Mercedes-Benz has overhauled its flagship S-Class limousine in a bid to improve the performance, refinement and technical capability of a car that is a benchmark in the luxury car segment.
The new S-Class arrives as Mercedes marks 140 years since company founder Carl Benz patented his design for the three-wheeled "vehicle with gas-engine drive", which evolved into the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, otherwise known as the world's first car.
While its modern-era flagship limousine and first car are related in no more than their name, Mercedes says the new S-Class "carries forward a legacy of excellence" that stretches back 140 years to its 0.66bhp forebear - and as such it serves as the spearhead for "the most ambitious product launch programme in Mercedes-Benz history".
Like all previous iterations, the latest S-Class will play an influential role as a halo model that introduces technological developments, styling cues and concepts that will trickle down to the rest of the Mercedes line-up, which is set to gain around 40 new models by the end of 2027.
While the exterior design is evolutionary rather than an overhaul, this is said to be the most extensive update the S-Class has received within one generation. More than half of its components - around 2700 - have been refined or replaced.
These wide-reaching and significant upgrades to the flagship's technology, equipment, styling, chassis and powertrains come together to form a substantially refreshed package aimed at cementing the S-Class's standing in the hotly contested luxury saloon segment. They will take the S-Class through to the end of the decade, when it is due to be replaced by a radically different eighth-generation car with the option of a pure-electric powertrain, which will replace today's EQS limo.
Headlining the under-the-skin upgrades for 2026 is a new-generation V8, which makes the landmark swap from a conventional cross-plane crankshaft to a flat-plane arrangement in the pursuit of cutting emissions while boosting refinement and power.
The 4.0-litre twin-turbo M177 Evo engine - evolved from Mercedes current V8 - will feature initially with 48V mild-hybrid tech in the S580 4Matic, where it will deliver 530bhp and 553lb ft for a 0-62mph time nudging 4.0sec.
As well as the new crank design, the V8 also receives upgrades to the injectors, intake, intake camshaft and turbo, which are said to combine for improved responsiveness, greater efficiency and smoother power delivery.
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"Fresh look"? Bold, garish, overdesigned, opulent but tasteless. More so than ever.