Dema

I noticed a very good looking S350 on road today. Head and tail lights are LED. Very handsome car, however license plate is out of state, couldn't clear see which state. So S350 is coming in US.

Vik888

Are you sure it was an American state? It could have been a plate from Canada or Mexico ... ?

MB_Owner

It was badged as a 350?

I'd think 268 hp would severely underpower a 4600+ pound car. Surprising to me M-B would do that to their flagship sedan in the USA market...the land of relatively cheap gas. Not yet on the Mercedes USA website either.

Wonder if an S-Class 350 BlueTEC will come to the USA as well?

Mercedes22

It could be the 350CDI

RajwanyS550

this is how rumors get started. just my 2 cents

hayden

Doubt a S350 is coming soon. Canada doesn't even have one.

But they do have a S450...

ZedStyle

http://www.benzinsider.com/2009/04/2...-in-las-vegas/

vintagefefe

Nothing wrong with owning an S350. And US gas is not CHEAP. I am only paying $0.60/L for gas here in Indonesia. We are one of the cheapest in the world because of government subsidy. And I notice very very good fuel mileage with the S350. You don't need bigger engines for bumper-to-bumper inner city driving if you live in such area.

If you live near the autobahn, that's another story altogether...

Trey

Why wouldn't they bring it? They did in 2006 with the W220, and in short wheelbase at that.

RajwanyS550

one drive of the S550 why would u want anything less. especially the the way the used car pricing R dropping, they can afford the best for less.

13pauls

We in the US are paying about the same as you, at least in NJ. So if you are saying gas is cheap in your country, the same can be said for us in the US.

patrick_y

Yes and no...

A person who can afford an S350 in Indonesia is probably much more well off than a person who can afford the same car in the United States. Simply because of the fact that cars in Indonesia probably cost double the price one pays in the United States.

Because of this, in perspective, the people who can afford such a car in Indonesia, probably have no hesitation of the gas price.

But wow, gasoline only costs around $2.30 in New Jersey? It's probably a good thing to live in Hoboken then! We are paying around $3.30 in California, which I'm already very pleased that it is so cheap.

Germancar1

Who knows why the car is here in the U.S. so I wouldn't say its going to be sold here. It sure won't be for the 2010 model year. The previous W220 S350 was a last ditch effort to keep W220 sales up in its last model year. I can't see an S350 here, but a S450 I can if S-Class sales don't pick up either with the facelift or when the economy recovers.

M

Jan AMG

Exactly. If you do mainly city driving, the S350 is enough. I have to say, I quite liked MY 2009 S350 loaner - it felt nimble and as it was a bit lighter than S500, with MY 09 steering wheel paddles, more sportier.

vintagefefe

Sorry, I meant to say I was paying $0.60/L for gas when you guys were paying well close to $4/gallon back when oil used to be $140. Regardless, our price here is stable due to govt subsidy. Only 2-3 years ago, we were only paying $0.25/L for gas. Trust me, we are one of the cheapest in the world.

Oh yeah, my S350 costs me $220,000 with the current exchange rate. It's ridiculous the taxes we pay for cars here, and there's no such thing as "leasing" or "installment payments" either.

transferred

A few of us pay the total upfront here too....

aeggroup

WOW...$220K ? ....You can buy 4 nice two years old S550 here in US with no more than 30K miles on them. And some people complaining about life in USA ?? )))

vintagefefe

I didn't say none of you did. I am just saying it would be nice if we have an option to pay in installments or lease.

vintagefefe

Exactly! I used to live in the US and marveled at the fact that cars are so cheap over there. I drove an MK3 VW 2.8L gti vr6 (hey it was college!) and back then it cost me $26k new. In retrospect, an MKV VW gti 1.6L 4 dr (i don't think this low spec even exists in the US) in Indonesia today will cost me over $55k.

We got the shaft. The car looks similar, but zero option, much smaller engine and we pay over double for it.

omarv6

I drove the 350 , i must say its ok if u dont want the power and want to drive like a good boy . we have alot of them running around mostly LWB fully loded , but with the 350 engin . we dont have a gas problem as its about 0.25$ but still see them around .

44vorpal

I was sceptical that the previous poster had actually seen a S350, but I have to admit I was one today with my own eyes... It was driving south on Lake in Pasadena, CA with Michigan manufacturers plates. I couldn't tell if it was a L wheel base car or not, but it did look a little stubby...
Why on earth would they be testing a S350 for the US market? Maybe to do the final model year option again?

aeggroup

I've heard they selling almost 40% less cars in US than 2-3 years ago. May be they think people will buy S with 350 engine...and why not ? Many people don't need much power, but want a big luxury car...who knows....

K-A

I'd be down for a SWB S350.

MB_Owner

You think they'd sell enough SWB 350 S-Classes in the US to make worth the trouble? And what would be the demographics of 350 SWB buyers? Further, at what price differential above the E?

The people I know who have S-Classes want the look and functionality of the long wheel base version. And plenty of power. Saving a little gas doesn't even enter into their decision calculus.

K-A

Honestly, probably not. Although I'll bet if the V6 S was on the market, it would sell considerably well (I'd rather have the V8, don't get me wrong, I refused to buy even an S430 W220 when I was shopping for my old S). Just remember all the old S-Classes, the majority on the roads were S320's for the W140 (if I remember correctly), and definitely the V6 W126's, etc.

The reason I'd consider a SWB if it were on the market, and be even tempted for a V6, is due to the fact that it will sell for considerably less, and a lot of the premium won't be toward the immense room and family oriented luxury/anemities, which I don't need. I'd get the extra "S" pluses, and someone like me who doesn't like the '10 E-Class, if I wanted an M-B luxury Sedan, I could think up paying a little bit more $$ and opt up to an entry level S-Class. Of course, I will say I've rarely ever liked a SWB M-B S-Class, especially the weird looking W220 version, don't know about the W221 SWB yet though. With BMW though, I always like the SWB 7-Series MUCH more than the LWB.

You're right about the price though, you'd think it would have to cost about the same as, or even less than a fully loaded E550, which wouldn't make much sense.