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New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Shows Massive Rear-Wheel Steering Angle at Nurburgring

Ladies and gentlemen drivers, in the surprising announcement of the day, allow me to point out that the next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class might just set a new world record for the angle of its rear-wheel steering.
New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Shows Massive Rear-Wheel Steering Angle 15 photos
Photo: mgcharoudin/instagram
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Heck, an untrained eye could be forgiven for mistaking the rear wheels of the 2021 S-Class prototype that brought us here for the front wheels of the luxury sedan - as you'll notice in the brief spy video below, that's how much the rear wheels of the test car turn.

The prototype was spotted doing its thing in the proximity of the Nurburgring, which is only normal now that the new S-Class is in its final stages of development.

Rear-wheel steering is now available on such a broad range of cars, from Renaults to [insert your favorite supercar here], so why hasn't anybody turned those rear wheels that much until now?

Well, such ample movements could easily upset the handling balance of the vehicle at speed, as anybody who has used the steering wheel while reversing is well aware.

However, with the S-Class being famous for introducing new tech to the automotive world, perhaps the German engineers have decided to offer this drift-ready setup only at parking pace, with the angle possibly being limited once the car picks up some serious speed. Of course, this would result in surprising parking agility and an impressive turning circle. And since the lavish saloon will come with Level 3 autonomous driving, such hardware could also help the computer when this is cast in the role of a chauffeur.

Speaking of the new S-Class, now the Mercedes-Benz can deliver futuristic styling via its new EQ electric vehicle line (I'm referring to the new Vision EQS concept here), it looks like the carmaker might have just sought retro inspiration for the design of the upcoming flagship sedan.

This is especially visible on the longer Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, but, as showcased by a recent prototype sighting that you can see in the "second part" of the gallery above, the newcomer seems to remind us of the uber-wide appearance of the 1960s Mercedes-Bens 600, which happens to sit at the top of the Maybach brand family tree.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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