The EQS Is Mercedes-Benz’s Most Important Car in Decades

A new flagship EV draws a line between the past and the future.

Every now and then, a car transcends the whole notion of motoring simply by its existence. That’s the Mercedes-Benz EQS-Class; the first flagship electric luxury sedan from the world’s oldest car maker. And it’s the first built on the new, first-generation electric-native platform. That’s a lot of firsts. Practically speaking, the electric automotive revolution is the exciting business story of our times. Philosophically speaking, it’s Darwin and Adam Smith unbound—capitalist warfare at its most intense. The EQS is all that and more.

This car arrives with huge expectations. It’s supposed to be brilliant, packed with artificial intelligence, comfort, luxury, torque, range, and then more range. On hand were both EQS models—the 450+ (base $102,310) and the 580 4Matic ($119,110) —three days with both. Across northern California, from towering Tahoe peaks to the flats of the Sacramento River Delta.

The exterior styling has been the subject of some snark. Comparisons have been made to everything from a supersized Lincoln MKX to a novelty computer mouse. Benz claims it has an extraordinarily low drag coefficient and that this largely determines the shape. Nevertheless, its exterior aesthetic statement is subjective. This writer found it rather elegant.

Don’t simply pop the hood and expect to be impressed. In fact, that can’t be done with the EQS. There is no latch for the front compartment. Doesn’t exist. You’re not supposed to look or touch this car’s innards. There’s a strange little portal ahead of the driver’s-side front door that pops open like the detergent drawer on a laundry machine. That is for the windshield wiper fluid intake. That’s it for DIY maintenance. A little weird, yes. Guess there was no place else to put it.

It’s inside this car that the magic begins. The EQS is not just an automobile. It’s a platform for extraordinary computing power. Like other cars, throw it in drive and it will go. But engage its interface and experience this ride as it’s meant to be — a supercomputer with wheels and horsepower — it comes alive right through the driver’s fingertips.

The most notable interior element is the “hyperscreen” that spans the entire length of the instrument panel. This panoramic motherboard controls everything but the windows and door latches. The charging options, head-up-display, stability control, active steering assist, active lane-keep assist—all that is adjustable on the touchscreen. Same with driving modes—Eco, Comfort, Sport, or “Individual” (in which the driving parameters can be customized with, say, sport steering and sport suspension and then comfort everything else). At some point, this artificially intelligent car becomes just intelligent; it gets to know you. Your voice, your face, your fingerprint. Eerie? Damn right. But eminently useful.

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