2017 Mercedes-Benz S550 / Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet - Car and Driver (blog)
Over the last couple of years, Mercedes has been acting like a company with something to prove. Pilloried during the DaimlerChrysler era for going cheap in brand-critical areas, the company has moved to re-instill the feeling of fundamental Benziness to its automobiles. Not content to chop the top off of the S coupe and add some underbody bracing, Benz seriously re-engineered the underside of the cabrio. New aluminum longitudinal rails, cast in a die around a sand core, take the place of steel units, the rear portion of the floor is also now aluminum, and the rear bulkhead is comprised of aluminum and magnesium components. Mercedes claims that interior sound levels will be low with the roof raised, while its Aircap wind blocker keeps buffeting to a minimum with the top lowered. In the event of a rollover, the pop-up roll bars are now deployed via pyrotechnic charge rather than spring bar. And Mercedes would like you to note that “in keeping with the S-class cabriolet's high design quality, there are no [visible] tear lines in the paneling behind the rear head restraints. Oh, and if you were worried that maybe Mercedes-Benz would dispense with the perfume dispenser, given the car’s open-top mission, fear not. Source: www.caranddriver.com
