Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines
UPDATE: Full live gallery from the launch added.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia unveiled the S-Class with updated BlueDirect engines this morning. This engine refresh exercise involves the S350L and the S500L, which will now get BlueEfficiency tags on their names. The “entry level” Mercedes-Benz S300L soldiers on with the old 231 hp 3.0-litre V6 lump.

The updated models are based on the facelifted W221 that was launched in Malaysia last April. The main component of BlueDirect engines are the BlueDirect combustion chamber, direct injection, improved fuel pump, lightweight camshaft plus double chain drive, electronic controlled thermostat, modified camshaft adjuster and exhaust gas turbocharger on selected engines. The result is higher power and torque with lower consumption and emissions.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

The S350L BlueEfficiency gets a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 M276 engine that puts out 306 hp and 370 Nm of torque. That’s a useful 12.5% and 5.7% more than the previous 272 hp/350 Nm unit. Max torque is also available from a broader range, from 3,500 to 5,250 rpm.

And the best part is the improved fuel consumption – 7.6L per 100 km, or a massive 24% better than the M272’s 10L per 100 km. CO2 emissions is down by 23.5%, so it’s a gain on all fronts. Performance wise, this variant does 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and top speed is capped at 250 km/h.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

It”s pretty much the same story for the S500L BlueEfficiency. Under that long hood lies a new biturbo V8 engine that’s smaller in capacity (4,663 cc vs 5,461 cc) but bigger in performance.

With 435 hp and 700 Nm of twist available from 1,800 to 3,500 rpm, this is a very rapid limo that does the century sprint in five seconds flat. This is a 2.1 tonne hulk of a machine, mind you. The old V8 made 388 hp and 530 Nm, by the way. Fuel consumption is 9.3L per 100 km, 16% better than before.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

It’s an S-Class, so you’ll find a long, long list of tech and equipment, even if some owners never get to use half of them. The highlighted ones are Adaptive Highbeam Assist (auto dip high beam when oncoming car is detected), Night View Assist Plus (infrared camera with pedestrian detection), Attention Assist (detects drowsiness), long and medium range radars used for Brake Assist Plus and Distronic Plus and Blind Spot Assist.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

Inside, there’s Splitview tech for the COMAND control and display system. Basically, this allows the driver to see navigation and the front passenger a DVD movie via the same central screen, for instance.

The rear seat entertainment package adds on two 8-inch displays at the back of the front seat headrests, two wireless headphones and a separate DVD player with connections. Other new features are an SD card slot and USB/Bluetooth interface. The “Music Register” is a 7.2 GB moving jukebox.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

Audio wise, the S350L gets a Harman Kardon surround sound system with “Logic 7”, but the S500L offers the ultimate experience with a 15-speaker, 1200 watt Bang & Olufsen Beosound AMG system. It’s very obvious too – look out for the “hour glass” showpieces at the A and B pillars and the B&O panel behind the rear headrests.

Another S500L exclusive is the AMG Sports Package, which all big bad bosses will love. It includes 20-inch twin five-spoke AMG alloys (S350L wears 19-inch multi spokes), AMG bodystyling package, larger front brake discs, brushed stainless steel sports pedals with rubber studs and AMG floor velour mats.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

Locally assembled in Pekan, Pahang, the S350L BlueEfficiency is priced at RM840,888 while the S500L BlueEfficiency will cost you RM1,056,888.

The increase is reasonable (RM5k for the S350L and RM57k for the S500L) considering the improved engines and added equipment. Potential Sonderklasse buyers aren’t the most price sensitive folks around either, so it should matter little. The entry point of S-Class ownership is RM659,888 for the S300L.

Mercedes S-Class updated with new BlueDirect engines

A gallery of live snaps from this morning’s launch is after the jump.

[zenphotopress number=999 album=2350]

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • tiadaid on Jun 30, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    To be able to get 7.6l / 100 km from a 3.5L, 300hp engine driving a 2+ ton car at speed is very, very impressive.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • BMW is the (not) BEST) on Jun 30, 2011 at 6:26 pm

      praises to you Merc for giving us the latest engines. BMW pulak, like the F10, is a 8 year old engine. Totally respect Mercedes (MBM) Malaysia for this. Even the E class are new engines. I can’t believe BMW giving us old engines in new cars. Yes they recently launched in the X1 the 20i but why arent we getting the 20i and 28i in the current 3 and 5 series.

      BMW fans like to talk big about their 8 speed gearbox but don’t realise their N52 engine is 8 years old. When is Malaysia going to be treated important and get the N53 engine in the F10? Can’t BMW Germany come out with a N53 that is 2.5?

      Or can’t they put the new 2.0 (28i ) engine in the 523i?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • sutheshkumar on Jun 30, 2011 at 7:43 pm

        you nimrod. the new 20i turbocharged launched days back at the home country and the 28i is jut only making its way in Europe. As for the N52, I have no further comment on why BMW is still bringing in, maybe perhaps on lesser tax since the N53 is 3.0 and if they bring in that all the petrol 5 series available here will be 3.0, and sales on the 5 might not be as expected.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
        • Andrew Lim on Jul 01, 2011 at 10:01 am

          Tambi, the BMW 2.0 Twin Scroll Turbo was announced in January 2011. You mean it takes 7 months to come to Malaysia? 7 months might become 7 years.

          Asia is a very important market for BMW. If BMW Malaysia ask for the 2.0 Twin Scroll Turbo for their cars to keep road tax to the minimum, BMW Germany would comply.

          But BMW Malaysia not interested to do so cause they will have to drop prices. When everybody made noise why their F10 CKD was nearly the same price as the CBU, they said because it is 2.5, so, higher tax. Now with the 2.0 they cannot “blame” the government for their own high pricing.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
          • Paul Tan on Jul 01, 2011 at 10:28 am

            I think BMW will take two paths:

            Either drop price

            Or increase specs with the higher margin they have to play with to keep the premium price tag level

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • sutheshkumar on Jul 01, 2011 at 10:51 pm

            @Andrew, dude you know how things work here. Never fast. And for the new TwinScroll 2.0, I am putting an assumption here that the Europe gets it first before Asia do. And dont you think its a bit harsh to say BMW Malaysia is not taking any actions and just being ‘not interested’?

            Yes, people make noise when the CKD F10 523i is priced the same with the CBU, but did these people ever took note that the CKD has more kit than the CBU one? The same too for the CKD X1; the diesel has more kit than the CBU unit and is cheaper by a small margin, yet some made noise too. They are jsut being ignorant rather than taking notes on these small things.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • deftones on Jun 30, 2011 at 7:50 pm

        i believe u have a merc with 5 speeder..then u want to condemn bmw bcause of 8 speed
        what so fussy..as long bmw engine give good fc and reliable, its not a problem..people condeming vios with old tech,but the fc is real good. the are many happy owner out there,u dont know

        i bet you wont notice the difference between new and old engines..in fact, u wont lift up your car hood to look at your engine everyday..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
      • WTF…errr……..i got rm one million car chauffeur driven…………..do i really need to know anything about the engine at all……………….

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Damn. at a glance I thought the hourglass thing was an espresso maker!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • longjaafar on Jun 30, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    The rm658k Audi is only a 3 litre with 290bhp and 420nm if torque.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ABTguy on Jun 30, 2011 at 5:02 pm

      Merc is keeping the turbo off the V6 for now, but as they have modified the angle of the V6, I think probably in next year they may fit in one or two turbo charger into the V6. Or probably when Euro 6 requirement kick in.

      So, it’s something that Merc does not want to do (turbocharge the V6), rather than the capability issue. Or maybe costing concern. Which is a pity since BMW and Audi is riding on force induction on all engine range now.

      I think in the flagship model, BMW and Audi is not coming close to s-class. Merc better spend more times & effort on E & C to counter the competition. Stay focus Merc ! And do develop a double clutch tranny please !

      Anyhow, if you have a chance to test drive the 5 series and the new E class, you will probably be amazed by how “meaty” is E-class steering. Very “connected” from driver point of view. Level of “????” is very high. 5 series is beaten on this aspect. But BM currently offers better tranny now @_@

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • ray_jay on Jun 30, 2011 at 4:39 pm

    LOL @ 2nd last picture…

    I thought it come with head-rest steamers!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • addict on Jun 30, 2011 at 4:42 pm

    Sex on wheels.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • a 5k increase for the S350L and an increase of 57k for the S500L?!!! Omg i hope this is not true, 57k is not really worth for those tweaks in my opinion. Unless of course that increase also comes with the AMG package

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Danny Tan (Member) on Jun 30, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      57k for the AMG wheels, styling and brakes plus the B&O audio. I think it’s decent value – these things don’t come cheap. Small change for potential buyers, too.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • TurboMan on Jun 30, 2011 at 5:36 pm

        Agree.

        Original Brabus rims could cost RM 15k for a set of 4 at least.

        And I think AMG costs more than Brabus.

        Those Brabus/AMG stuffs don’t come cheap!!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
      • TurboMan on Jun 30, 2011 at 5:39 pm

        Lets hope no 1 will come out and say their Cap Ayam rims only cost RM1k.

        Brabus/AMG are equivalent to Rolex watches in the automotive world.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • I need to work harder & smarter…else can only drool on this car or wait another 20yr to get it 2nd hand

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Simon Ng on Jun 30, 2011 at 8:21 pm

      Yes!! I bought my W124 260E when it was 20 years old for 36,000 MYR. So I have to wait for another twenty years to get this car.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • MAde in Pekan?

    How the quality?
    Can someone clarify it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • pomen keto on Jun 30, 2011 at 8:47 pm

      so u prefer the CBU unit???sure u dunno n never see the CKD quality….

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Last week, when I go to GLC open day at KLCC I stopped at Sime Darby booth to asking someone which working with Sime Darby Motors. I ask them izzit BMW X1 assembled in Kulim instead of Germany? Then, he said yes. How about the quality? He said the quality BMW cars Made in Kulim is 50-50 compared to Made in Germany because Kulim is assembled by Human which more defected quality compared to Germany which 100% machine and robot operated. So, the conclusion I don’t know DRB Hicom was got the authority from Mercedes Benz to assemble the Mercedes cars in Pekan will applied the same things in Kulim also.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Paul Tan on Jul 01, 2011 at 10:25 am

          These big German cars actually go through minimal assembly in Malaysia. It’s not like the Toyota Vios which has alot of work done locally.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
          • You mean SKD cars?

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • ABTguy on Jul 01, 2011 at 5:45 pm

            I would think so, cannot imagine our people at Pekan has the capability to assemble a S-class to be honest.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • ‘compared to Germany which 100% machine and robot operated.’

          Sorry, that’s not true. It doesn’t make sense to use robots for 100% of the work, as the service engineers and programmers are more expensive as the assembling workers…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • insperut on Jul 01, 2011 at 9:44 am

      quality is 110% good. i guarantee u
      go buy one!

      haha

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • oooh such roomy leg room..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • zinus on Jun 30, 2011 at 9:55 pm

    Guys, what is the object look like “gasing”?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • _xXx_ on Jul 01, 2011 at 9:05 am

    ah pek standing there for wat? get a lenglui maa….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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