Mercedes teases its new flagship S-Class, calling it one of the biggest updates in model history
Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to pull the covers off the next S-Class before the end of January, and if the company’s CEO is to be believed, this is far more than a routine mid-cycle refresh with a few minor tweaks here and there for the sake of keeping things current. This one sounds much more involved.
In a newly released teaser video ahead of the car’s January 29 world premiere, CEO Ola Källenius describes the upcoming flagship as one of the most comprehensive overhauls in the model’s history. Based on all he’s claiming, it’s the most advanced S-Class by miles.
More: New Mercedes S-Class Keeps The V8, But Tosses Its Crankshaft
The teaser features the new sedan fully wrapped in camo with YouTuber Justin Tse handing up softball questions to Källenius. The CEO says there are some 2,700 new components in the car. That accounts for over half of the vehicle, so there’s a lot to the idea that this isn’t just a simple run-of-the-mill facelift.
A 20% Bigger Grille
Visually, the car is aiming for a more assertive look than the outgoing version, though as you can tell, it’s not a full-body change, but rather a series of new details. Källenius says the grille is 20 percent bigger. The iconic Mercedes star is back on the hood and with LED lighting.
Software Takes the Wheel
Inside, the headline act is the debut of the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, or MB.OS, making the S-Class the first model to launch with the brand’s fully in-house software architecture. The system integrates 27 sensors, expanded voice control, and deep personalization, with Källenius framing it as “technology for the sake of the human,” not novelty for novelty’s sake.
Comfort remains the car’s calling card, especially in the rear seat, something Källenius repeatedly calls “the best seat in the house.” Updates include revised seating with enhanced ergonomics, expanded MANUFAKTUR customization options, and further refinements to the AIRMATIC air suspension, which now adapts more intelligently to long, undulating road surfaces common in the U.S. and southern Europe.
In fact, there’s a feature that records particularly bad roads or sharp impacts. It then uploads GPS coordinates to a server where the car in question and other Mercedes with the same software can use that data to proactively prep the suspension to handle that spot on the map the next time they drive over it. How does Mercedes manage the balance between technology and the human element? A separate interview with ABC sheds light on that.
Physical Buttons Still Matter. Sort Of
Källenius says that everything is ultimately about the person and that intuition is the key. “We have very large, very beautiful high-tech, high-resolution screens. But we have the right buttons. Just take a look at the steering wheel,” he said.
“What is the most important thing on the wheel? For the volume, it’s the roller,” he continued. “For your cruise control, it’s the rocker [switch]…. But on the digital offering, if you want to listen to a specific song, you don’t want to touch anything. You tell the car, ‘Play this song for me.’”‘ And it understands you and does that.”
The Gas Engine Isn’t Going Anywhere
He also clarified that despite moving forward with new EV technology, the brand isn’t ditching gas engines anytime soon. “I used to work at AMG, I am a petrol head, I love the V8, I was in Formula 1. Nobody needs to convince me about the passion for motorsports and what that is all about… The V12 is available for the foreseeable future…”.
“Technology never stands still; it always moves on,” he said. “In parallel to that, we have developed a completely new V8 to meet the European emissions standards that are ultra tough. [It is] the cleanliest V8, ever. You have a choice, you are the customer. So we’re not going to mandate to you what you like. You decide what you like and we deliver.”
We’ll get a look at the entire S-Class on January 29. Until then, what do you think of Källenius’s comments? Does the S-Class look promising in your eyes? Let us know below!
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