A 2021 Mercedes S-Class prototype was spotted in
traffic by our spy photographers, driving in front of a current-gen model,
which allows us to draw one or two parallels between the two vehicles, even
though the new W223 remains properly well-disguised. If you ignore that large chunk of
body cladding on top of the hood, you’ll notice how the front fascia of the
all-new model appears lower than on the previous car. This might be because of
how the hood tapers off towards the grille, which by the way looks wider than
the one on the current W222.
Another, probably less important design trait is
that the license plate mount will be positioned lower, which makes sense if you
have a larger grille with not a lot of room underneath. Expect the car
to feature the German automaker’s new design language (or at least some of it),
which can be seen on models such as the all-new CLS or the all-new A-Class.
This results in less creases running alongside the body of the car. As for the
taillights, they could very well have a horizontal design, unlike the teardrop
ones on the W222.
This is sort of a silly question to ask when it
comes to a flagship Mercedes-Benz. The answer will always be as much as
possible. Safety and connectivity should be top-notch, while autonomy should be
at Level 3, where some parts of the driving experience will be fully
autonomous, according to R&D boss Ola Källenius.
Details are limited but the magazine suggests the
scroll wheel interface for the COMAND infotainment system could be dropped and
replaced with something more touch-centric. The S-Class’ 12.3-inch displays will also be
changed, but Sinkwitz was coy on specifics.
While we haven’t heard any rumblings regarding the
W223’s engine range, we expect it to feature multiple petrol and diesel units,
as well as plug-in hybrid and fully-electric versions, where the latter will
probably arrive sometime after the official launch.
Whatever Mercedes decides to do with regards to
engines, they will surely be more fuel efficient and probably more powerful
than the current ones. Regardless of when the all-new W223 S-Class breaks cover, the car
isn’t expected in showrooms until the year 2020.
Cr : Carscoops
