New Car: 2017 Mercedes-Benz S500 Cabriolet review

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New Car: 2017 Mercedes-Benz S500 Cabriolet review

When you search for music using the voice-activated menu navigation in the 2017 Mercedes-Benz S500 Cabriolet, and can’t quite decide on a track, the car recommends Sailing, by Rod Stewart… or Elton John’s entire back catalogue.

Obviously, in the richly interesting world of S-Cab buyer demographics, a playlist populated by the best of Sharon and Phyllis is almost expected.

Not too hard, not too soft, both classic and modern, yet undeniably timeless.

Much like the car itself.

The A217 S-Class Cabriolet marks the first time in almost half a century you can drop the top on a flagship luxury Mercedes. The three-model range starts with our $357,215 (before options and on-road costs) S500.

That makes the iconic Mercedes-Benz SL500 roadster, powered by the same engine, some $78,000 cheaper. So yes, it is expensive, but look at it this way: in terms of four-seat luxury drop-tops, the S-Class Cabriolet is almost exactly half the price of the Rolls Royce Dawn. A relative bargain!

Plus it has the added benefit, especially in our car’s Cavansite Blue paint (one of 14 options), of being a truly stunning car.

The long body lines, elegant proportions and luxurious stance make this a movie star for the road. It looks low and wide, the LED tail lamps and multi-beam projector headlights giving the S-Cab the right amount of modern, where the large (20-inch) spoked wheels, chrome high lights and scalloped bodywork give a distinct nod to the past.

Even the lack of any badging beyond the three-pointed star worked in the Mercedes’ favour. Everyone knows it is a ‘Benz, any further details seem superfluous.

It is an imposing and impressive car. We turned heads wherever we went, had a line of people asking questions when parked, and generally made people feel better about their day by just driving past.

You see, you are judged when driving the S-Cab, but not for the car. For your haircut, your sunglasses, your choice of music…

People seem to want you to be the best you can be, so that you match the car. Better break out that copy of Yellow Brick Road then.

The S-Class cabriolet is an all-weather drop top. From the five-layered fabric roof, which looks great in blue on our test car (one of four choices), to the clever Aircap vortex reduction system, and neck warming Airscarf for those cold days, the S is prepared for even the most ‘Melbourne’ of days.

It even pulls off the rare convertible achievement of looking great with top up or down. The roof can be raised or lowered at speeds up to 50km/h within a stately and relaxed 20 seconds.

When up, the inner lining, a soft suede-like material, feels exceptionally luxurious and seals the cabin from the majority of wind and noise outside. It is marginally louder than the coupe, but I honestly didn’t have the top up long enough to worry that much about it.
The only real gripe with the top and its movement, is the location of the lever mechanism under the clever, double-hinged centre armrest. This makes it awkward to get to, especially if you have a passenger resting their elbow, particularly given the large size of the console lid.

The lever, too, initially feels counter intuitive. Lift to put the roof down and push down to put the roof up, but think of it as moving the way the roof does, and it quickly becomes second nature.

Also hidden here are the all-four windows down and Aircap activation buttons. I’ll note too, that unlike the E-Class cabriolet, the Aircap in the S-Class operates the front windscreen ‘spoiler’ and rear wind deflector as one, and not separately like in the A207 ‘E. Given these functions tend to be needed on the move can make them a little awkward to access, perhaps considered a small price to pay for year-round topless enjoyment.

The rest of the interior is the same stylish and luxurious layout, coloured mood-lighting included, as found in the S-Class coupe. The black leather on our test car is not the best colour to show off the stylish appointments, but it is comfortable and opulent all the same. A lighter shade, and perhaps some more wood, would really boost the look of the cabin, giving the MV S500 a more nautical theme.

New Car: 2017 Mercedes-Benz S500 Cabriolet review
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