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By Jonathan Crouch

With the EQS, Mercedes continues to re-write the rules of what a luxury limo should be. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at the revised version.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 99

With this EQS, Mercedes' most opulent EV, the Stuttgart brand has tried to redefine what the luxury limo of the future will look like. It now gets a bigger battery, a more opulent rear seat and the option of a more traditional look. And still claims to be the most aerodynamic production road car yet made. The cabin is suitably futuristic, the drivetrains are potent, the technology's impressive - and of course, the prices are high. Everything you'd expect really - from a car that, equally, might be everything you wouldn't expect a large luxury boardroom conveyance to be.

Backgroundword count: 160

What might the luxury limo of EVs look like? This is the Mercedes take on that question, the EQS, a car we first saw back in 2021. Early EQ Mercedes models mirrored the look of their combustion counterparts quite closely, but the EQS looks nothing like an S-Class, outside or in. And of course, the driving and ownership experience it offers is completely different too. One thing is common though. The S-Class has always been the model on which we've first seen Mercedes choiciest engineering and electronic innovations, features which then filter down into more affordable cars in the Stuttgart maker's portfolio. So it is with the EQS, which pioneers new technology in aerodynamics, cabin screen tech and charging - to name just three things amongst many - which will all be seen in future smaller Mercedes EQ models. But started here with this one. Here, we look at the updated bigger-battery version of this model announced in Spring 2024.

Driving Experienceword count: 415

There are three EQS models, starting with the base EQS 350, which uses a 96kWh battery that energises a 292hp motor and provides for an EV range of up to 409 miles. The key change with this updated model though, is the introduction of the new, larger 118kWh battery for the top two variants (up from 108.4kWh before). This features on the EQS 450+ (with 360hp and up to 481 miles of range); and the top AWD Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ (with 658hp and up to 378 miles of range). These figures should be more achievable than those quoted before because the energy recuperation now works more strongly - at up to 3m/s, twice the previous strength. This means the brake discs will be used less, so Mercedes has introduced a function that will automatically apply them occasionally to keep them properly active. As before, under the skin across the EQS line-up, the 4-link front suspension set-up with its multi-link arrangement at the rear is closely related to the that used in the S-Class and, as with that car, adaptive air suspension is standard, with its parameters adjusted depending on the drive mode you select - choose from 'Eco', 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Individual'. The ride height falls at above 74mph, which improves aerodynamic efficiency and ups the driving range. Predictive camera-based suspension tech is missing, but this car nonetheless wafts over speed humps and tarmac tears as if they weren't there. It's probably our favourite thing about it. That pillowy ride doesn't mean a dynamic downside through the turns, but there's little enjoyment to be had from throwing this car about, so it's just as well that few owners will want to. Four-wheel steering is standard, which sees the rear wheels turning by up to 10-degrees compared to those at the front - or by as much as 9-degrees with the AMG '53' version. They turn in the same direction as those at the front to help stability at high speeds - and in the opposite direction to aid manoeuvrability at parking speeds. It works too: the EQS boasts a turning circle of 10.9-metres with the 10-degree rear axle steering set-up, which is extraordinary for a 5.21-metre long limousine. You're going to need to make proactive use of the aforementioned clever energy recuperation system, which is manually selectable via steering wheel paddles in three stages - 'D+', 'D' and 'D-' - or select 'D auto' to do it all for you if you can't decide.

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