Mercedes S-Class

The old phrase ‘rewriting the rulebook’ could have been made for the Mercedes S-Class. Just when you think that every conceivable four-wheeled luxury gadget or safety aid has been invented, along come the boffins from Stuttgart with a raft of new ones.

Last year’s winner remains the car to beat, and it’s not hard to see why. Although the chunky new looks were greeted with mixed reactions at the launch, there is no denying that the S-Class is a real head-turner.

And it’s equally impressive inside, where the design, fit and finish are unlike anything else in the class. Even the standard wheelbase model has plenty of room for back-seat passengers, and if you really want to max out your budget, the longer L version offers enough legroom for six-footers to stretch out.

Then there’s the mind-blowing range of engines, topped by the twin-turbo V12 unit fitted to the S600. Supercar-quick yet almost silent in operation, it’s arguably more civilised and refined than anything wearing a Bentley or Rolls-Royce badge. Finally, of course, there are the gadgets, which include a new infra-red night vision system and adaptive cruise control. A truly remarkable piece of automotive engineering.