SPIED + VIDEO: Prepare Yourself For A REVOLUTION As The Next-gen Mercedes-Benz S-Class Reinvents Itself

When it comes to luxury vehicles, no one has the Mercedes-Benz S-Class beat.

While the Audi A8 and BMW 7-Series claw their way to the top, it's not inconceivable that the current-gen S still has both vehicles licked. Although I like the 7's driving dynamics, I don't think it does luxury as well. The A8? Who cares? The only rewarding thing about it is its new-age, predictive suspension technology.

The latest word on the street suggests that Mercedes is reinventing the large luxury sedan. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise given how vehicles have changed over the past five years. With that, buyers have changed as well.

Although we're sure the S will retain its swooping lines and rather typical sedan shape, its interior is going to be completely reimagined. The latest interior spy shots show a completely different experience with a Tesla-like, centrally located infotainment screen.

Today's spy clip shows the S hustling around the world famous Nürburgring. It's clearly not an AMG-specific variant, which leaves us scratching our heads as to why this is necessary but, hey, this is the modern auto industry, folks.

During the Industry Pool at the Nürburgring I have filmed the 2021 Mercedes S-Class testing on track.

Mercedes will be the first to try and fix its struggling flagship luxury sedan, with this all-new W223 S-Class. As the model is getting closer to its debut, some of the camouflage that's been obscuring the prototype for the past couple of years has begun to be peeled off.

A recent insider scoop on BMW's lineup revealed that the 7 Series also needs to be reinvented with the long wheelbase becoming standard and an all-electric version added. But Mercedes had those ideas from the get-go with the W223. In fact, you can also check out their Tesla-rivalling EQS that got snapped recently.

The proportions of this new model are different from the current one. It's longer, wider, with an obvious slope in the roof and sporty front end. Seeing the design of the new headlights and grille has only been possible for a short while.

The S-Class is likely to have the highest level of autonomy of any European car, which is why there's so much area in the middle of the grille for sensors. Yet the two prototypes in this spy video has the dome placed differently, even though neither appears to be the AMG Line design. How many variations of this car are they making? Probably still a lot, as the Maybach version has already been spied as well, though we haven't seen any of the performance models.

We believe that trademarks such as the S 680 and S 73 indicate a hybrid V8 configuration will play a big part at the top of the S-Class range. Such a configuration has already been previewed by the 2017 AMG GT concept.

The rest of the range will be made up of inline-6 and -4 cylinder turbocharged units, most equipped with either EQ Boost mild-hybrid tech or EQ Power plug-in hybrid stuff offering more range than ever.

Car4life1 - 9/1/2019 6:48:50 PM

-2 Boost

The King is coming...Bow Down...

carloslassiter - 9/1/2019 6:54:37 PM

0 Boost

I'm genuinely afraid of Tom's reaction to the "Tesla-like screen".

TomM - 9/2/2019 6:38:37 AM

0 Boost

The "Large" screen is not an issue for me. I won't be getting this car. My current car has less than 6,000 miles and will likely be my last. Based on reports - I believe they are also stopping V-12 Production as well. Remember - I had my Maybach seat Modified as well. SInce I am not into Autonomous vehicles - a lot of what will be available on the new S-class will be things I would not use. AND - I cannot believe that the new one would be measurably MUCH better than mine.

Until recently - I always managed to get a lot of mileage out of my cars - and now I have simply have too many LOW mileage ones to consider replacing any of them. I actually sold the older of the two Phantoms. The only car that may be replaced would be my Mini-van - which does have over 100,000 miles now. I am planning a long trip this fall in it.

mre30 - 9/2/2019 9:21:44 AM

+1 Boost

You rock Tom!

Now for something completely different...I was getting my S-Class serviced about a month ago and in the service pickup area of MB Manhattan (if you are a car nerd - stop and take a walk around on your next visit to NYC - I takes up the bottom 4 floors of a brand new 32 story apartment building called the 'Mercedes House https://www.mercedeshouseny.com/) was a Short Wheel Base S600 Maybach - two tone green, Maybach vertical grille, perfect badging, etc.

I asked my Service Advisor when MB started marketing a SWB Maybach and he said they will custom build them in Stuttgart for special customers. He said the person who owned this one, spec'd a real Maybach in the exact color scheme but he had trouble piloting it in NYC (he drove himself) because it was so long. He said the guy waited about 6 months for the LWB Maybach delivery but Stuttgart quickly turned around the replacement in about half the time.

Apparently, if you walk into your MB dealer and are "known" as a solid customer, they will build you one. So future collector alert - there are probably about 30 factory SWB Maybach S600's driving around America. Pebble Beach here you come in 40 years!

I will say, it looked odd - kind of like a two-tone Cadillac Seville from the 1980's.

TomM - 9/2/2019 7:31:40 PM

+1 Boost

Years ago - The top of the Line cars were ALL available with customization arranged for by the selling dealer - who would get either the factory or aftermarket companies to get the work done. THAT was a continuation of how originally Luxury Vehicles were often produced with independent Bodies from coachmakers. For example - I am allergic to wool and would need to have the standard Phantom Wool Rugs replaced with another material in order to spend any time in the car. And the dealers could also do the same with colors - inside and out - as well.

WHile it is nothing more than "money talks" - if you have the money - why not?

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 9/1/2019 8:36:27 PM

-7 Boost

As a 2021 model should it not have come back as a BEV? You can put a lot of batteries/range in a car that big.

Runamukk - 9/1/2019 11:58:18 PM

+1 Boost

They're doing both...the EQS which is exclusively a BEV which is in and of itself a blank slate vehicle with completely new architecture, is currently in the R&D/testing phase.

skytop - 9/1/2019 9:20:43 PM

0 Boost

MB will probably also reinvent the level of HIGH PRICE with the new S class model.

TomM - 9/2/2019 1:05:36 PM

+1 Boost

I do not expect a major price increase for the S-Class anymore than I did for the new Corvette. Mercedes is high on customer surveys - and you have to believe that a major increase in price is not a customer high priority.

However - that is what the Maybach versions came to be - more expensive high end versions of the S-Class. THey are very comparable to the Phantom - at half the price - and with all the new "Features" will offer things that won't get into a Phantom for a decade.

Runamukk - 9/1/2019 11:45:06 PM

+1 Boost

The king of the road for sure.

MDarringer - 9/2/2019 11:06:34 AM

-4 Boost

Still has the saggy ass and the dumb rise and fall DLO edge at the bottom.