By ThatCar.co.za
Certain things are just obvious.
I mean, coffee in the morning. Seriously, what else would you have in the morning? Tea? Why?
If you’re going to put salt on your steak, you need to add pepper too. I mean… why have fish without chips? Why would you have fish and salad, mara?
Okay, sometimes the obvious changes. Like Eskom and load-shedding. That’s changed, so well done, Eskom! But now it’s Eskom and high prices. Obviously!
There are a lot of examples of this phenomenon.
Another example: women and peace with their husbands. Non-existent! This is an obvious fact…
What? You don’t agree, ma’am?
Okay, you’re right.
Excuse me, ma’am, so I’m not right?
Okay, ma’am, let me finish my article…
Wait, what? I can’t?
Alright, let me leave my article and let’s chat…
Excuse me? I shouldn’t leave my article, ma’am?
…
Sorry, I didn’t get an article out for us yesterday. I was pulled away from it by my wife. She had an emergency.
Where was I?
Obvious things!
And what is most obvious is this:
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was named the 2027 Car of the Year!
Yes, this was by a motoring media house, MotorTrend, but we’re not going to disagree. In fact, we’re asking ourselves why it took so long!
It was obvious!
MotorTrend, which is made up of a bunch of serious car enthusiasts and writers, said:
“With a new engine, a new operating system, hands-free driving, and plenty of opulence, this flagship sets an industry standard.”
Therein lies my statement: It’s obvious!
Let me tell you why…
THE S-CLASS: SETTING THE STANDARD
The S-Class has been setting industry standards for years.
In fact, if you’re a car enthusiast, you’ll know the saying:
“If you want to see what future cars will be like, look at the current Mercedes-Benz S-Class.”
Let me give you a quick tour of some of the technologies introduced in the S-Class.
- Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS): Introduced in production form on the W116 S-Class in 1978, allowing drivers to maintain steering control during hard braking. Today, almost every car has ABS.
- Airbags and Belt Tensioners: Debuted simultaneously in the W126 S-Class in 1981, transforming modern passive crash safety. If your car doesn’t have these, you’re probably on a donkey’s back and calling it Speedy! 😂
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP): First introduced in the S-Class family in 1995, starting with the S600 coupé/W140 era, to help prevent skidding and loss of control. Again, read the donkey part!
- DISTRONIC Adaptive Cruise Control: Introduced in 1998 on the W220, it was one of the first systems capable of maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and bringing the car to a stop in traffic. I experienced this feature in a bakkie — the Peugeot Landtrek!proving my point
- Rear-Seat Airbags: Introduced in modern generations, including the W223, to protect rear passengers during frontal impacts using an innovative tubular design. Again, guys… I mean!
- The Conical Wedge-Pin Safety Door Lock: This was far stronger than other types of door locks available at the time and helped keep drivers and passengers safe. Basically, it helped stop you from falling out of the car. Again, read the donkey part!
- The Passenger Safety Cell and Crumple Zones: These ensured that the vehicle took the brunt of the damage in an accident rather than its occupants. Before this, our grandparents used their ribs as crumple zones. Today, almost all cars use this technology.
AND THAT’S JUST THE OLD STUFF!
I hear you saying, “But those are old inventions!”
Well, I’ll tell you confidently that there are technologies in the current S-Class that are completely new and, in 20 years, will seem like obvious things to have in a car.
You don’t believe me?
Okay, here goes, you hardhead!
- Rear-Axle Steering (up to 10°): Dramatically reduces the turning circle of a large luxury sedan by up to two metres at low speeds, while boosting high-speed stability.
- Rear-Seat Frontal Airbags: Tube-style airbag deployments designed specifically to protect second-row passengers during frontal impacts. This is a safety concept that could become commonplace in the future.
- MBUX Interior Assist and 3D Displays: Uses cameras and neural algorithms to interpret natural body language, hand gestures and driver eye movements, paired with augmented-reality head-up displays.
These are just to name a few…
THE VERDICT
So, we say that in the year a new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is launched, let’s not waste time.
Just name it Car of the Year!
The S-Class has been setting the benchmark for decades. It’s the car that introduces technologies that eventually find their way into more affordable vehicles.
So, MotorTrend.com, we fully agree.
The S-Class is the obvious winner. Good choice!
