In one corner is the car that occupies top spot on the transport list of any CEO. I’m referring to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (or more specifically in this case, the S350L) which, even after a minor mid-life facelift, still ticks all the right boxes for big bosses.
Hoping to land a few telling blows in this prize fight is the “new” challenger from the Transparent Factory in Dresden – the Volkswagen Phaeton. And in 4.2-litre V8 guise, it certainly has the mettle to give the similarly priced S350L a run for its money.
Looks-wise, it is dead heat between these two long-wheelbase saloons in round one. The handsome S350L (and the rest of the S-Class range) has been tweaked ever so slightly with modified headlights incorporating bi-xenon lamps and LED daytime lights, coupled with refreshed LED tail-lights. The equally attractive Phaeton has also taken the bi-xenon and LED route, but sports one major makeover – an imposing grille characterised by chrome horizontal slats, in keeping with Volkswagen’s current design DNA.
The S350L and Phaeton both have air suspension systems with automatic damping and speed-dependent levelling. Left in their default settings, both systems offer the cushiest of cruising rides, but can sharpen handling if needed. (Drivers can also select the damping level manually.) The S350L’s Airmatic offers a good compromise whatever the road condition, but it is the Phaeton’s system that takes the second round of this fight. It cossets the occupants as nicely as the Merc’s, but summons another ally when the road starts winding – 4Motion all-wheel-drive. Together, they work to ensure that the limousine stays on its line tenaciously, and with good body control to boot.
With its larger 4.2-litre V8 engine, the Phaeton takes round three, too. I’ve always been impressed with the S350L’s 3.5-litre V6. It is quiet when idle, and it never sounds harsh when pushed to its limits. And with outputs of 272bhp and 350Nm, it’s no slouch either, accomplishing the century dash in just 7.3 seconds. Mated to the silky-shifting 7G-tronic 7-speed gearbox (with paddle shifters), it suits the S350L perfectly.
It does, however, come up short to the Phaeton’s larger unit. 335bhp and 430Nm are figures most performance car owners would be happy with – and so would the 6.8 seconds it takes to sprint to 100km/h. The Phaeton may have one less ratio (compared to the S350L) and no paddle shifters, but these “omissions” are never evident when driving. And then there’s the aural factor – the beat and thrum of a V8 is always nice, and the Phaeton powerplant is no different.
With three rounds done and dusted, we take a closer look at the interiors of both cars – and things become decidedly harder to call. From the driver’s perspective, the layout in the Phaeton is busier. The dashboard, centre console and steering wheel are a mishmash of wood, leather and plastic, with buttons and knobs galore. Thankfully, its central touch-screen LCD makes the process of selecting functions for the radio, phone and navigation less complicated. And the climate control vents, which slide open and close automatically, are a nice touch. Still, it will take most people a while to cosy up to it.
In contrast, the S350L’s dash is less cluttered and it trumps the VW in this round. This is made possible by the Comand system, operable via a knob that can be depressed, toggled up/down/left/right and rotated to scroll through and select various functions for the audio and telephone. It’s more intuitive and definitely easier to learn compared to the Phaeton.
But a closer look at the standard features allows the big Volkswagen to hit back immediately. There are digital air-con systems in both cars, but the S350L features separate cooling for two front zones only – left and right. The rear is fitted with two sets of vents, but the blowing strength and temperature mimic that up front. The Phaeton’s draft-free system ups the ante with four individual zones – the two additional ones being those for the left and right rear passengers, who can choose the level of cooling and fan strength independently. The Phaeton is also equipped with a navigation system, while this highly useful feature is only available as an option on the S350L.
Just when it seems the Phaeton has pulled out a narrow win in this critical round, the S350L claws back some much-needed points with its electrically operated rear side window blinds (the ones in the Phaeton are manual), electrically adjustable rear seats that recline, remote closing of the boot lid which also allows you to lock the entire car (a simple yet smart feature), and Harman Kardon hi-fi which trumps the Phaeton’s by virtue of its number of loudspeakers (14 versus 10).
In the all-important aspect of safety, both cars are again equipped to the brim. Traction control, electronic stability control, brake assist and numerous airbags are standard issue, but the S350L lands a few more punches this time.
The S350L’s trump cards are its Attention Assist and Pre-Safe functions, and a super-smart arsenal of lighting options. Attention Assist monitors 70 parameters, emitting a loud signal and displaying a warning message in the instrumentation cluster when it detects the driver dozing off. Pre-Safe initiates precautionary actions such as closing the sunroof and tightening the seat belts when it recognises critical situations, such as an unavoidable head-on collision. Lighting features such as cornering lamps that swivel as the car rounds a bend, fog lights that turn outwards to light the verge better and headlights that adjust and dip to avoid blinding oncoming traffic while optimising visibility up front, all make the S350L as safe as houses to drive, even on the darkest roads.
A count of the number of rounds won (two versus one) may signal a Phaeton victory, but in reality it was a close contest. If each round of this “boxing” match was actually scored, the eventual difference would have been marginal –a “points decision”. Comparing the Mercedes-Benz S350L and the Volkswagen Phaeton V8 is like choosing whether to have the buffet at Shangri-La’s The Line or Aquamarine at Marina Mandarin. Or deciding between Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum for that hot date, complete with German sausages.
Either way, the towkay is the real winner. He can pick the Phaeton V8, one of the nicest luxury saloons that money can buy today, with the features and performance to match. He can also “create” his own special Phaeton from an extensive menu of options. But choose the S350L, and the boss can rest in the knowledge that he has picked a popular luxury saloon which is one of the safest around, with a resale value that is second to none.
Volkswagen Phaeton V8 4.2 (A)
ENGINE: 4172cc V8, 40-valves
MAX POWER: 335bhp at 6500rpm
MAX TORQUE: 430Nm at 3500rpm
GEARBOX: 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H: 6.9 seconds
TOP SPEED: 250km/h
CONSUMPTION: 8km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE: Unavailable
Mercedes-Benz S350L 3.5 (A)
ENGINE: 3498cc V6, 24-valves
MAX POWER: 272bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE: 350Nm at 2400rpm to 5000rpm
GEARBOX: 7-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H: 7.3 seconds
TOP SPEED: 250km/h
CONSUMPTION: 10km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE: Unavailable
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