Jaguar XJ L [2014-2016] vs Mercedes-Benz S-Class [2014-2018]

Easy out of the pitlane on to the start-finish straight, wide entry to the first corner, straight line the uphill left hander, brake early and commit to the hairpin right on the crest even before seeing it. On a good day this will mean you hit 200kmph mark on the back straight of Buddh International Circuit before the half way mark. This was a good day, but the needle was taking an awfully lot of time 180… 190… two-third of the distance covered and we were fast approaching the braking point. The magic figure seemed achievable, delay hitting the brakes by few metres and we will make it, the only problem was physics. We were in a 4.5 tonne solid metal block hurling downhill and inertia was even more annoying than as a topic in school books. While my German companion seemed unfazed, Rohan had already shifted twice in his back seat before inadvertently uttering , ‘Dude, just keep us safe!’. And just as I stamped the pedal from 200kmph, Markus Rubenbauer turned with a disarming smile, “Relax, you are in an S-Guard!”

In the past, car design used to be an art. A chassis was purchased and handed over to a coach builder for design and personal touches. Such vehicles reflected the class and taste of the owners as well as the company that built the car. The pioneers in this type of building were the British whose sensibilities were reflected in their vehicle’s lines, shapes and overall design.

There is a special place in the heart of every auto journalist for large German sedans as they epitomise everything that we aspire to see in cars and none is more famous than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class which is now in its 60th year of production. The S-Class has always been a moving demonstration of what kind of features and luxury options you can expect in your car within the next 10-15 years and it seems that the latest generation has donned the mantle pretty well.