STUNNER; Mercedes-Benz floats the Ocean Drive concept to gauge response.(News)

Byline: WES RAYNAL, ROGER HART

What happened to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class? For the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it morphed into the Ocean Drive, a one-off that Mercedes says was built in the tradition of large luxury convertibles.

Officially, the Ocean Drive is a "design study,'' indicating an opportunity for designers to cut loose a little bit and try out some new ideas without committing to production. However, we hear that Stuttgart will build some variation of the Ocean Drive if reaction is strong enough, so maybe we'll get to see a real-world translation of this four-seat stunner sooner rather than later. S-Class convertible, anyone?

Four-door convertibles belong in a luxury class that has all but disappeared from our roads. The last four-door convertible Mercedes-Benzes were built-to-order 300d cabriolets in 1962, and the last series-production model in this configuration was the 1967 Lincoln Continental.

Like luxury convertibles of years gone by, the Ocean Drive has an elegant shape and exudes exclusiveness. Based on the 12-cylinder, long-wheelbase S-Class, the huge radiator/grille (a third larger than in S-Class sedans) makes the car instantly recognizable.

"People have been asking for a four-door convertible for some time,'' said Hans-Dieter Futschik, Mercedes-Benz director of design for passenger cars. "So the idea was there, and we took the opportunity to realize a concept.

"We thought Detroit was a good place to show such a car. It's cold there in winter, and it's not nice weather. The idea was to show a car that you drive in sunshine and open wind. The other thing is that we took this opportunity to position the brand message, one of elegance and style. Mercedes stands not only for reliability, performance and comfort, but it's a lifestyle with luxury at a very high level.''