After seven years, Mercedes has rolled out a new S-class sedan -- the latest version of a car that has practically become an icon for corporate chieftains, movie stars and diplomats. Rich-guy Steve Martin squired around his date in an S-class in "Shopgirl," and it was Matthew Broderick's ultimate social-climbing accessory in "The Stepford Wives."

The good news for image-conscious drivers: The new S550 is bigger, heavier and quicker than its predecessors. Even the price tag comes with bragging rights. At six figures fully loaded, the car costs more than its rivals at Audi and BMW, and arguably gets into Maserati territory. So naturally, even though the sedan has been on the market only a few weeks, there's already a months-long wait at some dealers.

We decided to try it out for ourselves, in a not-particularly understated "Barolo red." So what, exactly, does $105,045 buy? Butter-soft leather seats, a powerful engine and the solid, safe feel of a Teutonic tank. But you also end up with a long list of gizmos that can get in the way of an otherwise satisfying ride.

One has to wonder about the need for motorized seat-side bolsters that push into a driver's ribs as the car rounds corners. Then there's the "Parktronic" device, designed to warn you when you're about to hit the car behind you while parking, that sounded an alarm as we drove through an automatic toll taker. And it seemed we'd need the dexterity of a 12-year-old videogame junkie to adjust the in-dash video screen that controls such things as the radio, seat massagers and alarm system.

When judging high-end vehicles we try to look past gadgetry and focus instead on how we feel after hours of driving -- and on whether the car can take the pain out of sitting in traffic. The 2007 Mercedes S-Class does that, and seems more luxurious than the model it replaces. That's critical for Mercedes because U.S. sales of the old S-Class had fallen steadily to 16,036 last year from 30,315 in 2000, its first full year on the market. Meanwhile, the competing Audi A8 and BMW 7-Series began to overshadow the S-Class in buzz, and the BMW topped it in sales last year. These sedans, while not big sellers, are important in maintaining brand image, and Mercedes hopes the new S-Class can restore its status as the luxury-car benchmark.

Initially what struck us about the new S was its size. Just about every car company talks about vehicles having "presence," but the S550 is one of a handful that actually does. The sedan is imposing at 17 feet long -- a foot longer than a hulking Hummer H2. Its body shape at first seems clean and simple, with a hood that points steeply downward and blends into a smooth grille and wing-like headlights. The roof curves gracefully and incorporates a fairly steep windshield and a rear window with a shallower rake that's pleasing to the eye. Yet the BMW-like trunk bulge and fender flares reminiscent of a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado kept our S550's exterior from looking completely fresh.

Inside, there's little doubt that the Mercedes has perhaps the nicest cabin in the car business. The seats -- front and rear -- have ample legroom and can be equipped with electrically powered adjustments to make nearly anyone comfortable. Our test vehicle's massaging front seats -- an $1,800 option -- had settings ranging from slow and light to fast and vigorous. Mercedes has been developing massaging seats for a few years and seems to have gotten them just right. Where the old S-Class had plain switches on the dash and doors that could have come from a Chevrolet truck, the new car's switches have a ribbed texture and a substantial mechanical feel.

On the road the S feels like it looks, solid but a bit heavy. It's large enough that parking can be an adventure even with its chirping bumper sensors and rear-view camera helping out. The car weighs 4,465 pounds, or about 300 more than the previous S-Class, and its heft is apparent when dashing through a sweeping bend or slowing down in a hurry. The brakes are impressive, but we could feel them working. The 382-horsepower V8 engine hauls the big sedan to 60 mph in a muscle-car-like 5.4 seconds but it, too, doesn't seem to do that effortlessly.

While the idea of a seven-speed automatic transmission sounds like the height of efficiency and smoothness compared with the typical four or five gears, we didn't always love it in the S550. It annoyed us with its often-indecisive search for the right gear. When accelerating to pass on the highway we expect a big, powerful car to downshift perhaps once, not two or three times. And the Mercedes often paused after we pressed hard on the accelerator, mimicking the lag found in some turbo-powered engines.

When we drove the last-generation S-Class in 1999 it felt surprisingly sprightly for a big car. That model, the S430, had just 275 horses and five gears. It wasn't as fast, but fast enough. And more important, its moves felt effortless.

Still, in most respects the new S-Class looks, performs, coddles occupants and stands up to competing cars better than before. And its base price of $85,400 is down a bit from the 2006 model's $86,050. Yet that still means it is costlier than the $72,090 Audi A8 L or the $75,800 BMW 750Li, and we're not sure it's worth the premium. Moreover, that's just the starting point. Our tester had many extras, from the $3,900 "active body control" designed to keep the car from leaning in turns to $1,100 "smart keys" to a $1,150 infrared night-vision system, to prevent collisions with deer in the dark. All that added up to the $100,000-plus bottom line.

For some, that's near the limit. "I think if they keep pushing the price up they are going to put themselves out of range for some customers," says Peter Koulikourdis, a 40-year-old lawyer in Hackensack, N.J., who ordered an S550 two weeks ago -- his third S-Class in a row. "Even for me -- I feel like I'm on the borderline."

Backseat Driver

Here's what we liked -- and didn't -- about the Mercedes-Benz S550 luxury sedan.

The Outside

WHAT WORKS: Long, sloping hood, high haunches and wide stance give it a solid, muscular look.

WHAT DOESN'T: We wouldn't call it pretty, as we would rivals from Audi and Jaguar.

The Inside

WHAT WORKS: Gracefully curved dashboard and nicely textured materials have a look and feel of high quality.

WHAT DOESN'T: Though metal-colored, many controls are plastic and some, like the headlight switch, felt cheap.

Under the Hood

WHAT WORKS: A 5.5-liter V8 engine generates 382 horsepower and a pleasant low roar when accelerating.

WHAT DOESN'T: Throttle response often lags and the engine's thirst earns it a $1,000 gas-guzzler tax.

Behind the Wheel

WHAT WORKS: We liked the feedback we felt from the road, especially with the suspension on "sport" setting.

WHAT DOESN'T: On city streets pocked with potholes, the ride was harsher than expected, even on "comfort" setting.

Over the Top

WHAT WORKS: Radar cruise control sounds like overkill but we found it helpful and safer than standard systems.

WHAT DOESN'T: What's wrong with leaning in the corners? "Active body control" made the car feel numb, less fun.