More than 300,000 units of the ongoing S-Class have been sold ever since this model hit the market four years ago and this is amazing figure considering that we are talking about sedans only. The time has come for Mercedes-Benz to introduce some changes and some of those revisions include wider light path for the headlights, efficient powertrains, new comfort and driver assist equipment.
Exterior
The exterior modifications are small, and these can be neglected. However, we need to mention that the front grille of the new model looks slightly different than the one on its predecessor, while the headlight internals have been upgraded too and now you can see three prominent light accents. We can notice that taillights have received a similar level of attention and now come with a slightly different setup. The AMG models will come with the more aggressive front bumper, whereas the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class has a beautiful new logo integrated into the front grille.
Interior of 2018 Mercedes S-Class
The dual-screen digital dashboard is located inside, and there is a single pane of glass over two 12.3-inch displays in the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. A more traditional three-spoke design comes instead of the two-spoke steering wheel, and it brings touch-sensitive control. Not that important improvement, but the Burmester sound system will blast the music through several extra speakers, whereas the customers can further customize the cabin with new trim and lighting packages. There is also a “wellness” feature for the climate control system that will change few things in this vehicle including the seats and lighting to increases comfort so that the passengers can relax.
Headlights
Because of the new “ultra-wide” beam pattern, the full-LED headlights put more light on the road thus improving the visibility, especially during the night. The great thing is that you can leave the lights in high-beam mode without blinding the other drivers due to matrix LED technology. In other words, the high-beam is switched off automatically, and the low-beam illuminates the road when there is an oncoming vehicle.
2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Engine
There are also some changes under the hood. A 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine is the base one in the S450, and it produces 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the S560 is equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 unit good for 463 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Both powerplants are mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels, but AWD is offered as an option.
Speaking of the AMG department, the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 replaces a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 in the S63 for the complete output of 603 ponies and 664 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a nine-speed automatic, whereas the S65 has a seven-speed one attached to a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine rated at 621 horses and 738 lb-ft of torque.
Maybach has two offers on sale – S560 and S650. The former is powered by the same unit which is under the hood of the regular S560 sedan, whereas the latter has a huge 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 that generates 523 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque.
Features
The German automaker installed new features in the 2018 S-Class. One of those enables the car to automatically adjust the speed according to the situation on the road such as bends, junctions, toll booths, roundabouts, or highway exits. A camera and radar system allow this feature to work together with the map and navigation data. There is also a new stereo multipurpose camera which scans the road ahead with better accuracy, and it doesn’t matter whether it is night or day.
Curve-tilting system is also new on the S-Class which allows the body to tilt to the inside of a turn by up to 2.65 degrees thus reducing perceived centrifugal forces. The lane change is also improved, and the car will switch lanes in about ten seconds within a certain speed range, but the sensor system also needs to check for any vehicles before the car changes lanes safely.
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class will go on sale this fall. Stay tuned for more details about the PHEV model.
