Time was that a high-end Mercedes-Benz wasn’t complete without a star-shaped hood ornament on its nose. While the emblem didn’t hold the same grandeur as the Bentley Flying B or the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy, a 3D three-pointed star nevertheless represented the quality expected of arguably Germany’s finest luxury carmaker.Sadly, the fading allure of the hood ornament as a concept – not helped by the industry’s increased safety demands and a late 1980s/early 1990s trend that saw many of them ripped off and stolen – eventually led to Cadillac, Lincoln, and even Jaguar abandoning the design flourish altogether. Mercedes has slowly followed suit in the years since. Indeed, of the 19 models from the brand you can buy new in the United States today, only three are available with a hood ornament. The cheapest of which may surprise you... The EQS Was Mercedes’ Answer To Tesla's Model S Two Trims Available From Launch In The US Mercedes-BenzThough the EQC crossover and the EQV minivan were Mercedes’ first models with EQ branding, the range-topping EQS sedan was the first built from the ground up, as an all-electric model. While the EQC used a rehashed version of the C-Class’ MRA chassis, Mercedes’ electric answer to its flagship S-Class was built atop the brand-new EVA platform. The underpinnings helped lower the vehicle’s center of gravity, effectively giving Mercedes’ designers a clean sheet on which to pen the EQ range’s brand-new Purpose Design styling language.Mercedes-BenzIt had taken two years for the VISION EQS concept unveiled in 2019 to finally reach showrooms, by which point the Tesla Model S, which the EQS looked to dethrone, had already been around for nearly a decade. Still, like its S-Class alter-ego, the EQS was luxurious, technologically innovative, and moderately exclusive.At its US launch for the 2022 model year, the electric sedan was available as either the 329-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ or the 516-hp, dual-motor EQS 580 4MATIC. The hotter AMG EQS, with up to 751 hp, joined the lineup a few months later. Range Was An Issue Mercedes-BenzIronically, power, for a luxury electric sedan that weighed almost three tons, wasn’t the problem. The EQS 580, for example, could hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 4.1 seconds. The AMG EQS, with "Race Start" mode activated, could hit that speed in 3.4 seconds.The range, however, was a problem, at least kind of. The 580 4MATIC boasted a 108-kilowatt-hour battery pack for an estimated 340 miles of range, while the entry-level 450+ offered a slightly higher 350 miles. These amounts were ample for daily driving and up to 50 miles more than the arch-rival BMW i7 could manage.Mercedes’ best, however, was still lower than that offered by the more established, more affordable Tesla Model S Long Range. Even a future rival – the 2023 Porsche Taycan – offered 660 miles, almost double what the EQS could manage. Today, the benchmark for any luxury electric sedan is 500 miles at the very least.Mercedes-BenzOnly when the facelift arrived for 2024 did Mercedes offer two larger batteries providing longer driving ranges. But in an industry where getting the most electric bang for your buck was a huge selling point, Mercedes’ new, unproven, and incredibly expensive flagship had stumbled out of the gate. It Rode, And Drove, As A Mercedes Flagship Should Mercedes-BenzWhere the Mercedes EQS fell slightly short on range and power, the German marque naturally made up for it in opulence. At more than 17 feet long, the head and legroom were mammoth. Some critics argued that the EQS wasn’t quite as luxurious in the back as the slightly longer BMW i7. Although Mercedes’ optional Rear Seat Comfort Plus package at least came with the reclining sleeper seat. Plus, with the batteries sunk into the floor, trunk space was surprisingly good, too.An adaptive air suspension and the bare minimum of road roar and powertrain noise seeping into the cabin meant the ride was as cosseting as an electric S-Class should have been. Granted, the EQS was no Porsche Taycan through the corners (nor, indeed, was there any interest in making it so). But, for a heavy, luxury electric limousine, the EQS wafted through the corners with far more composure than it had any right to. Poor Sales Lead To Facelift For 2024 Larger Batteries Added More Range Mercedes-BenzThe Mercedes Purpose Design styling language resulted in an egg-like shape that produced a then-industry-low 0.20 drag coefficient, making the EQS slipperier than even the most greased-up seal. Despite the enormous 22-inch wheels and subtle take on the S-Class’ front grille, the EQS lacked the characterful punch many prospective customers were hoping for. Plus, the asking price was at least $5,000 higher than the established, American-built Tesla Model S Long Range.A growing apathy for all-electric vehicles meant EQS sales were slower than Mercedes anticipated. Indeed, more than 15,000 examples of the seventh-gen S-Class were sold in the US in 2022, two years after its launch. The EQS, meanwhile, managed less than half that figure.Hope of turning things around came with the midlife refresh for the 2024 model year. Alongside a bit more power, a larger 118-kWh battery pack finally increased the EQS’ estimated range past the hallowed 500-mile mark. The 0-60 mph acceleration performance was unchanged. The rear chairs could now recline further and had additional padding. The massive, MBUX Hyperscreen – the focal point of the cabin that will soon get even bigger – was now a standard feature. The Hood Ornament Returns Mercedes-BenzThe exterior also received a spruce up, with the inverted front grille lines and revamped headlamps more in line with the S-Class. Bizarrely, for an electric vehicle fanatical about aerodynamic efficiency, the flat badge on the nose could now be replaced with a hood ornament. With Mercedes discontinuing this novelty on the C-Class in 2017, and the E-Class in 2021, this marks the first time in half a decade that the 3D three-pointed star is available on anything other than the flagship S-Class.Sadly, this wasn’t the reversal of fortunes Mercedes was hoping for. Sales in the US climbed into four digits for three consecutive months during the summer of 2024. However, by the end of the year, the brand had delivered 6,963 examples of the electric sedan, versus 14,499 in calendar year 2023.At the time, the Tesla Model S still dominated the high-end EV market in the US. Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes squabbled for market share and struggled to catch up. Indeed, rumors spread that Mercedes was scrapping development of a new EVA platform. The EQS Cost Brand-New Prices In 2022 Mercedes-BenzArguably, one of the EQS’s largest hurdles was its lofty MSRP. When first launched for 2022, the entry-level EQS 450+ was priced from $102,310 (before destination fees), while the 580 4MATIC started from $119,110. Option the full bells and whistles Pinnacle package, meanwhile, and those numbers increased to $108,510 and $125,310, respectively. By contrast, an equally luxurious, internal-combustion-engined S 500 was available for $110,850 in 2021.Ironically, despite those dizzying numbers, the EQS was actually less expensive when brand-new than its nearest rivals. BMW’s 536-hp, i7 xDrive60, for example, was $200 more expensive than the 580 4MATIC when it landed in Q4 2022. Meanwhile, the 1,111-hp Lucid Air Dream Edition was only available to 520 customers and cost $169,000. Tesla’s far more established and recently updated Model S was available for $96,440 in 670 hp, Long Range all-wheel-drive form, which was cheaper even than Mercedes’ smaller, less-powerful AMG EQE. What You Could Buy An EQS For Today Mercedes-BenzInevitably, Mercedes had to admit defeat and slashed prices on the flagging EQ range. Today, for example, you can buy a brand-new, now 355 hp EQS 450+ for $99,900, almost $6,000 less than its 2021 price tag. Admittedly, the AMG is no longer available in the US, but the newly introduced, dual-motor 450 4MATIC would set you back $102,900.There is further hope on the pre-owned market. And, quite incredibly, the AMG EQS is the best option. Indeed, of the 55 pre-owned EQS sedans we found for sale, almost a third were AMG-tuned, with the cheapest priced at just $48,886. With a still respectable 54,000 miles on the clock, that’s almost $100K below its original MSRP, and $1,000-plus cheaper than a brand-new, all-wheel drive BMW 330i. Granted, those prices can still leapfrog into six figures, with one model – with just 591 miles completed – available from $111,200.Surprisingly, the 580 4MATIC has fared less well. Most pre-owned models we found, many of which were equipped with the ‘basic’ Premium package, start from just $1,500 more than the cheapest 450+, with prices tailoring off just below the $71,000 mark. Many of the pre-owned 450+ models, meanwhile, have retained their values surprisingly well. Higher-mileage and lower-trim models, for example, are available for a shade over $33,000 – or the price of a new Honda Civic Si – but plenty of facelifted models with larger batteries and extended range are still in the high $80,000 to $90,000 range. A couple are even equipped with the mid-tier Exclusive package, which threw in added extras like a Head-Up Display and ‘rapid heating’ front seats, and was originally available from $105,710.You won’t find too many of them with a hood ornament, though. Apparently, that’s quite rare these days…Source: Mercedes-Benz