Relaxed and fatigue-free driving was one of the principal goals during the development of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The seats in the luxury saloon make a major contribution to this. A team of engineers paid detailed attention to all aspects of seating comfort and used long years of experience to realise concepts with which this flagship model by Mercedes sets new standards. In addition, specialists from the DaimlerChrysler Research department conducted a series of studies to analyse the requirements and wishes of Mercedes customers with respect to seating comfort. Several months of practical trials in various climatic zones around the world, static tests and reports by orthopaedic specialists, sports physicians and physiotherapists rounded off this sophisticated development programme.

A new 12-way seat already offers the driver and front passenger outstanding comfort even in the standard version. The fore-aft-aft position, backrest and cushion angle, seat height, head restraint and seat cushion depth are electrically adjustable – independently and variably, so that each occupant is able to choose the best individual seating position. This also applies to comfort and support for the lower back, as pneumatic two-way lumbar supports are also standard equipment for the front seats. These enable the driver and front passenger to adapt the backrest contours to their own anatomy, relieving the back muscles.

To ensure that the chosen seating position does not need to be readopted after every change of driver or front passenger, the S 500 is equipped with a memory function as standard. Both front seats are able to store up to three memory positions. Pressing one of the memory keys in the door panel causes the driver’s seat, steering wheel and exterior mirrors to move to the stored positions automatically. Things are even more convenient with the key memory function: the microchips in the electronic ignition key and the magnetic cards of the inductive KEYLESS-GO system also have two memory positions for seat adjustment. This means that the seats automatically move to the chosen positions as soon as the doors are unlocked.

As a new feature, the electric seat adjustment can be switched over so that the driver can also operate the front passenger seat if required.

Not only the numerous personal seat adjustments are outstanding, but also the wide adjustment ranges. This ensures that occupants of very different sizes will find the new S-Class extremely comfortable. Details:

• Fore-and-aft adjustment: 290 millimetres
• Seat height: 85 millimetres
• Seat cushion length: 65 millimetres
• Head restraint height: 85 millimetres
• Seat cushion angle: +/- four degrees
• Backrest angle: 51 degrees

Operation: now also with the COMAND system

As has been usual at Mercedes-Benz for many years, the switches for the individual seat adjustments in the new S-Class are designed as unmistakable pictograms. These represent the seat backrest, cushion and head restraint and are located within easy reach in the interior door panels. As a new feature, the lumbar supports and multicontour functions can now be individually adjusted using COMAND. Rapid access to the seat adjustment menu in this control system is provided by pressing the direct selection button in front of the COMAND controller. This causes a photo-quality image of the seat to appear in the colour display, with a colour-coded representation of the different air cushions. These can be individually selected and adjusted as required using the controller.

Upholstery: combination of a spring core and foam material

The technical structure of the newly developed seats for the S-Class reflects the traditionally high quality standards of the Mercedes-Benz brand. This means a steel spring core with a layer of breathable Pullmaflex padding, rubberised natural fibre hair matting and additional elements of open-pored polyurethane foam. The seat covering is also lined with non-woven material. This combination has performed outstandingly in the preceding model and during numerous exhaustive tests. This technology produces particularly good results in terms of climatic comfort and long-term durability.

The seat covers likewise meet the highest standards. In addition to high-quality fabrics there is a choice of two different leather upholsteries whose lower pre-tensioning and resulting folds immediately make the seats appear comfortable and inviting – a pleasant visual impression which is confirmed by touching the soft surface of the new, fine PASSION leather.

The seats are anchored according to a new concept: the front seats are not mounted on conventional frames bolted to the floor, but have carrier rails along the sides which are attached to the sills and the transmission tunnel. This leaves the centre areas beneath the seats available as extended footwells for the rear passengers.

Head restraints: crash-responsive with movable side bolsters

Softly padded luxury head restraints with manually adjustable side bolsters are optionally available for the front and outer rear seats of the S-Class. These enable passengers to rest their heads comfortably, and with good support from the newly developed head restraint. The luxury head restraint also incorporates intelligent NECK-PRO technology: in the event of a rear-end collision, the head restraint is immediately moved 44 millimetres forwards and 30 millimetres upwards by a pretensioned spring to give early support to the head of the seat occupant. This reduces the risk of whiplash injuries. After activation of NECK-PRO the head restraints can be unlocked using a supplied tool and manually returned to their original position.

Ventilation: six fans in the seat padding

The seat development specialists at Mercedes are not only concerned with classic comfort characteristics such as the springs and padding, but also with the all-round wellbeing of the car’s occupants. The materials and structure of a Mercedes seat must ensure comfort in all weather and temperature conditions. This is ensured by breathable materials and the high-quality fabric or leather upholstery used for S-Class seats. Even more climatic comfort is provided by actively ventilated luxury seats, which celebrated their world premiere in the outgoing S-Class: miniature fans in the seat cushion and backrest take in cool air at floor level and evenly distribute this via a woven ventilation pad under the surface of the seat. This gentle airflow ensures that the occupants remain cool and comfortable even at high outside temperatures.

Specialists have now improved this technology even further. The heated, actively ventilated luxury seats (optional) in the new S-Class are equipped with even more efficient fan controls which regulate likewise improved mini-fans in the seat cushion (4) and backrest (2) of each front seat. The upholstery materials have also been modified to improve the efficiency of the heating and ventilation functions even further. The heating elements are now located directly beneath the seat covers.

Active seat ventilation is also available for the rear if the S-Class is equipped with leather upholstery and electrically adjustable outer rear seats.

Multicontour seat: eleven air chambers for individual seating comfort

Like active seat ventilation, the multicontour seat is a very successful Mercedes invention which greatly contributes to the high level of long-distance comfort in cars bearing the Mercedes star. Multicontour means that the occupants are able to adapt the contours of the seat to their individual anatomical or comfort requirements. This is made possible by air chambers within the seat padding.

A new-generation multicontour seat is celebrating its premiere in the new S-Class. This has even more functions -- and therefore provides even greater comfort. While the previous multicontour seat featured six air chambers, the driver and front passenger are now able to adjust five zones in their seats with the help of eleven air chambers. These are...

• the two side bolsters of the seat cushion;
• the thigh support which adjusts the leg position;
• the lumbar support, which is also height-adjustable;
• the two side bolsters of the seat backrest;
• the shoulder support.

The firmness of the seats can also be adjusted to vary the spring and damping characteristics individually. Three stages are available which inflate the air chambers in the seat cushion to varying degrees. The firmness of the seats is likewise programmed using the COMAND controller and the colour display for the control system.

Pneumatics: fit for PRE-SAFE® with fast piezo valves

Thanks to new piezo valves, the pneumatics of the multicontour system operate even more quietly and precisely than before. Moreover, the valves are now in a decentralised configuration and therefore respond more rapidly, which means that for the first time, the multicontour seats can also be integrated into the PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system: if PRE-SAFE® detects an impending collision, it not only tensions the front seat belts but also inflates the air chambers in the side bolsters of the seat cushions and backrests as a precaution. These bolsters enclose and support the occupants, also increasing the distance to the interior door panels during an impact and enabling the sidebag to fulfil its protective function more effectively.

The air chambers also feature new technology, which makes it possible to control the movement of the chambers more precisely and rapidly for better adjustment of the seat contours.

Multicontour technology with the PRE-SAFE® function is now also available as an option for the rear seat unit with electrically adjustable outer seats. The driver’s seat and rear seat with the multicontour function have received a seal of approval from a German association for the promotion of spinal health.

Dynamic multicontour seat: lateral support to suit the driving situation

S-Class customers can treat themselves to the ultimate in seating comfort by opting for the dynamic variant of the multicontour seat, which also features a unique massage function. The new, decentralised piezo valves on the air chambers tangibly improve the dynamic functions of the multicontour seat, as they respond to steering movements more rapidly. Depending on the steering angle, lateral acceleration and vehicle speed, they vary the inflation pressure and volume of the side air chambers in the backrests within fractions of a second, providing the driver and front passenger with even better lateral support. This happens according to the driving situation. The system inflates the air chambers on the right side of the backrest more strongly when negotiating a left-hand bend, for example, while inflating the air chambers on the left when a right-hand bend is taken. This dynamic multicontour function, which is adjustable in two stages, relieves muscular stress and heightens the feeling of wellbeing.

The massage function for the dynamic multicontour seat is also a completely new development by Mercedes specialists. This no longer makes use of the air chambers with which the seat contours are adjusted, but rather a separate package of air chambers which is directly integrated into the seat padding. This means that the massage is independent of the seat contour position, maintaining the individual comfort settings.

A micro-computer controls the seven separate massage air chambers. This inflates and empties the air chambers according to a fixed programme, which passengers in the new S-Class perceive as a pleasant, pulsing motion across the entire back. This stimulates the muscles, improves the circulation and helps to prevent early fatigue. The massage programme lasts for five minutes and can be restarted at any time once the cycle has finished. The intensity and speed of the massage function can also be individually adjusted, from "slow and gentle" to "fast and powerful".

Rear seats: large range of options for tailor-made comfort

Multicontour seats with the massage function are also available for the rear seats of the new Mercedes saloon on request. This requires the rear seat unit with electrically adjustable outer seats, which is standard equipment in models with the long wheelbase. There is a choice of two massage programmes.

This means that passengers in the rear now also benefit from all the seating innovations in the new S-Class, with a lasting effect on comfort and wellbeing. The optional range of seating features for the rear of the S-Class at a glance:

• Seat unit with electrically adjustable outer seats and PRE-SAFE® positioning function

Single-seat look

Memory function

Luxury seats with heating and active ventilation

Multicontour seats with massage function

Luxury head restraints for the outer seats

Folding table integrated into the backrest of the driver’s and/or front passenger seat

Refrigerator compartment (with its own cooling compressor) in the backrest of the centre seat, with space for up to four bottles of sparkling wine.