2021 Mercedes S-Class Spied With Less Camo, Shows Massive Grille

Mercedes already has enough debuts to keep us busy all year, with these including everything from the new GLS-Class flagship SUV to all the awesome compacts such as the A45 S. However, the W223 S-Class still needs to one-up all of these in the luxury department.

The new flagship should debut at the 2020 Detroit Auto Show at the latest. However, we need to see a lot more of the camo come off before we know the debut is close. Also, we haven't seen any leaks of the technical or design types.

Imposing looks are one potential battlefield. With BMW upping the grille surface with its 7 Series facelift, it seems Mercedes also wanted something big enough to cook a half-pound stake. We can't say that this appearance is too pleasing, but maybe everything works out once the rest of the camo comes off.

The new headlights are certainly a nice touch, as is the low hood. Compared to its predecessor, the new S-Class is a much bigger car, though it will be crammed with sensors that help you (or your driver) navigate traffic. You can see a giant dome in the middle of the grille here. Hopefully, the AMG Line models don't have a badge that size.

Some of the engines that will power this car are already available, even on the current S-Class. The EQ Boost mild-hybrid 6-cylinder units will, however, be joined by new plug-in hybrid systems, which Mercedes desperately needs to meet emissions targets. These will have much longer pure-EV ranges and regenerative abilities.

But it's the interior we're most interested in seeing, as Mercedes appears to have switched to a large main display on the dash, a bit like Tesla. Could this change impact all the other cars made by the manufacturer next decade?