The S550 sedan uses Mercedes’ M176 engine, a bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8. Its 463 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque are sent through a single-option nine-speed automatic transmission before being transferred either to the rear wheels or Benz’s optional 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

The engine’s power delivery is impressive and quite linear, nearly all the way up to its 130-mph electronically limited top speed, which I was actually able to hit on one of the autobahn’s unlimited-speed sections. What’s most impressive about the S550 is just how pedestrian this ridiculous velocity feels; the car is absolutely planted and stable even at triple-digit velocities.