The German manufacturer is hardly the first to charge a premium for increased performance. Tesla has traditionally required users to pay for its most sophisticated driving assistance features. For a while, it also paid a premium to entry-level Model S owners to unlock battery capacity. If you like motorbikes, Zero charges roughly $1,800 to optimize the power of the 2022 SR. The difference, of course, is that they are still one-time purchases which Mercedes expects you to continue paying throughout the life of the vehicle.
