Mercedes-Benz’s 140 Years, 140 Places odyssey is a celebration of the carmaker’s origins in 1886. Spanning six continents, covering over 60,000 kilometres, it is as massive in significance as it is in scale. The tour kicked off at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on the 29th of January, the same day Carl Benz received the patent for his first car 140 years ago! The cars then went to the Daimler house in Bad Cannstatt, they tracked the original route of Bertha Benz’s historic 1888 drive and drove the iconic Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Belgium in wheel tracks of the W109 ‘Red Pig’ that made such a splash in 1971. The cars then went to the US, visiting the first plant in the US started by William Steinway (of Steinway & Sons, the famous German Piano makers), South America, Australia, Japan, Korea and Japan.

Legacy and history

Part of the 140 Years, 140 Places expedition, Udaipur is one of the more stunning locations the Mercedes drive will visit on this India leg, and what’s incredible is that we have been chosen to be a part of it. What a privilege. The lake city of Udaipur also has tremendous historical significance. Home to one of the longest-serving dynasties, one that spans 1,500 years, this leg sees a coming together of the world’s oldest carmaker and one of the oldest dynasties. And while this trans-continental excursion is called 140 Years, 140 Places, it could also easily have been called 140 Years of Automotive Technology. With these S-Class pre-production cars dripping with both mechanical and electronic tech, what we are also celebrating is the journey of the car from a three-wheeler with a single-cylinder engine to this technological marvel. The company that invented the motorcar is still widely regarded as the one that makes ‘the best car in the world’.

Luxe Supreme

Everything is perfectly still. Not a gauge in the car is moving, and there’s no real sensation of speed. I must have dozed off. Blame it on the incredibly comfortable back seats and the sensory isolation. This car just shuts you off from the rest of the world. Then I discover we are cruising at 100kph, and not just 30 or 40. Up ahead is the lake city of Udaipur. Ahh.

We start our journey on this leg from a very significant place, the palace situated on the lakeside at Udaipur. And not only does Lakhsyaraj, the 77th Custodian of the House of Mewar (formally Shriji Huzoor Dr Lakshyaraj Singh of Udaipur), play the perfect host, but he also parks an olive-green 180D in the foyer, a car that has been used by three generations of his family. The symbolism is rich; two legacies converging in a place that embodies the spirit of grandeur and continuity.

Since Udaipur is one of the 140 iconic destinations on the drive, Mercedes asks him to place an Udaipur sticker on the rear of the car; fitting. These cars, all three (the third is on another leg elsewhere in India), will eventually be housed in the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart, and what’s cool is that you can trace their journey via the stickers. Lakshyaraj then takes one of the cars for a brief drive. He wants to see just how much better this new version, with all its 2,700 new bits, is over his pre-facelifted car. And yes, he loves driving. I’d bumped into him earlier in the day at the airport, where his S-Class had come to pick him up, flags flying and uniformed driver and assistant in tow. But instead of climbing into the rear, he’d gotten straight behind the wheel. Tells you a lot.  

Still at the top

Later in the day, I get another demonstration of why the S-Class is so special. We decide to drive around the lake for the cameras, the orange glow of the setting sun adding to the drama of this once James Bond film set. Sitting in the back feels almost magical, as the S-Class slips forward effortlessly, the sun glistening off the lake. It skips over cratered roads, glides silently through noisy bazaars and intersections and then, as the road around the lake opens out, I barely hear it even though Mercedes’ test driver is pulling the torque-y straight-six hard. This car is named Bertha, after Carl Benz’s wife, the one who undertook the world’s first long-distance drive; quite a story that. And the other, the white one, is Carl; BB and CB, both on Stuttgart number plates.

Hello Grandpa

The next day, we set off to see the Udaipur Royal Garage, where we are met by other Mercedes cars. There’s a fin-tail that was used to pick up and drop off guests of the Royal family from neighbouring ‘states’ and a very special W124 300D. The latter, an import rather than a locally assembled W124, stands out from Indian-assembled cars with its black bumpers, headlamp wipers and amber indicators. This six-cylinder diesel with more than 2,00,000km on the clock was used by Shri Arvind Singh Mewar, the earlier Maharana, to cover long distances like Ahmedabad or Jodhpur. Recently restored, it was presented at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Car Rally in Mumbai. The 300D is in such fine nick, I can’t resist a quick spin around another of Udaipur’s stunning lakes, Fateh Sagar.

Why the 300D is such a legend

On the outside, the 300D looks sort of underwhelming. Starting up the straight-six diesel is relatively straightforward, although I have to wait for the glow plug to heat up (remember those?). While the roughly 110hp engine doesn’t feel responsive, it feels smooth and refined for a diesel, especially after 2,500rpm. And though it is slow by today’s standards, it doesn’t feel like you’re dragging anchor either. The chunky 300D also feels as tough as a Godrej safe. 

Then I catch a glimpse of the odometer; it reads in excess of 2,00,000 kilometres! Surely my eyes are playing tricks on me. Yes, this car has been recently refurbished, and the suspension has been tightened up, but this thing feels like it has just rolled out of the showroom only recently. It tracks straight, the steering is well weighted and, when I plonk my foot down, it even generates a reasonable amount of torque. This ‘OM603’ straight-six uses indirect injection and a pre-chamber, and has a simple two-valve-per-cylinder setup. Legend has it, it can do a million miles with only basic care. And what of turbo lag, you ask? It doesn’t have one.

Performance tech

The next morning, I get straight behind the wheel of CB or Carl Benz. I’m particularly excited because Carl has a V8 under the hood. What makes this V8 different is that it has some unique tech. This new S-Class is fitted with the ‘M177 Evo’ V8 engine that uses a flat-plane crankshaft! Made popular by Ferrari, a flat-plane crank is used on sportscars to help bunch up the firing order of the cylinders, so you get more of a kick from overlapping strokes. These engines, however, are not as smooth. So why has Mercedes used it in the S-Class, an out-and-out luxury car? Simple: it delivers better efficiency and lower emissions, as the crankshaft is lighter and there’s less reciprocating mass. And what of the vibrations? Mercedes says it has thrown tech at the problem.

Initially, the going is slow as we exit the city. But once we get onto the wide highway, a small tap on the throttle releases a swell of torque just off 2,000rpm. And with 537hp propelling the limousine forward, it just shrinks the long straights on the highway. What’s cool is that the engine never feels brutish or AMG-like; the V8 soundtrack and rumble are superbly muted. The tech works. The new engine, in fact, is so well behaved that I have to check if it is indeed the one with the flat plane crank. At the next stop, I turn around and ask Mario Schneider, head of development for all Mercedes-Benz sedans, who just happens to be in the rear seat.

Also along for the drive is Perseus Bandrawalla, Autocar India’s curator of classic and modern classic events. Five minutes behind the wheel and he is waxing lyrical about the Mercedes V8 engines of days gone past – the M100, the M119 that powered the SL and others. It brings into perspective just how many great V8s Mercedes has had over the years, the 6.3 AMG V8, of course, included.

Cruise control

Further up, we get to a ghat section. Not only does the ride on this updated air suspension and adaptive dampers feel a bit more supple, it also feels at home on the winding road, the rear-wheel steering helps it into corners neatly. Even cooler, despite all the tech, it retains a natural fluidity and a sense of mechanical harmony, which make long drives feel just effortless. Are city-bound S-Class owners missing what’s best about this car? Absolutely! Talking about tech, this car also gets Level 3 autonomous driving (in places where it’s allowed), where the driver can be hands off, and even eyes off, with Mercedes Drive Pilot taking responsibility for safety. It is only one of two cars to get this globally.

As we get into traffic, what I notice is that the updated cabin, with its three screens and ambient lighting, creates an environment that is both futuristic and traditional. The seats, with massage and cooling functions, are thrones in their own right. And it’s not just the size, specifications and features it has; it’s how well everything is executed, from the solid build of the cabin to the new phone-like remote controls in the rear.

Collector’s edition

As we get to Ahmedabad, we turn into another historical location, Dastan Auto World – collector extraordinaire Pranlal Bhogilal’s collection, where the modern S-Classes met some more of their ancestors. A Maybach SW38, ordered by Maharaja Umaid Singh of Kota, draws admiring stares from the German members of the Mercedes crew, especially its aerodynamic profile. Capable of nearly 160kph, it was one of the fastest four-doors of its time. Equally captivating are Mercedes’ post-war comeback cars – the 300S ‘Adenauers’. Named after Germany’s first Chancellor, who famously rode in one with his hat on, this limousine is what eventually evolved into the S-Class.

Heritage and high tech

The 140 Years, 140 Places drive captured the duality of Mercedes perfectly; the brand embodies both heritage and innovation in equal measure, both streams converging seamlessly. As the convoy continues its odyssey, what’s clear is that this is a celebration not only of Mercedes’ past, but also the brand’s ability to connect eras, cultures and people through the universal language of the automobile.