Photo by Tory Kooyman.
Driver's Notebook: A Change of Face
April 2, 2003
Cruise down rodeo drive or Worth Avenue in a stock Mercedes-Benz S500 and watch to see if any heads turn. They won’t, but that isn’t a surprise. For decades, S-Class sedans have delivered superbly refined luxury and performance while steadfastly refusing to draw attention to themselves. They ooze understatement. Even the sleeper 300 SEL 6.3 and 450 SEL 6.9—both powered by variants of the 600 limousine’s monstrous V-8—were differentiated from standard models only by discreet nomenclature. And it still takes a glance at the trunk lid or a badge to determine if an S-Class is powered by a diesel engine or a V-12. That is just the way many owners of high-end versions like it, as the lack of distinctive design downplays six-figure MSRPs and deflects undue attention from the highway patrol.
Some owners understandably want something a little less anonymous, and they are in luck, as there are plenty of options from today’s aftermarket tuners. The customization of Mercedes-Benzes started in earnest in the 1980s with flamboyant interpretations of the Teutonic battleships created by independent tuners like AMG, Brabus, and Lorinser. Typically monochromatic (in an age of chrome trim and bumpers clad in black rubber) and dressed up in spoilers, side skirts, and bulging fenders, they also featured substantial performance enhancements. Even Mercedes-Benz now offers officially sanctioned hot rods. The conservative automaker saw fit to purchase AMG and hawks that shop’s tuner-modified cars as part of its regular lineup.
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