Daimler has used the first “Meet Mercedes
Digital” event to tease the all-new EQS and redesigned S-Class. Starting with
the company’s flagship sedan, the 2021 S-Class has an evolutionary front fascia
with a protruding grille that is flanked by slimmer headlights. The model also
has a sculpted hood and a wide lower intake with chrome accents.
Previous pictures and video have revealed
the model will have an E-Class like rear end with angular taillights which
reside beneath a slender strip of chrome trim. The car will also have a rounded
rear bumper and a new dual exhaust system.
While the exterior is evolutionary, the
cabin is a radical departure from the current model. Drivers sit behind a new
steering wheel and find themselves looking at a freestanding digital instrument
cluster. Elsewhere, the S-Class has rectangular air vents and a wide strip of
wood trim. There’s also a new infotainment system, with a portrait orientation
that rises out of the center console at an angle.
Engine options remain unconfirmed, but
choices could include a hybridized 3.0-liter inline-six that produces 362 hp and 500 Nm of torque. There could also be a
hybridized twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 pumping out 483 hp and 699 Nm of torque. We can also expect plug-in hybrid variants as well as
a 6.0-liter V12 with around 621 hp and 1,000 Nm.
While a lot of details remain a mystery,
Daimler Chairman Ola Källenius said the model will be a “technological tour de
force” which has a “serene and quiet ride.” The S-Class will debut later this
year and be built at the new “Factory 56” in Sindelfingen which opens in
September.
The plant will also build the new EQS
starting in 2021. It’s described as a “fully electric member of the next
S-Class family.” The company didn’t say much about the model, but they released
a couple of new teaser images. The car is slated to be built on the MEA
platform and battle the Porsche Taycan as well as the Tesla Model S. An
assortment of powertrains are expected, and the base model is rumored to have
more than 400 hp. Drivers should also be able to travel more
than 499 km on a single charge.
