On Mercedes-Benz’s 140th birthday, the German brand has launched an extensively updated version of its halo car, the S-Class.
For more than 70 years, the S-Class has been hailed as the ultimate luxury sedan and remains the world’s best-selling luxury saloon.
Though it is a midlife upgrade and not a new-generation car, more than 50% of the luxury sedan is newly developed and comes with extensive AI-driven technology innovations, a facelift, a new engine, and heated seatbelts.
A restyle sees the car adopting an enlarged, illuminated grille accented with three-dimensional chrome stars. For the first time, the star on the bonnet is optionally self-illuminated as part of a light signature that gives the S-Class a distinctive presence at night.
The new digital light twin-star headlamps are redesigned, and so are the taillights, which feature three chrome-framed signature stars. The digital light system uses micro LEDs to improve the high-res illumination field by about 40%, with a high beam able to reach up to 600m, or roughly six soccer fields.
With the Manufaktur personalisation programme, customers can choose from more than 150 paint colours and over 400 interior colours for the new S-Class, along with luxurious leather packages and handcrafted details.
The Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) powering the assistance and infotainment features has been upgraded for faster processing. The smartest S-Class to date, its fourth-generation MBUX combines many AI systems, including ChatGPT4o, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini. The MBUX virtual assistant appears as a living avatar and responds to natural dialogue.
The redesigned instrument panel features a new MBUX Superscreen that combines a 12.3″ digital instrument cluster, a 14.4″ central display and a 12.3″ passenger display.
The console features new illuminated cup holders, and two smartphones can be charged wirelessly side by side.
The MBUX augmented reality head-up display projects navigation cues such as arrows, lane recommendations and points of interest seemingly onto the road ahead.
You can prepare for meetings while en route by dictating your thoughts hands-free into an AI system which summarises them into clear bullet points and shares them via email.
The revamped S-Class is available in standard and long-wheelbase guises. The two-seat first-class rear compartment in the long-wheelbase model caters to busy executives on the move with a full-length rear centre console, reclining seats, wireless and fast-charging USB-C ports, a fridge, temperature-controlled cupholders and folding tables. Rear seat entertainment is provided by a pair of remote-controlled 13.1″ displays.
For cold climes, the car is available with a thermal comfort package that includes heated front seatbelts.
Drivetrains comprise a choice of six-, eight- or 12-cylinder petrol engines, six-cylinder diesels and a plug-in hybrid. The S580 4Matic uses a new flat-plane V8 4.0l twin-turbo petrol engine that helps reduce emissions while increasing output from 370kW to 395kW.
The six-cylinder petrol engine in the S450 and S500 has torque increased up to 600Nm, and up to 640Nm using the over-torque short-term boost for overtaking or acceleration.
The diesel versions are the S350d and S450d with six-cylinder engines.
All engines feature a 17kW integrated starter-generator which provides fuel savings and a power boost. The non-hybrid versions all lay down the power via 4Matic all-wheel drive and nine-speed automatic transmissions.
The all-wheel drive S580e and rear-wheel drive S450e plug-in hybrids combine a six-cylinder 3.0l petrol engine with an electric motor, for an electric range of up to 100km.
The standard Airmatic air suspension or the optional E-Active Body Control feature intelligent damping, which enhances driving comfort by electrically adjusting the damping system right before long speed bumps. When the car drives over a bump, it sends the information to other S-Class cars in the vicinity via the cloud, allowing the other cars’ suspensions to adapt before they get to the bump.
Rear-axle steering comes standard to reduce the turning circle by up to almost 2m in the long-wheelbase S-Class, making parking easier.
State-of-the-art safety includes up to 15 airbags, rear belt bags that inflate during severe frontal impacts to reduce chest loads, and a Proactive Lane Change Assist that offers automated lane changes. Models with E-Active Body Control can elevate the vehicle to distribute crash forces more effectively.
The new Mercedes-Benz S 680 Guard 4Matic offers a factory-fitted protection system certified VR10 against high-powered rifles. It is powered by a 6.0l V12 biturbo engine with 450kW.
The updated Mercedes-Benz S-Class will be introduced in South Africa in 2027.
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