As the S-class Cabriolet features four seats in two rows in a large cabin area, the company chose a cloth top rather than a retractable hard top, as the latter would take more room to stow away. As it is, the soft top takes a good portion of the trunk area when down. To make owners' lives easier, Mercedes-Benz instituted an powered cover tray in the trunk, which automatically moves into the trunk space when the top lowers.
Mercedes-Benz boasts that the top opens or closes in under 20 seconds and can be operated while driving at speeds up to 37 mph.
Mercedes-Benz meets the challenge of maintaining body stiffness in the S-class Cabriolet by reinforcing floor and sides. However, the company used lightweight materials to keep weight down toward that of the S-class Coupe.
To maintain passenger comfort, the S-class Cabriolet uses a sound-deadening insulated top, and developed a climate control system which automatically takes into account the position of the roof. The previously developed AirScarf system blows warm air around passengers' necks, reducing the need to bundle up when the top is down.
As with the S-class sedan and coupe, the Cabriolet features an air suspension for ride comfort and sport performance. It's 4.7-liter turbocharged V-8 engine produces 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, channeled to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission.
More A-type personalities can opt for the Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet, its AMG-built 5.5-liter turbocharged V-8 producing 577 horsepower. AMG suspension components, brakes and seven-speed automatic transmission lend to higher performance.
The new generation of the S-class has been a really remarkable car whether in sedan or coupe formats, so it is unlikely the Cabriolet version will be anything less than the previous two versions, and will give well-heeled buyers more choices in the Mercedes-Benz flagship set.