2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Plug-In Hybrid Facelift Spied Preparing for Launch

Whether you're reading this from the US, where the model wears the S550e Plug-In Hybrid Sedan or the Old Continent, where the vehicle is labeled as the S500 Plug-In Hybrid, the range-topping gas-electric is important business, paving the way for future green mobility luxury machines - here's our S550 Plug-In Hybrid review for those who want to get into the details.

The one things that indicate towards a plug-in hybrid powerplant animating the tester we see here is the front license plate - according the German law, the "E" at the end signifies the presence of such a setup.

Then again, is you're only looking for a bit of electric assistance, you won't necessarily have to turn to the plug-in model, or to the non-plug-in S400 Hybrid, for that matter.

That's because the mid-cycle revamp of the S-Class is set to bring a mild hybrid setup to the gas-fed models in the line-up. As such, a 48V system will see the S having a small electric motor attached to its crankshaft.

The limited nature of the setup means that you won't be able to slide into your lavish neighborhood in all-electric mode. Instead, the hardware will deliver increased low-end response, which is just what the twin-turbo engine range of the model needs, while also boosting efficiency by between 10 and 15 percent.

The revised incarnation of the S-Class is set to land in 2017 and since we're talking about a mid-life refresh, we should get the full bouquet of models, from the hybrids to the AMGs.