New Mercedes S-Class aims to redefine the luxury saloon for 2020 and beyond

This is the all-new Mercedes S-Course – the seventh-generation of the Mercedes’ flagship product and remedy to the new Audi A8, the updated BMW seven Collection and upmarket Bentley Flying Spur. 

Mercedes will make a very simple but bold declare about the most up-to-date S-Course, that it is ‘‘the best motor vehicle in the world’. It goes on sale in Europe in December, with current market launches in the United states of america and China adhering to in February 2021. 

New 2020 Mercedes S-Course: design and system

The new S-Course is the initially Mercedes to be primarily based on a new generation of the firm’s MRA system for saloon cars. It signifies that alongside the model’s traditional fastidious tactic to luxurious and ease and comfort, this new motor vehicle is an crucial milestone for the enterprise – it comes with a technological revolution inside of the cabin, that will established the tone for the upcoming-generation versions of the C-Course and E-Course. 

Mercedes has verified two versions for the European current market – typical wheelbase and a prolonged wheelbase. The typical motor vehicle sizes up at five,179mm prolonged, meaning it has grown by all-around 54mm. Step up to the prolonged wheelbase product, and the motor vehicle steps five,289mm nose to tail. In the two scenarios, the positive aspects of the advancement spurt are located in the back, with the two cars fielding far more legroom and headroom than right before, as perfectly as more substantial boots, the two up by twenty litres to 550 litres. 

Mercedes states the new S-Course is the most opulent expression of the brand’s most up-to-date saloon design language the grille is much larger and far more upright than right before, and is now flanked by new Multibeam LED headlights, which are now obtainable with projector beams as element of the new Electronic Mild program. The set up can job styles and symbols onto the highway ahead, warning the driver of dangers these types of as roadworks, visitors lights, pedestrians, and capable of projecting lane pointers far too.

The sides of the motor vehicle are smoother, though flush doorway handles are obtainable as an selection. The rear close is described by a pair of triangular tail lights, connected by a chrome strip the whole condition is far more aerodynamic than right before, not only aiding fuel overall economy, but decreasing wind noise noticeably far too. 

This time spherical there will be no Coupe or Cabriolet versions, with the S-Course to be saved strictly in limousine sort aspect. Along with the typical and prolonged-wheelbase versions of the motor vehicle, an prolonged wheelbase Maybach badged variant will look later on, explained by R&D manager Markus Schafer as “very differentiated” and a huge step forward for the brand’s Maybach types. 

Interior and technological innovation

The most radical design improvements are reserved for the cabin, the place the S-Course features an all-new interior architecture centred all-around a new, second-generation MBUX infotainment program. 

It’s not possible to overlook the new central show, employing smartphone excellent OLED display technological innovation and haptic feedback. It’s twelve.eight-inches in size and portrait in orientation, flowing specifically into the new-glance centre console and sitting on top of a dashboard with a new, flat aircraft area running from one aspect of the motor vehicle to the other. It comes with a new consumer interface and is suitable with in excess of-the-air update technological innovation to the S-Course. 

A new digital instrument panel with authentic 3D effect graphics sits in front of the driver, alongside a new-glance steering wheel with contact-sensitive capabilities. At the rear of it all is a new head-up-show capable of augmented actuality technological innovation. This signifies warning symbols and prompts, these types of as directions from the navigation, can look as if they are staying projected in 3D specifically onto the road. A typical HUD without having this technological innovation is obtainable. Altogether, the new display-primarily based tech signifies Mercedes has taken off 27 buttons from the past model’s dashboard. 

Up to three shows can be equipped in the back of the S-Course. Two 11.six-inch touchscreens fastened to the seat backs of the front seats permit rear occupants to surf the net, verify e-mail or look at television, though there’s also a removable pill, saved in the folding centre arm rest in S-Course variants with three rear seats, or in a committed slot on the centre console in two-seat rear bench cars. 

Mercedes’ Energizing ease and comfort programmes return far too – these are selectable profiles that automatically control the interior ambiance, switching the ambient lights, air temperature, audio amount and massage feedback dependent on the profile picked. A new manner even groups up with the massage perform and a thirty speaker audio set up from Burmeister to develop ‘4D’ seem, with extra vibration in the seat for small bass tones. There are six Energizing programmes for occupants to choose from.

MBUX Interior Assistant is a new attribute, far too. It makes use of cameras in the car’s overhead panel to interpret the head, hand and overall body actions of people on board and automatically allow corresponding automobile capabilities and present contextual prompts. For illustration, if the driver reaches in excess of to the passenger seat to grab anything at night time, the light-weight over the passenger seat will automatically switch on. On the lookout at a aspect mirror also enables it to be modified without having the need to have to work a bodily switch. If an occupant tries to exit the motor vehicle as yet another automobile ways, the ambient lights will pulse crimson as a warning.

S-Course engines and autonomous driving

Mercedes aims to choose a step forward with semi-autonomous driving technological innovation with the new S-Course, introducing Amount 3 capability for the initially time. The enterprise states that from the second half of 2021, the new S-Course will be capable of ‘hands-off’ autonomous driving on motorways and in visitors jams. The driver will be ready to verify e-mail or search the net, and the automobile – in specified ailments – will be capable of responding to all visitors and any opportunity collisions. Distant parking aid signifies the motor vehicle can park by itself or be summoned from a shorter length by means of smartphone. 

New chassis technological innovation comes at the double, with rear-wheel steering and 48-volt managed air suspension Mercedes states the new rear wheel steering program decreases the turning circle of the S-Course to that of a household hatchback. Optional E-Overall body Energetic Manage suspension can raise one aspect of the motor vehicle by up to 80mm right before a aspect-on collision, decreasing the influence. Airmatic air suspension with constantly adjustable damping is typical machines. 

As for engines, Mercedes has verified a start line-up consisting fully of 3.-litre turbocharged straight-six selections, with two 48-volt assisted petrols and three diesels to choose from. All cars use the very same nine-speed automated gearbox and are electronically confined to a top speed of 155mph. 

Petrol electrical power kicks off with the S 450 4MATIC with all-wheel push. It develops 362bhp and 500Nm torque, propelling the S-Course from -62mph in five.1 seconds. The S 500 4MATIC ups the electrical power to 429bhp, decreasing -62mph to 4.9 seconds. 

The popular S 350 d returns with or without having a 4MATIC all-wheel push, producing 282bhp and 600Nm torque. Mercedes promises that rear-wheel push versions deal with -62mph in six.4 seconds, with the 4MATIC program decreasing it to six.two seconds. Fuel overall economy of up to 44.1mpg is claimed for the S 350 d. Higher than these two selections is the 325bhp S four hundred d, with 700Nm torque and a five.4 second -62mph time. 

In other places, the manufacturer has verified that V8 electrical power will occur to the S-Course in 2021 with 48-volt moderate hybrid guidance, and a petrol plug-in hybrid version capable of up to 62 miles on electrical electrical power only is also in progress, but a diesel plug-in – as is obtainable in the E-Course – appears to be off the playing cards, with R&D manager Schafer outlining that these types of a product is not suitable in the S-Class’s substantial Chinese and American markets. A superior-general performance AMG version is also prepared, but no aspects have been verified. 

Mercedes S-Course: journey evaluate

Our short come across with the S-Course from the passenger seat reveals that Mercedes’ flagship pushes boundaries after again.

Chief engineer Jürgen Weissinger is sitting at the wheel of his closing job right before retirement. In the past, he’s been responsible for Merc’s Maybach limousines, but the new S-Course is his farewell current.

He commences by demonstrating the new rear-axle steering, hauling the limo all-around in close to-not possible style and heading off down the highway. The S-Course is eerily silent – Merc has even gone as far as acquiring a new vulcanisation course of action for the rubber window seals in research of perfection.

Our journey is shorter, but we can sense the craftsmanship that has gone into the motor vehicle. The interior tech dazzles the seats attribute 17 motors for adjustment and massage, though the MBUX infotainment sets new standards. As for the plug-in hybrid? Weissinger promises he’s managed far more than seventy three miles on battery electrical power alone.

Now go through our in-depth evaluate of the present Mercedes S-Course in this article…