy, and it's one the gas-fed S580 can't quite match.
Surreal Ride Quality
The S-Class also—shockingly—falls behind in ride quality. The way the EQS580 isolates passengers from what's underneath their feet is simply extraordinary, even when you opt for 22-inch wheels. Compare that with the S580, which delivers a merely decent ride with 21-inch wheels, an experience that improves if you stick with 20s. Still, it's no match for the EQS, and "merely decent ride" is never a phrase we want to use in the same sentence as "S-Class."
Four-wheel steering makes both cars more maneuverable at city speeds than you'd expect from four-doors measuring in well over 200 inches in length. Thanks to that technology, the EQS580 has an astoundingly tight 35.8-foot turning radius. We'd recommend considering the option on both cars.
The EQS580's light-weighted steering belies its Tahoe-esque curb weight, but don't expect much feel or sports-car-like behavior on a winding road.
"The EQS580 is a gigantic, electric sofa that moves around under its own power," said deputy editor Alex Stoklosa, encapsulating how the new Mercedes feels.
The S580 handles itself better, but you never forget how much car you're hauling around those curves. Unless you're interested in the AMG version of both models, don't expect the EQS and S to beckon you to drive faster.
No matter how you drive these dueling flagships, neither is engineered with natural-feeling brakes. The S580's stoppers were described as "mushy," and the more sensitive types out there (hi, Mom and Dad!) may feel the car slow down uncomfortably quickly right before you come to a stop. Brake feel is worse in the EQS. Technical director Frank Markus called the EQS580's brakes "spongy and imprecise." We appreciate the technology behind the brake pedal that moves based on the regenerative braking's rate of deceleration, which is supposed to make the entire system feel more natural as the driver adds their own braking input to slow the EQS to a complete stop. Even so, take it from road test editor Chris Walton: "The soft brake pedal is not confidence inspiring in the least."
Comparing Electric to Gas, Mercedes-Style
If the EQS450+ or EQS580 could match the 406-520-mile Lucid Air in EPA-rated driving range, the scales might tip in the favor of the electric Mercedes. But as it is, the EQS580 can drive for 340 miles before needing a full recharge. Compare that with the S580's 442 miles in the same combined city/highway EPA cycle, or the six-cylinder S500's 530 miles. As good as the S580's V-8 is, our experience with Mercedes' mild hybrid I-6 has been so positive, we'd suggest S-Class intenders try an S500 before signing for an S580.
Like most electric cars, the EQS580 can be recharged to from 10 to 80 percent in only 31 minutes, but the S580 can refuel to 100 percent in 5 minutes at utterly common gas stations. The EV's disadvantage is only important on a road trip; everywhere else, the EQS wins in the luxury of convenience. It's hard to beat the convenience of pulling into your driveway, plugging in for the night, and never visiting a gas station again except for pit stops.
The S580 is quiet most of the time, but the EQS580's EV powertrain takes things to a higher level. There's nothing like the quiet of an electric car to enhance the sound quality of whatever you're enjoying on the highway. That hushed cabin and slick aerodynamics come at a steep price, however. To achieve a drag coefficient of only 0.20 on the EQS, it feels to us as though Mercedes sacrificed too much in terms of design. We can appreciate a new design direction, but the blob-like EQS leaves a lot to be desired, stylistically. The Tesla Model S and Lucid Air manage similar or better EPA-rated efficiency with superior range and arguably more pleasing design.
EQS vs. S: Which Executes the Details Better?
Neither the EQS nor the S-Class inspired uniform praise among MotorTrend editors, but it's impossible to miss the premium touches everywhere you look. The interiors attempt to mix luxury with technology in such a way that the latter doesn't overwhelm the former. That's a challenge in the EQS580, whose Hyperscreen combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 17.7-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. Spend a little time with the system and its voice commands, and you'll get used to it. The EQS interior feels airier up front than the S-Class and offers exquisitely designed air vents, but we noticed a couple less-than-premium interior materials in both cars. We also found the front seat controls of the EQS and S-Class harder to use than they've been in previous models with similar controls. One unusual advantage for the EQS: Its hatchback design makes loading cargo easier.
You sit higher in the EQS than you do in the S-Class, but the high cowl means some drivers may feel claustrophobic inside, as they have a limited view above the dash. That won't be a deal-breaker for most buyers—there is no such thing as a perfect car—but the back seat of the EQS can't compare to the excellent rear quarters of the S. What you'll notice first: The S-Class has a longer and more comfortable seat cushion. The floor of the EQS is also too high for rear passengers, an oddity necessitated by the floor-mounted battery.
Where both cars need urgent attention is—and we're not joking—the exterior door handles. They sleekly emerge from their flush housings on the doors so you can pull them out and open the door. The problem comes with the strength you must muster to open the doors. It's a silly issue to have, but it's real, and we hope a fix is on the way, though in the EQS you can option it with power-opening doors that offer up mechanical assist once the doors are unlatched.
A Frustrating Conclusion
The EQS and S-Class earned their way to the finalist round of MotorTrend's 2022 Car of the Year competition, despite naysayers in both camps suggesting the Benzes weren't quite up to par. Some suggested the S-Class had lost its way as a tech leader of the brand, while criticism of our S580 test car's ride quality and brake feel didn't help. The EQS has incredible ride quality and a pleasing sense of heft—exactly what we want in a six-figure luxury car. Even brushing aside its odd brake feel and OK driving range, where the EQS really loses is the rear seat and styling.
"The EQS is a technological tour de force, and it's an even better sensory deprivation chamber," digital director Erik Johnson said. "It's a masterclass in luxury, and clearly points the way to what cars will eventually be in our [SAE autonomy] Level 4 or Level 5 future, and how the luxury companies like Mercedes intend to set themselves apart. And yet, the cowl is so high that I feel like I'm sitting at the kid's table when I drive it, and it looks like a prescription shoe."
Were we comparing E-Class-level cars, this might go a different way. But despite its imperfections, the S-Class provides a good all-around experience without any significant missteps. That's why we're frustrated. We like where Mercedes is headed, but in a segment of cars you want, not need, the EQS can't yet match the mighty S-Class. That legendary nameplate has been continually updated and improved over a half century; we suspect it won't take nearly as long for Mercedes to engineer and design a true S-Class of electric cars.
First Place: 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580
Pros:
- Looks expensive
- Great back-seat packaging
- Longer driving range than EQS
Cons:
- Ride quality could be better
- End-of-travel brake feel
- Frustrating exterior door handles
Verdict: Despite its limitations, this is still the luxury sedan standard-setter, for now.
Second Place: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
Pros:
- Superb ride quality
- Quiet and immediate acceleration
- Hatchback practicality
Cons:
- Knees-high rear seat experience
- Space lozenge styling
- EQS580's Hyperscreen may be too much for some
Verdict: Intriguing and solid electric luxury sedan from Mercedes let down by a couple tough-to-fix flaws.
POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS 2021 Mercedes-Benz S 580 4Matic SPECIFICATIONS 2022 Mercedes-EQ EQS 580 4Matic SPECIFICATIONS DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD Front and rear-motor, AWD ENGINE/MOTOR TYPE Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 32-valve 90-degree V-8, alum block/heads Permanent-magnet electric DISPLACEMENT 3,982 cc/243 cu in — COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1 — POWER (SAE NET) 496 hp @ 5,500 rpm 516 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 516 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm 631 lb-ft REDLINE 6,300 rpm — WEIGHT TO POWER 10.0 lb/hp 11.3 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic 1-speed automatic AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 2.82:1/1.69:1 9.72:1 (front)/9.64 (rear) SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar Multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll STEERING RATIO 15.5:1 13.8:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.0 2.0 BRAKES, F; R 14.5-in vented, drilled disc; 14.1-in vented, drilled disc 14.9-in vented disc; 14.9-in vented disc WHEELS, F;R 8.5 x 21-in; 9.0 x 21-in, cast aluminum 9.5 x 22-in cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 255/35R21 98Y; 285/30R21 100Y Pirelli P Zero MO-S 265/35R22 102H Pirelli P Zero MO-S Elect DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 126.6 126.4 TRACK, F/R 65.4/66.4 in 65.6/66.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 208.2 x 76.9 x 59.2 in 207.3 x 75.8 x 59.6 in TURNING CIRCLE 41.9 ft 35.8 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 4,961 lb (54/46%) 5,822 lb (50/50%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 42.1/39.4 in 40.4/37.0 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.7/43.8 in 41.7/39.1 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 59.6/59.0 in 59.5/57.3 in CARGO VOLUME 12.9 cu ft 22.0 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.6 sec 1.6 sec 0-40 2.3 2.1 0-50 3.1 2.8 0-60 4.0 3.7 0-70 5.2 4.8 0-80 6.5 6.1 0-90 8.1 7.5 0-100 9.9 9.3 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.9 1.8 QUARTER MILE 12.5 sec @ 112.9 mph 12.2 sec @ 113.3 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft 115 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.87 g (avg) 0.88 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.8 sec @ 0.72 g (avg) 25.2 sec @ 0.76 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,200 rpm Not applicable CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $117,350 $119,110 PRICE AS TESTED $143,230 $125,310 AIRBAGS 14: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, rear belt, rear front, driver knee, front pass thigh 10: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, driver knee, rear belt BASIC WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 5 yrs/60,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 5 yrs/60,000 miles, 8 yrs/80,000 miles Hybrid/EV battery ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 yrs/50,000 miles 5 yrs/60,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 22.1 gal 108 kWh Li-Ion EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 17/25/20 mpg To be determined RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium 240-volt electricity, 480-volt electricity ON SALE Now Fall 2021 Show AllYou may also like
A terrifying-sounding weather phenomenon called "super fog" caused a fatal multi-car pileup on Interstate 95 in Florida this morning. A combination of dense foggy weather and lingering smoke from controlled burning in the area created a severe visibility problem for drivers. The Miami Herald says 17 cars were involved in the crash, which resulted in dozens of injuries and three deaths.Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Kim Montes announced at a briefing that one crash involved 11 cars in the Northbound lanes of traffic passing through Volusia County, and another involved two passenger vehicles and four semi trucks in the Southbound lanes near Edgewater. The super fog was reported as the contributing cause of both incidents. Weather.com and AP reported smoke in the air was caused by a prescribed burn in an area near the highway.Screenshot from traffic camera. The National Weather Service for Melbourne, Florida lifted its weather advisory for the super fog issue around 9:00 a.m. this morning. In a statement, the Service says today's fog and smoke mix conditions limited driver visibility to fewer than 10 feet, which means you could only see pretty much just a single car length ahead of you. Here's how the Service describes super fog on its website:"Super fog forms when a mixture of smoke and moisture released from damp smoldering organic material such as brush, leaves and trees, mixes with cooler, nearly saturated air. Visibility is lowered to less than 10 feet. Under light wind conditions, super fog meanders through low terrain areas such as creek beds or drainage ditches. Super fog can be very dangerous when present over highways, and has been the cause of several large, multi-vehicle pileups."At highway speeds, this would mean there is zero time to react to anything in the road ahead. Hence why it caused a similar pileup crash to those you might see during a dense snow storm, during which pileup crashes are fairly common.Melbourne's Weather Service said today's crash was not the first of its kind caused by super fog. Similar incidents with the weather phenomenon caused large pileups on I-4 near Davenport, Florida in 2008, and again on I-75 near Gainesville in 2012. As ever, if you encounter foggy conditions—super or otherwise—it is wise to activate your hazards, slow down (or, if you pull over entirely, make sure you are off the roadway), and use extreme caution.
acura nsx Full OverviewProsThe most satisfying modern NSX, Engine pulls hard, Strong lateral grip. ConsIt's dying just as it gets good, Needs a price-appropriate interior, Lacks ultimate steering feel. For decades, General Motors was notorious among its own loyalists for underfunding and underdeveloping a promising new car, expressing shock when initial sales excitement evaporated, reluctantly spending the money it should have in the first place to make the car as good as it should have been from the start, wondering why sales didn't rebound despite the tarnished reputation, then canceling the car once that it was finally good (see: Pontiac Fiero). Acura's parent company, Honda, has collaborated with GM in the past and continues to collaborate with GM today, and this is one tradition it shouldn't adopt. Case in point: the 2022 Acura NSX Type S. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Type S is what the NSX should've been from day one. The reborn NSX held such promise, and Acura engineers benchmarked the right cars. Their insistence in thinking like Honda engineers, though, and worrying about how practical their mid-engine supercar was and how it drove in Ohio winters, compromised its final form. They studied the Ferrari 458 Italia but built a car that didn't drive anywhere near as well or as viscerally.The limited-edition Type S makes great strides toward righting that wrong. It's far more engaging to drive than any NSX before it. Much of the feel and feedback missing from the standard car has finally broken through in the Type S.Test Numbers Trail Regular NSX'sUnfortunately, it seems to have come at the cost of some performance. Despite driving better than any other NSX we've tested, the Type S is also the slowest NSX we've ever tested. At 3.4 seconds to 60 mph, it's 0.4 second behind the quickest we've evaluated, and it doesn't get any better by the quarter-mile mark. To get there, the Type S needs 11.6 seconds, and it's traveling at 120.7 mph by the finish line, 0.4 second and 3.3 mph slower than the quickest one. It's not down to a bad launch, either, because the Type S is 0.2 second slower accelerating from 45 mph to 65 mph than the quickest NSX we've tested. This despite the Type S being the most powerful NSX ever at 600 hp and 492 lb-ft, 27 hp and 16 lb-ft more than any other.It's worth saying, though, that the NSX Type S experience is delightful. The engine revs very quickly and has a broad powerband thanks to the pancake electric motor mounted between the engine and transmission. It pulls hard all the way to redline, and the transmission, in Track mode, won't upshift until you've actually reached the redline, so you get every last pony. It's also happy to not upshift and let the engine wind back down if you lift off the throttle, helpful on a twisty road with short straights between tight corners. And despite all the electrification, the powertrain even manages to sound pretty good for a V-6. The engine noise is surprisingly melodious, and the turbo flutter is icing on the cake.Back to the instrumented testing results, it wasn't any better going the other way. Stopping the Type S from 60 mph required 103 feet, a massive 8 feet longer than the best one we've tested. On a mountain road, that translated to several instances of standing on the brakes and not getting the stopping power a 600-hp car ought to have. Making the experience somehow worse, the squishy, spongy brake pedal response provides no feedback. Better brakes would let this car go down the road considerably faster.There is a bright spot in the Type S' numbers, and it's shining on the handling results. Pulling 1.03 average lateral g on the skidpad ties it with the stickiest NSX, as does its 23.2-second figure-eight lap time, though the 0.89 average g it pulled on in the figure eight was 0.03 g off the leader.And you know what? We're OK with all of that. We're willing to give up a tenth here and two tenths there for a car that drives better. Still, this should've been the starting point six years ago, not the swan song.You do still have to drive it like an NSX, though. To get the most out of this powertrain, you need to treat it the way your high-performance driving instructor told you not to. Brake early, point it at the apex, and then get back on the power as soon as possible. Before the apex if you can. Normally, this delivers guaranteed understeer, but in the NSX, the front motors go to work, the nose bites, and it pulls you through the corner while accelerating hard. You can actually correct understeer by going to the power. Once you figure this out, the car becomes far more impressive than it is when driving it like a typical all-wheel-drive car.Tips For the Next One (Which Isn't Coming)Were this car to get the next generation it deserves, there are a few other components that could be further improved, as well. Body control, for one. The Type S is stiff, which is fine, but it lacks compliance. It's bouncing around way too much on bumpy pavement, making you constantly chase it with the steering or back out of throttle. It's especially bad in big brake zones where the car starts shimmying around in its lane. It's all manageable, but it shouldn't have to be managed. Tie it down, and, again, the car could go down the road noticeably faster.The steering is better than before, but it could be even better still. In this case, it's not so much holding the car back as it isn't making it better. It's very precise, but it lacks feel. Other companies have figured out how to get steering feel out of a car with electric motors powering the front axle, and Acura could, too.Then, of course, there's the interior. It was never up to snuff, and it still isn't because it hasn't changed. It looks like an Acura interior, and Acura doesn't make $200,000 interiors. A next-generation car would need a complete interior redo with much less plastic, a much more expressive design, and for the love of all that's holy, a modern infotainment system with a volume knob. You can't put Civic parts or even TLX parts in a car priced nearly on par with an entry-level Ferrari.Hopefully, Acura will get all those details right when the NSX returns as an EV in the future—as it's promised to, after a hiatus—but this still feels like a missed opportunity for the high-performance hybrid iteration of the car. The Type S proves the current NSX formula wasn't fundamentally flawed—it was just unfinished. It's a shame this car missed the mark so widely that its sales can't support a second generation of this model to finish the job. If the NSX Type S is any indication, it could've been great. Instead, Acura is pulling a GM and canceling it just as it started to get right. Everyone loses.Looks good! More details?2022 Acura NSX Type S Specifications BASE PRICE $171,495 PRICE AS TESTED $185,995 VEHICLE LAYOUT Mid-engine, 2 front and 1 rear motors, AWD, 2-pass, 2-door hatchback ENGINE, MOTOR Twin-turbo port- and direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, plus 3 permanent-magnet electric motors POWER (SAE NET) 520 hp @ 6,500 rpm (gas), 72 hp (comb front elec), 47 hp (rear elec); 600 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 443 lb-ft @ 2,300 rpm (gas), 108 lb-ft (comb front elec), 109 lb-ft (rear elec); 492 lb-ft (comb) TRANSMISSIONS 1-speed auto (fr), 9-speed twin-clutch auto (rr) CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,903 lb (42/58%) WHEELBASE 103.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 178.5 x 76.3 x 47.8 in 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec QUARTER MILE 11.6 sec @ 120.7 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 103 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.03 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.2 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 21/22/21 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 328 miles ON SALE Now Show All
Looking to deck out your Tesla with carbon-fiber dress-up bits? A new lineup of carbon parts from Unplugged Performance bring more than an extra dash of splash—they're manufactured by none other than Koenigsegg. Yes, that Koenigsegg, the hypercar manufacturer behind crazed top-speed runs and exotic (internal-combustion) engine technologies.This collaboration, dubbed UP x KAM, in reference to Koenigsegg Advanced Manufacturing, kicks off with carbon-fiber spoilers for the Tesla Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X, as well as wider front fenders and a "high-downforce" spoiler for the Model 3 specifically. More parts are promised later this year.While the parts themselves cost significantly less than, say, one entire Koenigsegg hypercar, these aren't Pep Boys bits. The regular spoilers for the Model 3 and Y run $1,745 apiece and are claimed to aid each vehicle's aero efficiency. The "long-tail" spoilers for the Model S sedan and X SUV cost a cool $2,495. And those wider Ascension R front fenders for the Model 3? Those are listed at an eye-popping $8,845; to be fair, the lightweight wings lend the Model 3 a spicy vibe while their 0.8-inch extra width helps accommodate up to 315-section tires, compared to the biggest a regular 3 can comfortably swallow, 275 to 295s. Unplugged Performance also claims the fenders, when used in collaboration with other Ascension-R front-end parts, help with downforce.Every component comes with a nifty UP x KAM sticker denoting the Koenigsegg, er, koennection, and each piece is handmade. Quantities of these first-run products are limited, so if you want some for your Tesla, you better hurry. Unplugged Performance also has its own assortment of exterior upgrades for Teslas, in case you miss out.
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