Even though the current Mercedes-Benz Sonder Klasse (Special Class in German) is still in its “brand new model” faze, those cheeky engineers from the three-pointed star research and development center in Sindelfingen are hard at work in developing the next generation of the car.
According to the chief engineer in charge of the Mercedes-Benz flagship sedan, the future generation will march mainly on minimizing its exhaust emissions and its overall carbon footprint, albeit in a very drastic manner.
“We are starting now to think about what will come up for the next-generation of S-Class, we say ‘OK, what can be the next step?” Dr Hermann-Joseph Storp told the Aussies from Motoring. “It may be that the next S-Class has more aluminium, or aluminium combined with plastics [CFRP], for example.”
With the recently-launched Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 already using more than 50 percent of aluminium components for its body/chassis and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) used in a limited amount as a weight decreasing measure on the SLS AMG and the new S 63 and S 65 AMG, it's only natural that Mercedes-Benz is starting to get the hang of it.
The SLS AMG and the upcoming AMG GT sports car are actually entirely based on aluminium space frame bodies as well, so the experience in working with lightweight materials in Stuttgart has been gradually increasing in recent years, with some Mercedes-Benz models already being the lightest in their respective segments.
Since the next generation of the S-Class is a little under six years away, current tree-hugging customers will have to satisfy with the S 300 BlueTec Hybrid, the S 400 Hybrid and the upcoming S 500 Plug-in Hybrid.
“We are starting now to think about what will come up for the next-generation of S-Class, we say ‘OK, what can be the next step?” Dr Hermann-Joseph Storp told the Aussies from Motoring. “It may be that the next S-Class has more aluminium, or aluminium combined with plastics [CFRP], for example.”
With the recently-launched Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 already using more than 50 percent of aluminium components for its body/chassis and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) used in a limited amount as a weight decreasing measure on the SLS AMG and the new S 63 and S 65 AMG, it's only natural that Mercedes-Benz is starting to get the hang of it.
The SLS AMG and the upcoming AMG GT sports car are actually entirely based on aluminium space frame bodies as well, so the experience in working with lightweight materials in Stuttgart has been gradually increasing in recent years, with some Mercedes-Benz models already being the lightest in their respective segments.
Since the next generation of the S-Class is a little under six years away, current tree-hugging customers will have to satisfy with the S 300 BlueTec Hybrid, the S 400 Hybrid and the upcoming S 500 Plug-in Hybrid.