“If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.” That might have held an ounce of truth back in the day of traditional car ownership but this age of leasing has proven that “there’s more than one way to skin a cat.” As the flagship of Stuttgart’s extremely distinguished portfolio, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class oozes an aura of grandeur and flexes a might of luxury unrivalled by its peers that casts a sense of desirability in us to be chauffeured in one.

Introduced at the tail-end of 2021, the all-new W223 Mercedes-Benz S-Class once again ripped apart the rulebook; with velvet gloves of course, and raised the bar in terms of technology and safety wrapped in the finest leather.

You can have one in any configuration so long as it’s the locally-assembled (CKD) plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Mercedes-Benz S580e that starts at RM 698,744.

That electrified 3.0-litre turbocharged inline 6 engine pumps a combined output of 510 PS and 750 Nm of torque through the 9-speed automatic. The 28.6 kWh battery allows a maximum full-electric range of up to 100 km.

Performance aside, the S-Class has always been a rolling showcase of future safety technology and the tone loses none of that aural appeal here. A world first comes to light in the form of rear frontal airbags.

If your curiosity is piqued and you’d like to know more, you can read about the new Mercedes-Benz S580e here.

However, before we lose ourselves lusting after a seat in the lap of luxury, the topic on the table here is the Step Up Agility Financing promotion for the new S580e.

Also Read: All-new (W223) 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class launched in Malaysia; PHEV only, 510 PS/750 Nm

Step Up Agility Financing isn’t something new. Mercedes-Benz Financial Malaysia has had it on the table for years now. However, two main facets of the programme tend to keep potential S-Class owners at bay.

Firstly, they either don’t understand how the programme functions. Secondly, it isn’t a traditional car ownership deal where you own the car at the end of the payment tenure and that rubs certain quarters the wrong way. Nonetheless, we’re going to demonstrate why that works out in your favour in the long run.

In a nutshell of fine wood veneer, Step Up Agility Financing offers you guaranteed resale value and a flexible financing plan that’s tailored to align with your expected career progression for someone that’s in a position to be chauffeured in a S-Class.

The future as we know it is unpredictable but your repayment plans do not need to be. The highlight of Step Up Agility Financing programme is that it allows you to have an option to pay much lesser in the beginning of the tenure and lets you manage your money better unlike a typical financing plan. During these uncertain times having that extra cash can come in handy or even absolutely necessary.

Also Read: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a crystal ball to the future of car safety

It makes S-Class ownership a much more palatable option for your account with flexi-financing that balloons over the tenure of the programme. The examples here are based on a 5-year tenure.

This innovative payment plan offers you the ability to customize your repayments into tiers, increasing them after the first two years as your tenure progresses.

As such, Option 1 of the Step Up Agility Financing programme for the S580e sees monthly installments from as low as RM 4,888 for the first two years. Following that, it’ll balloon to RM 11,580 for the final 3 years.

Option 2 on the other hand starts at a lower RM 3,888 for the first year before it balloons to RM 4,888 for the second year. That will see your installments in the final 3 years come in at RM 11,997.

As is the norm with all leasing programmes, you will have the option of to either sign on the dotted line for a new model on a new lease or pay the balance and keep the current car; the latter ensuring you actually own it.

Most people comfortable with the traditional car ownership approach will surely bring up the question of, “But I don’t get to own the car.”

However, that’s very much losing focus on the big picture. You should be asking yourself if ownership is really what’s best for you. Yes, there are customers that prefer this and don’t mind the downsides.

But bear in mind that with the traditional hire purchase from a bank, you stand to lose a lot with depreciation. Furthermore, luxury cars such as the S580e depreciate a lot quicker than say a Honda City.

Also Read: This world-first safety feature by Mercedes-Benz should be introduced in every car

Now’s about the time you bring up the point of “If I’m really that rich to afford a S-Class, depreciation wouldn’t bother me.”

All fair and true but the financially savvy will be asking themselves, “Why not if it saves me some money and allows better planning of finances?” After all, you don’t get to a position of being able to be chauffeured in a S-Class by being imprudent with your spending.

Mercedes-Benz Financial make it very clear to customers that opt for the programme is to allow you better management of your finances with the initial lower installments while still allowing you to enjoy the lifestyle you deserve.

If you’re not convinced, the traditional hire purchase option is always on the table with Mercedes-Benz Financial via its FinanceCare product.

Either way, you’ll be covered by Mobility Plus that guarantees a replacement Mercedes-Benz vehicle should your S580e be required to be left at the service centre (for maintenance / warranty claim jobs) for more than 48 hours. The replacement vehicle will be delivered to your doorstep within 24 hours once approval is given.

Lastly, Step Up Agility Financing guarantees your car’s future value. Remember how we brought up depreciation with the traditional hire purchase method? Well, that won’t be an issue here with the value locked in for the duration of the programme.

After all, for want of a drink of milk, you wouldn’t buy the whole cow right? Furthermore, owners of luxury cars tend to desire being at the forefront of car ownership and that means always driving the latest models.

If you’re going to change cars every 3-4 years when a facelift or new model comes up, why buy as that’s the highest period of depreciation. Step Up Agility Financing is perfect in every sense if you constantly update whenever a new model is launched.

If you need any further validation on the shift in mindset in car-ownership, nearly 50 percent of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia’s customers finance their cars with Mercedes-Benz Financial.

Plus, anyone that opts for Step Up Agility Financing package will also receive RM 888 of complimentary Touch & Go credit to enhance your mobility journey. Offer lasts till 31 March 2022.

For more information, please visit mb4.me/MBSMoffer