The best? Bentley Flying Spur vs. Mercedes S-Class Car News

Inside, however, the Mercedes has a lot of material wealth and acres of space, and it took a remarkable amount of digital signage technology meant to win back customers who got their heads turned by Tesla in the over the past 10 years. It’s a more spacious and airy feel than the Bentley, and offers better visibility and a larger trunk.

On some level, it’s a car that works, whereas the Bentley is much more of an indulgence. You can tell the difference. There is a little less imposing honesty and grandeur about the Mercedes; you wouldn’t feel the urge to put on a jacket and tie as much to drive it – although, oddly enough, I guess many will.

Not all of the car’s “ digital upgrades ” are worth their place, however, although their adoption is somewhat inevitable in the days of the upcoming luxury of the Live Update. There’s an oversized augmented reality head-up display and a set of 3D digital instruments, which between them can instead bombard and confuse your eyeballs with all kinds of information that you may or may not feel you need.

The fascia is dominated by a 12.9-inch square touchscreen infotainment system that appears to awkwardly move some of the accessories around it, and which is just far enough from vertical to reflect the light admitted through the side windows directly. on the driver’s face. All are included for the ‘wow’ factor, really – not, I guess, as they make the S-Class easier to use across the board.

Clearly, Mercedes believes S-Class owners and drivers want more digital technology at almost any cost. To be fair, you learn to tailor the car’s settings so you don’t get confused by pointing the navigation arrows and holographic magic behind the wheel. You also get used to the touchscreen controls for so many things; I wouldn’t choose them, but I could learn to live with them.

Perhaps that was why, at the end of our test, it wasn’t actually all the new cabin tech that seemed to sell the S-Class short. Compared to the Flying Spur, it was actually the cabin materials. The Bentley’s mirror-chrome vents, switches and knurled chrome fittings are simply stunning; their temperature, texture and solidity also make them a rare pleasure to touch. Its leathers are beautifully soft and add an opulent finish wherever they are used (which is almost anywhere where there is no real chrome or wood). If you don’t fancy the walnut veneer “beverage cabinet” there is a whole range of alternatives. Inside and out, almost every square inch of the car really looks and feels quite plush.