This mildly-titivated flagship Mercedes-Benz PHEV luxury limo could be yours from RM 738,800.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has recently given its flagship S580e PHEV luxury limousine a mild update, bringing with it subtle exterior and interior refinements to complement the more significant mechanical updates under its skin.
Visually, the most obvious change is the swap from 19-inch wheels to 20-inch forged and polished multi-spoke alloys. These are then complemented by new EQ Hybrid badging, which hints at the improved PHEV powertrain that now enables DC fast charging up to 60 kW.
This charging advancement allows the 28.6 kWh battery to go from 10% to 80% in approximately 20 minutes, with full charging achieved in around 30 minutes. Those charging on AC meanwhile can still charge at up to 11 kW, though this requires up to 2.5 hours for 80% capacity. Electric-only range remains unchanged at 100 km on the WLTP cycle.
The combustion side continues to revolve around Mercedes’ proven M256 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six, producing 367 PS and 500 Nm. Working with the 150 PS/440 Nm electric motor through the 9G-Tronic transmission, total system output reaches 510 PS and 750 Nm, which is good for 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and that typically Germanic 250 km/h top speed.
Another key update under the skin is standard rear-axle steering, offering up to 4.5 degrees of rotation. This represents a notable quality-of-life improvement for the driver when maneuvering this nearly 5.3-meter luxury limousine around town, while also enhancing stability at highway speeds.
Moving along inside the cabin, Mercedes-Benz has made thoughtful improvements that directly address owner feedback. The centre console now features an elegant crystal-look finish with black dotted lines, replacing the previous piano black trim that was prone to showing fingerprints. More importantly, the front seats now also get the same three-stage ventilation and heating capabilities as the tauke thrones round the rear.
The comprehensive equipment list remains largely unchanged: power-adjustable memory seats, 12.3-inch 3D instrument display, 12.8-inch portrait OLED touchscreen, and extensive rear passenger amenities including powered executive seats with calf massage, dual 11.6-inch screens, and personal tablets with wireless headphones.
Safety equipment continues with 14 airbags and the full Driving Assistance package, covering autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and lane centering for Level 2 semi-autonomous capability.
The newly-enhanced Mercedes-Benz S580e with EQ Hybrid Technology (yes, that is its full name) is currently priced at RM738,888, representing a RM20,000 increase from the previous specification. The model continues to be locally assembled at Mercedes-Benz’s Pekan facility and includes comprehensive warranty coverage: four years unlimited mileage for the vehicle and eight years/160,000 km for the high-voltage battery system.
