Mercedes-Benz hit the jackpot with the current S-Class generation. Two years later, BMW launched the 2016 7 Series luxury limousine and, even though it’s a great car, it failed to impress as much.
But the S-Class’ greatness won’t last forever, and Mercedes-Benz has to keep innovating if it wants to remain on top. That might not be the case with the S-Class, though, as the car was sufficiently advanced when it first came out to ensure it wouldn’t feel obsolete any time soon.
This aspect is very obvious when meeting the facelifted version of the S-Class that Mercedes-Benz is currently testing. Sure, some pictures and a video tell absolutely zero about what’s going on inside and under that long hood, but think about it: what does the S-Class need and doesn’t already have?
Regarding comfort, there’s nothing like it out there this side of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. The S-Class completely isolates its occupants from the outside world, so noises and road imperfections are quickly forgotten thanks to wonderful soundproofing and that AIRMATIC air suspension system.
The S-Class is also full of gadgets. And even if Silicon Valley were to invent something new, a software upgrade would quickly bring the Mercedes-Benz limousine up to date with minimum hassle.
It’s got powertrain options to suit everybody, from frugal diesels to hybrid versions and from the powerful AMG S63 to the ridiculous AMG S65 - there’s something for everybody, from corporate manager to third-world country dictator.
Mercedes-Benz is being so arrogant with this new S-Class that it isn’t even bothering to cover it up. They’re like, “We all know the car looks perfect, so we all know we won’t change anything about its design, right?” That’s partially true, because even though the overall shape is exactly the same, the facelift will bring some modifications to the headlights graphics. Most notably, the daytime running lights are now lining up the lower part of the optical blocks, while the new Multibeam LED matrix technology will improve visibility and safety at night.
Even though they could normally go unnoticed, these new headlights do give the S-Class a more classic, elegant and timeless look. As we’ve previously reported, the interior will see some minor changes focused mostly on the two digital displays that have now been visually morphed into one.
Since actual information is still scarce at the moment, we’ll leave you to watch this clip below and make your own mind: is Mercedes-Benz playing it too safe with the S-Class facelift, or would they have to be crazy to mess with what is one of their best cars in recent years?
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