2021 Mercedes S-Class Goes Official

Following countless spy shots, leaks, and official teasers, it’s finally time for the new 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class to show itself to the world.

Mercedes is hosting the debut of their new luxury flagship sedan at a special live-streamed event, showcasing a very long list of new features that aim to offer a brand new sense of luxury to both the driver and occupants.

The exterior design of the new Mercedes S-Class is not going to rewrite the rule books anytime soon, offering instead a classy -and safe- appearance for the big German saloon. Most design cues are shared with other models in the range, including the headlights and taillights as well as the new-style front grille, making features like the new pop-out door handles stand out when looking for highlights on the outside.

The radical departure of the new generation S-Class takes place under the skin and inside the cabin but that’s hardly a surprise given the company’s revealing teasing campaign.

Let’s start with the new generation of the MBUX infotainment system, which debuts in the new S-Class featuring new hardware and software. The center display is now a portrait-oriented 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen unit with haptic feedback while the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice assistant is now available on every seat.

The digital instrument cluster measures 12.3 inches in diameter and can be optionally fitted with a new 3D mode that doesn’t require special glasses. This feature comes with two integrated cameras that precisely determine the eye position of the user in order to create the 3D effect with extremely low latency.

The new MBUX system can support up to five displays inside the new Mercedes S-Class, including the instrument cluster, the center display, the twin 11.6-inch rear entertainment screens, and the MBUX rear tablet.

In addition, Mercedes was able to turn the interior lighting of the new S-Class into an active part of the model’s safety features. The number of LEDs is here increased from the previous 40 to around 250 and can now collaborate with various driving assistance systems to visually reinforce warnings. For example, when the Active Blind Sport Assist system sends a warning, the ambient lighting system is engaged with a red light animation.

As expected, the 2021 Mercedes S-Class will feature a proper Level 3 conditionally automated driving function. Expected from the second half of 2021, the company’s new Drive Pilot system will be able to drive the new S-Class in specific road conditions, including in heavy traffic situations or suitable motorway sections in Germany, initially up to the legally permitted speed of 60 km/h (37 mph). Daimler’s Drive Pilot system uses a Lidar together with a range of other sensors and a high-definition digital map. Mercedes notes that the driver must remain ready to retake control and resume driving when the system prompts them to do so.

The new Mercedes S-Class will be launched with a lineup of electrified six- and eight-cylinder engines, while a new plug-in hybrid S580e model with around 62 miles of EV range will follow in a few months. In Europe, customers will get to choose between six-cylinder petrol and diesel models, including the S450, S500, S350d, S350d 4Matic, and S400d 4Matic. The petrol S450 and S500 are powered by a 3.0-liter mild-hybrid inline-six engine with 362 HP (367 PS) and 429 HP (435 PS) respectively.

US customers on the other hand will get to choose between the S500 4Matic and the S580 4Matic models at the initial launch phase of the new Mercedes S-Class. The S580 4Matic is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 equipped with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and produces 496 HP.

The 2021 Mercedes S-Class also comes with the E-Active Body Control Suspension as an option, featuring an Airmatic suspension with continuously adjustable dampers as standard. In addition, Mercedes has added a new rear-axle steering system that allows up to 10 degrees of angle for the rear wheels to make the new S-Class as maneuverable as an A-Class.

The rear-axle steering is integrated into the systems of the steering wheel, brakes, and suspension and allows a turning circle as small as 10.5 meters in the case of an S-Class with the short wheelbase. Mercedes will offer two variants of the rear-axle steering system, with the first one offering up to 4.5 degrees of angle and the other one offering the full 10 degrees. If you opt for the latter, the wheel size is limited to 255/40 R20.

The first examples of the new Mercedes S-Class are expected to reach the U.S market in the first quarter of 2021.

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