Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 350 CDI to be launched in India on June 5

It was revealed yesterday that Mercedes-Benz dealers had started accepting bookings of the diesel variant of the S-Class for a token of Rs 5 lakh, which hinted that the launch of the car was near. Now, Mercedes-Benz has announced that the S-Class S 350 CDI, will be launched in India on June 5.

While the Mercedes-Benz 2014 S-Class made its Indian debut in January, earlier this year, it was launched in a single S 500 variant with a petrol engine. The S 350 CDI will be powered by a 3.0-litre V6 engine producing 306bhp and 370Nm of torque which powers the rear wheels through a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox. Despite packing lesser horses than the S 500, the engine is powerful enough to propel the car to a top speed of 248kmph, with the first 100kmph coming up in just 6.8 seconds. 

Except for the powertrain, the S 350 CDI will be mechanically similar to the S 500. But Mercedes-Benz will cut corners in terms of equipment and creature comforts to maintain a sizeable distance between the flagship and the cheaper variant. The Burmester sound system will be offered without the 3D surround system, while the heated/cooled cupholders won’t be offered. The S 350 CDI won’t be offered with a centre armrest and tables in the rear bench, making room for an extra passenger. The 360-degree reversing camera will be replaced with a regular unit while the night-vision camera has also been ditched. 

On the safety front, the S 350 CDI will be equipped with eight airbags, Dynamic cornering control system, Adaptive Brake with HOLD Function and ASR among others. Unlike the S 500, which was initially imported as a CBU, the S 350 will be locally assembled right from the start at the company’s facility in Chakan, Pune. 

The S 350 CDI is expected to be priced around Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.1 crore and deliveries are expected to be begin around June end. Despite being locally assembled, the S 350 CDI will be more expensive than its diesel rivals – the Audi A8L 3.0 TDI Quattro, BMW 730Ld and the Jaguar XJ 3.0 V6.