Mercedes S-Cabrio commands 11 percent premium over coupe
In Germany, the new S-Class Cabriolet will start at €139,051.50 in S500 spec, and €187,484.50 for the AMG S63. Those figures includes 19 percent Value-Added Tax, and don't directly translate to what Americans customers should expect to pay. However the prices represent a premium of approximately 11 percent over the fixed-roof coupe versions of the same – which is roughly the difference Benz charges for an E-Class cabrio over an E-Class coupe.
Apply that difference to the US-market S-Class Coupe pricing already available and you'll be looking at about $135k for the S550 and $180k for the S63 once they reach dealers in the spring. The the top-of-the-line S65, just announced with its twin-turbo V12 and 738 pound-feet of torque, should retail for over $250k, arriving at dealers later in the summer. That ought to make the 12-cylinder drop-top the most expensive model Mercedes offers, eclipsing the AMG GT, G65, and Maybach S600.
Official pricing will be announced closer to launch, but at those projected prices, the S-Class Cabriolet should compare rather favorably to the competition. The Bentley Continental GTC that will be one of its chief rivals ranges from $212k for the base V8 model (comparable to the S550) to $257k for the top-of-the-line twelve-cylinder Speed version (with which the S65 will invariably be compared). Other four-seat convertibles at this level include the BMW M6 ($120k), Maserati GranTurismo ($140k), and Ferrari California T ($200k). Aston Martin charges $215k for the DB9 and $300k for the Vanquish Volante, and while Rolls-Royce has yet to price the new Dawn, it should hover closer to $300k as well.
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