If I was a rich man…

The state-of-the-art all new Mercedes-Benz S 550 which has got the benchmark in style, performance, comfort and safety was unveiled in Colombo last week.

According to DIMO, the sole agent for Mercedes, this magnificent work of automotive engineering is one of the most equipped vehicles ever to be ordered to Sri Lanka. It has surpassed the previous S 500 (W220 model) features and the commercial value has marked as Rs 55 million, the highest price marked car in the automobile history.

Design wood trains and roof linings, Night view assist, Reversing camera, refrigerator in the rear arm rest, ABC (Active Body Control), Dynamic Multi-contoured seats with massage function and Pre Safe, DVD and TV in front and rear seats, Inecio designer 19" alloys, AMG body styling and Linguatronic voice command system are some of the top attractions of this car.

This new flagship has virtually no carryover parts from the previous S-Class. With only slightly larger exterior dimensions, it manages to carve out a larger interior than its predecessor.

The center console lid opens from either side for easy driver and passenger access.

The retro analog clock sits front and center on the dash, flanked by the controls for the dual zone climate system.

Controls for the 14-way power seats are located in their usual M-B real estate. There are three memory settings as well as controls for seat heating and cooling.

The IP features a digital needle-and-dial Speedo flanked by analog temperature gauge and tachometer. Numerous functions are activated by steering-wheel-mounted controls.

CD, MP3, DVD audio, PCMCIA card slot and iPod dock are located behind the trapdoor in the center of the dash. All these media can be accessed through redundant controls. The aluminium 'mouse' is housed where one would expect the shift lever. The mouse selects functions from menus displayed on the screen located high on the center of the dash.

The phone keypad is located just above the mouse. The audio system, phone and numerous other functions can be accessed by way of the steering-wheel-mounted controls. The shifter is located on the right stalk while the Distronic control is on the left-side stalk. In testing, the 5.5 liter V8 with 382 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque propelled the 4,270-pound S550 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. With 19.8 cubic feet of cargo space, the trunk has a flat, fully carpeted load floor and convenient cargo nets for small items.

Nine-spoke, 18-inch wheels and Continental all-season tires are standard. Bi-xenon head-lamps with Active Curve Illumination are also a standard inclusion in this S550.

Prashan Nanayakkara, Managing Director of Greenlanka Shipping became the owner of the first new Mercedes Benz S 550 to be imported to Sri Lanka.