The best full-size luxury sedan in the world is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but our choice is the BMW 7-Series xDrive Long. Long read...
By the time I made the decision to purchase the next full-size luxury sedan for working with investors across Germany and for family trips around Western Europe, I had taken an (un)reasonable number of test drives on roads of all kinds in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, and Spain…
Conclusion: the world’s best full-size luxury sedan, with a significant lead over its few competitors (BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, Lexus LS), is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
In addition to the incredible number of "smart" systems, bringing this car closer to the level of future self-driving vehicles (though I’m not sure this is a desirable feature for enthusiasts of active driving, but for those who appreciate the latest technological advancements, it’s a definite A+), it boasts the best suspension (unless you're in London, where Uber Lux drivers understandably fit their cars with RunFlat tires, turning even a Mercedes-Benz S-Class—‘Sonderklasse,’ or ‘Special Class’—into a rattling cart on bumpy roads), the best interior craftsmanship and finishing (the competitors come close, but no other car has such comfortable seats with "intelligent" side bolsters and an incredible number of adjustments), the best soundproofing (which, unfortunately, became one of the main reasons we opted against purchasing the S-Class, but more on that later), and the best Burmester sound system (Handmade in Germany).
However, the High-End 3D-Surround system has been exclusive to AMG models since April 2019, and the Burmester Surround Sound System has been removed from the standard equipment list, now offered as an extra option for models like the S 560 / S 560 4Matic…
As for the engines and transmissions, that’s a whole other discussion: the BMW 7-Series engines hold their own against this formidable competitor (even considering AMG; BMW M GmbH knows its business). However, the ZF automatic transmissions used by BMW are significantly better than the still somewhat jerky Mercedes 9G-Tronic in extreme conditions (AMG has its own transmissions, which are in a league of their own).
Yet, when it comes to steering, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, surprisingly, outperforms all its competitors, including the BMW 7-Series. The steering wheel feels satisfyingly weighty even at low speeds and is far more communicative than that of any rival.
And still, despite the myriad positive features present in this car—undoubtedly the leader of the full-size luxury sedan segment—we ultimately chose its closest competitor: the BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long (G12).
There are two reasons for our decision, and both became real "force majeure" for us—events of irresistible force. While the second issue (described below) could have been resolved with some creative compromise, the first one shattered our dreams of driving a premium-class Mercedes beyond repair.
So, here we go:
1. During the test drives in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (mostly in the all-wheel-drive S 500 4Matic Long, and occasionally the S 350D 4Matic Long—by the way, I wouldn’t recommend the latter to anyone, as its diesel V6 is catastrophically underpowered at all times and in all situations), we discovered that every single member of our family… experienced nausea (!) even when driving smoothly and at a leisurely pace through mountain roads!
The reason? A weak vestibular system (for all four of us??), unable to cope with the car’s outstanding sound insulation and soft suspension (it seems that our confused vestibular receptors, for some reason, were telling our brains that the body was "static," while our eyes saw movement; this dissonance led to nausea and dizziness).
This unpleasant effect was completely absent in the similarly comfortable suspension settings but significantly less sound-insulated BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long on mountain roads. Our bodies (all four of us!!) seemed to "understand" that we were in motion. And this became the decisive argument against purchasing the Mercedes. There are many mountain roads in Western Europe, we drive them often, and voluntary suffering in the name of "beauty requires sacrifice" is definitely not our style...
2. Chronologically, this event occurred first, while the mountain drives happened afterward. However, the order of the description reflects the significance of the reasons why we ultimately chose the BMW 7-Series as our favorite.
At the very start of our search, we accepted an offer from the official Mercedes-Benz dealership to test-drive the then-new Mercedes-Benz S 500 4Matic Long. My wife and I brought along two enormous Samsonite XXL suitcases made of ultra-light plastic—our usual companions for family trips to the south, north, and west of Europe during school holidays.
We wanted to ensure that this marvel of automotive engineering could transport not only us in supreme comfort but also our modest (shared among the four of us) luggage on our journeys.
Imagine our surprise and disappointment when the dealership employee managed—with considerable effort, accompanied by creaking and cracking—to squeeze the second suitcase into the trunk (the first one had gone in easily). But the problems didn’t end there: the trunk lid stubbornly refused to close, yielding only on the eighth attempt when the dealership manager came to the rescue, pressing down on it with both hands to assist the struggling electronics in completing the task...
And these were empty suitcases! What would have happened if they had been fully packed, as they usually are? The answer was clear: one of them would have had to be left "out in the cold."
A few days later, BMW’s official dealership invited us for a test drive of the then-current model (its “aggressive” successor had just been released) BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport Long Version, in the exact BMW Individual configuration we wanted, with the interior identical to the one in this video.
Comfortably seated in the dining car (what else to do on the way?) of the high-speed ICE train, we made our way to Bavaria, taking our two empty suitcases with us. Train station—taxi (these "monsters" fit perfectly into the trunk of an E-Class estate)—BMW dealership.
When the dealership staff saw a couple walking into the showroom with two huge Samsonites, they first froze, then tensed up, and finally, after hearing our (pure) intentions, burst into laughter.
The entire staff, in on the joke, gathered to witness the trunk capacity test of the long-wheelbase BMW 7-Series.
As the trunk lid opened with a press of the touch-sensitive button on the unique key, a faint murmur spread through the group: sticking out by a good third from the black depths of the limousine’s trunk was a massive... refrigerator!
“Well, that’s it,” I said. “No need to even try—both won’t fit.”
With those words, I placed the first suitcase in the trunk, and my wife placed the second next to it, so that together with the refrigerator, they formed a "T" shape, where the refrigerator was the "stem," and the two Samsonites formed the "top bar."
To everyone's surprise, the suitcases fit perfectly, leaving deep spaces on either side of the refrigerator for additional bags and other travel necessities...
The last step was to press the trunk lid’s close button and see what would happen.
I pressed it.
The trunk lid smoothly descended and closed snugly—amidst applause and approving cheers from the onlookers.
And that, in essence, is the whole story…
Epilogue.
The price of a new Mercedes-Benz S-Class AMG-Styling 4Matic Long and BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long in Germany, in their top configurations and with similarly powered engines (not AMG and not M760), approaches €170,000. At the time of purchase, this wasn’t particularly straining (it had been a financially successful year), but it wasn’t particularly joyful either, as that amount equaled the total cost of our eldest child's tuition at any London university, including accommodation in a modern student complex and living expenses for three years. In essence, it meant "driving away a bachelor’s degree."
I must admit, since making a lasting impression on our clients with such a purchase was impossible anyway (all of them could easily afford Super-Luxury Cars and | or Super-Sport Cars**), I began to wonder if we should stop fooling around and simply continue driving our short-wheelbase BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport from the previous generation (G01), which had 120,000 kilometers on the odometer at the time of this story...
Luckily, my "moment of weakness" didn’t last long—help came in the form of the hysteria about "Dirty Diesel" that erupted in the German media. This led to a massive price drop for diesel vehicles of all classes and statuses in Germany, including the so-called Vorführwagen - the latest models with mileage up to 10,000 km, ordered by dealerships from manufacturers for their own representative and promotional purposes.
For example, the first owner of our fully loaded, all-wheel-drive, long-wheelbase BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport Long with a twin-turbo R6 diesel engine (320 hp and 680 Nm of torque), the very car we ultimately chose (the one whose trunk perfectly accommodated our suitcases), was none other than Bayerische Motoren Werke in Munich.
The car was 11 months old from the date of production, with 9,800 km on the odometer, in absolutely perfect condition. The price had plummeted from the initial €168,000 gross to €98,500 gross, including 19% VAT, which the German government fully reimburses to entrepreneurs and business owners (when purchasing a car for the company) within 1-2 calendar months.
By all accounts, this was an offer I couldn’t refuse (given my background as a "grey" dealer with years of experience—back in the early days of my entrepreneurial activity in Germany, I exported premium-class cars to Russia by custom order).
At the time of writing, we’ve driven over 20,000 km in our BMW 740d xDrive M-Sport Long (G12), both with clients (inspecting commercial properties across Germany’s "old states") and with family (holidays in southwestern Europe).
I can confidently say that this car is one of the best investments in life’s pleasures, one that almost any small business owner in Germany, with a steady income, can afford.
Sounds too good to be true?
Let’s do the math together.
**Gross price of the car:** €98,500
**Refundable VAT (19%):** €15,727
**Net price of the car:** €82,773
In Germany, with today’s low bank rates, almost no one buys a car outright by paying its full price up front. We were no exception and took out a long-term company loan. The initial down payment to the bank for this deal was €16,000.
Then, our tax advisors filed the paperwork to claim the VAT refund, and two months later, the government returned €15,727 to our bank account.
Our company’s monthly payment to the bank (including principal and interest at a modest 2.99% per annum) is €1,000 gross.
The loan is practically "endless"—we can pay it off over time, or if we decide to sell the car sooner (as is usually the case), the bank will stop the "meter" as soon as we’ve fully settled with them.
Moreover, no penalties for "lost profits" from early repayment threaten borrowers in the automotive credit market in Germany.
Under such conditions, even premium cars in nearly-new condition cease to be an unattainable luxury. They fulfill their intended purpose—serving their owners and close circles as top-tier vehicles in terms of equipment, comfort, safety, performance, and efficiency (our BMW 7-Series consumes 7.8 liters of diesel per 100 km in mixed driving, allowing it to travel over 1,000 km on a single tank—not so much for savings, but for extended mobility).
P.S. The forward-thinking youth claims that we’re out of touch with our diesel and gasoline BMWs, and that the future belongs to Tesla and other "eco-friendly" cars.
I won’t argue with this, but I’ll be ready to join the ranks of fans of new energy sources—be it electricity, hydrogen, or solar—only after the leading representatives of the German auto industry (and BMW must be among them) achieve a 1,000 km "range without refueling" in their futuristic models. By then, the infrastructure (charging stations, service) will be ready, and life on planet Earth will be simpler and more beautiful.
London, 25.11.2018 -
Freiburg, 25.04.2019
Conclusion: the world’s best full-size luxury sedan, with a significant lead over its few competitors (BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, Lexus LS), is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
In addition to the incredible number of "smart" systems, bringing this car closer to the level of future self-driving vehicles (though I’m not sure this is a desirable feature for enthusiasts of active driving, but for those who appreciate the latest technological advancements, it’s a definite A+), it boasts the best suspension (unless you're in London, where Uber Lux drivers understandably fit their cars with RunFlat tires, turning even a Mercedes-Benz S-Class—‘Sonderklasse,’ or ‘Special Class’—into a rattling cart on bumpy roads), the best interior craftsmanship and finishing (the competitors come close, but no other car has such comfortable seats with "intelligent" side bolsters and an incredible number of adjustments), the best soundproofing (which, unfortunately, became one of the main reasons we opted against purchasing the S-Class, but more on that later), and the best Burmester sound system (Handmade in Germany).
However, the High-End 3D-Surround system has been exclusive to AMG models since April 2019, and the Burmester Surround Sound System has been removed from the standard equipment list, now offered as an extra option for models like the S 560 / S 560 4Matic…
As for the engines and transmissions, that’s a whole other discussion: the BMW 7-Series engines hold their own against this formidable competitor (even considering AMG; BMW M GmbH knows its business). However, the ZF automatic transmissions used by BMW are significantly better than the still somewhat jerky Mercedes 9G-Tronic in extreme conditions (AMG has its own transmissions, which are in a league of their own).
Yet, when it comes to steering, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, surprisingly, outperforms all its competitors, including the BMW 7-Series. The steering wheel feels satisfyingly weighty even at low speeds and is far more communicative than that of any rival.
And still, despite the myriad positive features present in this car—undoubtedly the leader of the full-size luxury sedan segment—we ultimately chose its closest competitor: the BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long (G12).
There are two reasons for our decision, and both became real "force majeure" for us—events of irresistible force. While the second issue (described below) could have been resolved with some creative compromise, the first one shattered our dreams of driving a premium-class Mercedes beyond repair.
So, here we go:
1. During the test drives in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (mostly in the all-wheel-drive S 500 4Matic Long, and occasionally the S 350D 4Matic Long—by the way, I wouldn’t recommend the latter to anyone, as its diesel V6 is catastrophically underpowered at all times and in all situations), we discovered that every single member of our family… experienced nausea (!) even when driving smoothly and at a leisurely pace through mountain roads!
The reason? A weak vestibular system (for all four of us??), unable to cope with the car’s outstanding sound insulation and soft suspension (it seems that our confused vestibular receptors, for some reason, were telling our brains that the body was "static," while our eyes saw movement; this dissonance led to nausea and dizziness).
This unpleasant effect was completely absent in the similarly comfortable suspension settings but significantly less sound-insulated BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long on mountain roads. Our bodies (all four of us!!) seemed to "understand" that we were in motion. And this became the decisive argument against purchasing the Mercedes. There are many mountain roads in Western Europe, we drive them often, and voluntary suffering in the name of "beauty requires sacrifice" is definitely not our style...
2. Chronologically, this event occurred first, while the mountain drives happened afterward. However, the order of the description reflects the significance of the reasons why we ultimately chose the BMW 7-Series as our favorite.
At the very start of our search, we accepted an offer from the official Mercedes-Benz dealership to test-drive the then-new Mercedes-Benz S 500 4Matic Long. My wife and I brought along two enormous Samsonite XXL suitcases made of ultra-light plastic—our usual companions for family trips to the south, north, and west of Europe during school holidays.
We wanted to ensure that this marvel of automotive engineering could transport not only us in supreme comfort but also our modest (shared among the four of us) luggage on our journeys.
Imagine our surprise and disappointment when the dealership employee managed—with considerable effort, accompanied by creaking and cracking—to squeeze the second suitcase into the trunk (the first one had gone in easily). But the problems didn’t end there: the trunk lid stubbornly refused to close, yielding only on the eighth attempt when the dealership manager came to the rescue, pressing down on it with both hands to assist the struggling electronics in completing the task...
And these were empty suitcases! What would have happened if they had been fully packed, as they usually are? The answer was clear: one of them would have had to be left "out in the cold."
A few days later, BMW’s official dealership invited us for a test drive of the then-current model (its “aggressive” successor had just been released) BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport Long Version, in the exact BMW Individual configuration we wanted, with the interior identical to the one in this video.
Comfortably seated in the dining car (what else to do on the way?) of the high-speed ICE train, we made our way to Bavaria, taking our two empty suitcases with us. Train station—taxi (these "monsters" fit perfectly into the trunk of an E-Class estate)—BMW dealership.
When the dealership staff saw a couple walking into the showroom with two huge Samsonites, they first froze, then tensed up, and finally, after hearing our (pure) intentions, burst into laughter.
The entire staff, in on the joke, gathered to witness the trunk capacity test of the long-wheelbase BMW 7-Series.
As the trunk lid opened with a press of the touch-sensitive button on the unique key, a faint murmur spread through the group: sticking out by a good third from the black depths of the limousine’s trunk was a massive... refrigerator!
“Well, that’s it,” I said. “No need to even try—both won’t fit.”
With those words, I placed the first suitcase in the trunk, and my wife placed the second next to it, so that together with the refrigerator, they formed a "T" shape, where the refrigerator was the "stem," and the two Samsonites formed the "top bar."
To everyone's surprise, the suitcases fit perfectly, leaving deep spaces on either side of the refrigerator for additional bags and other travel necessities...
The last step was to press the trunk lid’s close button and see what would happen.
I pressed it.
The trunk lid smoothly descended and closed snugly—amidst applause and approving cheers from the onlookers.
And that, in essence, is the whole story…
Epilogue.
The price of a new Mercedes-Benz S-Class AMG-Styling 4Matic Long and BMW 7-Series xDrive M-Sport Long in Germany, in their top configurations and with similarly powered engines (not AMG and not M760), approaches €170,000. At the time of purchase, this wasn’t particularly straining (it had been a financially successful year), but it wasn’t particularly joyful either, as that amount equaled the total cost of our eldest child's tuition at any London university, including accommodation in a modern student complex and living expenses for three years. In essence, it meant "driving away a bachelor’s degree."
I must admit, since making a lasting impression on our clients with such a purchase was impossible anyway (all of them could easily afford Super-Luxury Cars and | or Super-Sport Cars**), I began to wonder if we should stop fooling around and simply continue driving our short-wheelbase BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport from the previous generation (G01), which had 120,000 kilometers on the odometer at the time of this story...
Luckily, my "moment of weakness" didn’t last long—help came in the form of the hysteria about "Dirty Diesel" that erupted in the German media. This led to a massive price drop for diesel vehicles of all classes and statuses in Germany, including the so-called Vorführwagen - the latest models with mileage up to 10,000 km, ordered by dealerships from manufacturers for their own representative and promotional purposes.
For example, the first owner of our fully loaded, all-wheel-drive, long-wheelbase BMW 740dA xDrive M-Sport Long with a twin-turbo R6 diesel engine (320 hp and 680 Nm of torque), the very car we ultimately chose (the one whose trunk perfectly accommodated our suitcases), was none other than Bayerische Motoren Werke in Munich.
The car was 11 months old from the date of production, with 9,800 km on the odometer, in absolutely perfect condition. The price had plummeted from the initial €168,000 gross to €98,500 gross, including 19% VAT, which the German government fully reimburses to entrepreneurs and business owners (when purchasing a car for the company) within 1-2 calendar months.
By all accounts, this was an offer I couldn’t refuse (given my background as a "grey" dealer with years of experience—back in the early days of my entrepreneurial activity in Germany, I exported premium-class cars to Russia by custom order).
At the time of writing, we’ve driven over 20,000 km in our BMW 740d xDrive M-Sport Long (G12), both with clients (inspecting commercial properties across Germany’s "old states") and with family (holidays in southwestern Europe).
I can confidently say that this car is one of the best investments in life’s pleasures, one that almost any small business owner in Germany, with a steady income, can afford.
Sounds too good to be true?
Let’s do the math together.
**Gross price of the car:** €98,500
**Refundable VAT (19%):** €15,727
**Net price of the car:** €82,773
In Germany, with today’s low bank rates, almost no one buys a car outright by paying its full price up front. We were no exception and took out a long-term company loan. The initial down payment to the bank for this deal was €16,000.
Then, our tax advisors filed the paperwork to claim the VAT refund, and two months later, the government returned €15,727 to our bank account.
Our company’s monthly payment to the bank (including principal and interest at a modest 2.99% per annum) is €1,000 gross.
The loan is practically "endless"—we can pay it off over time, or if we decide to sell the car sooner (as is usually the case), the bank will stop the "meter" as soon as we’ve fully settled with them.
Moreover, no penalties for "lost profits" from early repayment threaten borrowers in the automotive credit market in Germany.
Under such conditions, even premium cars in nearly-new condition cease to be an unattainable luxury. They fulfill their intended purpose—serving their owners and close circles as top-tier vehicles in terms of equipment, comfort, safety, performance, and efficiency (our BMW 7-Series consumes 7.8 liters of diesel per 100 km in mixed driving, allowing it to travel over 1,000 km on a single tank—not so much for savings, but for extended mobility).
P.S. The forward-thinking youth claims that we’re out of touch with our diesel and gasoline BMWs, and that the future belongs to Tesla and other "eco-friendly" cars.
I won’t argue with this, but I’ll be ready to join the ranks of fans of new energy sources—be it electricity, hydrogen, or solar—only after the leading representatives of the German auto industry (and BMW must be among them) achieve a 1,000 km "range without refueling" in their futuristic models. By then, the infrastructure (charging stations, service) will be ready, and life on planet Earth will be simpler and more beautiful.
London, 25.11.2018 -
Freiburg, 25.04.2019