New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Is Here With Prices Starting From Rs 2.17 Crore

It comes with a new look, bigger screens, more tech and increased safety

• The new generation of the S-Class has been launched in the AMG Line trim only.

• It is available with a choice of 3-litre petrol and diesel engines, both with AWD.

• New S-Class looks smoother and sleeker than before and gets a more prominent grille too.

• The cabin highlight is the 12.8-inch vertically oriented touchscreen infotainment system in the centre with the latest-generation MBUX.

• New features include front airbags for rear passengers and rear axle steering while air suspension comes as standard.

The seventh generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class that was unveiled in September 2020 has now arrived in India. It has been launched in the imported AMG Line trim only with two engine options and is priced as follows:

*Ex-showroom

A lot has changed on the latest iteration of the ‘best car in the world.’ Like all new Mercedes-Benz cars, the shape is more streamlined than before with smooth surfaces and minimal creases in the bodywork. It now sports a much more prominent grille with the sleeker headlamps while the tail lamps have been slimmed down in a new horizontal layout and now stretch onto the bootlid as well. The S-Class also gets retractable door handles that sit flush with the bodywork but pop out when the car is unlocked or it detects the key nearby. Since this is the AMG Line variant, it also gets sportier bumpers and the 20-inch dual-tone alloy wheels.

The interior has undergone a major transformation too, especially the cockpit, with the choice of sienna brown and black, or all-beige upholstery. Mercedes-Benz has ditched the integrated displays setup and instead features a vertically oriented 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that rises up from the central console. The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display is still there and it’s highly customisable depending on what layout and how much information the driver wants to see. There’s also the option of a 3D view for the cluster using cameras that detect the eyes to adjust the displayed items accordingly. 

Since the vehicle setup is highly customisable, each setup can be saved to a different driver profile. These profiles can be protected as well and can be accessed via voice recognition or a fingerprint sensor is the button array below the central display.

All the AC vents are now rectangular in shape with the two AC vents at either end of the dashboard in vertical alignment. With the new layout, there are barely any buttons on the central console with most functions being controlled via the central display. Since it’s the AMG Line variant, it gets the flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel with the two-tier, two-spoke design that houses the various touch controls and buttons.

The S-Class can be had with three more screens in the back: two touchscreen displays for the rear passengers mounted on the back of the front headrests, and a pop-out tablet housed in the rear armrest that can control almost all vehicle functions from the business seat. The active ambient lighting LED strips that run along the doors, front and rear, and across the dashboard add to the tech-fest experience. These lights also reflect various functions, including blind spot warning when a passenger is about to open their door. It is also equipped with comforts such as four-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, autonomous parking assist, 360-degree camera and a 4D Burmeister sound system.

The 2021 S-Class comes with front and rear seats that are power-adjustable, and have heating and cooling functions too.The S-Class gets Nappa leather upholstery as standard and the latest generation of the MBUX infotainment system’s digital assistant can detect which passenger is interacting with it. The rear seats can be had with the massage function too. The rear seats can recline upto 43.5 degrees while the leg support can be adjusted upto 50 degrees.

It is even more spacious than before since it has grown in size too. The V223 S-Class is 5289mm long with a 3216mm wheelbase, 2109mm wide and 1503mm tall. That’s 34mm longer, 22mm wider, 13mm taller and 51mm longer wheelbase than the previous S-Class.

The mechanical comforts on the new S-Class are highlighted by the new rear-axle steering which makes this luxury limo easier to maneuver. It turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels at low speeds to reduce its turning radius (upto 4.5 degrees) and in the same direction at high speeds for better stability through turns. It can also actively alternate the rear steering angle depending on the driving situation for optimum handling. The ride quality is handled by the air suspension which is standard on an S-Class.

Mercedes is offering the 2021 S-Class with the 3.0-litre, six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine options, both mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and with all-wheel-drive. The 400d offers 330PS and 700Nm of performance while the S 450’s petrol engine produces 367PS and 500Nm. Its petrol powertrain also has a 48V mild-hybrid system, likely for the engine-idle start-stop feature.

The S-Class has always been one to set new benchmarks when it comes to safety and the new one is no different. It introduces front airbags for the rear passengers that are housed in the front seatbacks for a total of 10 airbags. There’s also the side-impact protection system that uses sensors to predict when an impact is about to occur, and raises the air suspension on that side to channel the impact towards the floorboard, and better protect the occupants. It also gets some driver assistance features such as active lane keeping assist and active distance control.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class resumes its rivalry with the Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series in the luxury sedan segment. More than half of the 150 launch edition CBU units have been booked already, so you’d better hurry if you want one too. We expect that Mercedes-Benz will introduce lower trims of the new S-Class in the future that would be more “affordable” as CKD units and not fully imported ones.

Read More on : Mercedes-Benz S-Class Automatic