2014 Mercedes S550 undergoes an identity crisis

The all-new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 has launched and is supposed to be a luxury sedan. But is it a luxury saloon or a performance sport sedan?

The new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 doesn’t know if it’s supposed to be a true luxury saloon or a performance sports sedan. Mercedes just launched the new S-Class and it’s arguably the finest car in the world. It’s hard to know where to start with the new S-Class with all its new innovations. It’s likely the most luxurious car that Mercedes-Benz has ever built. But it’s also the fastest S-Class with 26 more horsepower than the 2013 model.

Is the new S-Class supposed to be a luxury saloon or a performance sport sedan? The new S-Class has more luxury than any car in the world. It comes with multi-contour front seats with a massage feature with six massage programs including two modes combining massage and heat for a "hot stone" effect worthy of a high-end spa. How about a cabin fragrance system with four distinctive aromas? Ever heard of a power rear passenger footrest or heated armrests and door panels? The new S-Class is available with all those features and more.

And the new S-Class comes loaded with new technology. The full-size luxury sedan comes with 3-D cameras, radar, night vision, LED headlights, and even comes with taillights that adjust their brightness automatically. It has cameras that act as eyes and radar sensors that act as the ears for a 360 degree view of the road.

But it also comes with enough performance to make it the envy of performance enthusiasts. The powerful biturbo 4.6-liter V8 engine pumps out 449 horsepower and 516 lb ft of torque and will propel the big luxury sedan down the road quickly. How about the S550 launching from 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds? How many luxury saloons can do that? And the advanced engine will even fine tune itself by adapting its fuel and spark while combustion is still occurring turning less fuel into more power.

And then there’s the seven-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel shift paddles. How many luxury sedans allow the driver to control gear changes with your hands on the wheel? But honestly, how many luxury sedan buyers will use the paddle shifters? And the “Adaptive logic” automatically recognizes shifting to match your driving style.

And this is just the base S550 model ($92,900). Mercedes also offers the 2014 S63 AMG 4MATIC with 577 hp and 664 lb ft of torque with a sprint time of 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. How many luxury sedans can do that? Only true performance sports sedans offer this kind of performance and power.

The all-new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 is truly the finest luxury car in the world with all its luxury and technology innovations. But is it supposed to be the finest performance sedan in the world? The S550 has undergone an identity crisis and isn’t sure what it’s supposed to be. Do you think the new S-Class is possibly the finest luxury saloon on the planet?