Mega-luxury flagship's huge upgrade: 2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class ready to drop the hammer on Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS & Porsche Panamera

More than fifty years after the model designation was first formally applied to Mercedes-Benz’s top-tier sedan, the German maker has unveiled a substantially upgraded version of its S-Class flagship.

Claimed to consist of 50 per cent newly developed components and scheduled to arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, the update also corresponds with the three-pointed star’s celebration of 140 years since Carl Benz patented his ground-breaking motorwagen in 1886.

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Engine options range across a 3.0-litre, in-line, six-cylinder, turbo-petrol producing up to 330kW/600Nm, a 3.0L twin-turbo diesel delivering 230kW/650Nm and a 4.0L twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8 pumping out 395kW/750Nm.

Revised plug-in hybrid powertrain options combine the six-cylinder petrol engine with a single electric motor for up to 430kW (+55kW) and 750Nm of combined torque. A 22kW battery delivers an electric-only driving range of 93-103km.

On the outside, luxury car-spotters should look out for a larger (illuminated) grille with the option of an illuminated star on the bonnet.

Digital micro-LED headlights are new, as are tail-lights featuring chrome-framed stars. A fresh 20-inch wheel design incorporates 50 cross-spokes. Striking, or a detailing nightmare?

Inside, the Mercedes-Benz ‘MBUX’ multimedia interface consists of a central 14.4-inch screen and a 12.3- inch passenger display combined under a continuous glass surface.

Larger 13.1-inch displays are offered in the optional ‘MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment System’. 

Speaking of entertainment, an optional Burmester ‘High-End 4D-Surround-Sound’ system includes ‘tactile transducers’ in the seats to “vibrate and pulse in time with the music” as well as 39 speakers, four exciters, 1750-watt output and Dolby Atmos.

A fourth-gen ‘MB.OS supercomputer’ enables an expanded app portfolio including streaming platforms like Disney+ as well over-the-air updates and AI from ChatGPT4, Microsoft Bing and Google Gemini combined in one system to power up the car’s ‘Hey Mercedes' virtual assistant.

Other tech highlights include upgraded park-assist functionality, the option of integrated video conferencing and heated seat belts “with a soothing warmth of up to 44°C”.

Air suspension is standard across the line-up with ‘E‑Active’ body control an option.

Also available to order is the new S680 Guard 4Matic special-protection vehicle combining an in-house developed ‘Integrated Protection System’ comprising an aluminium outer skin to achieve VR10 20, which Mercedes-Benz said is the highest civilian protection level.

Pricing and final specification will be confirmed closer to the car’s local launch but in Germany the entry-level S350d 4Matic starts at €121,356.20 (including 19 per cent VAT) which, on a direct currency exchange translates to just under $206,000. 

For reference, the current (non-Maybach) Mercedes-Benz S-Class range starts with the S450 4Matic at $244,700, before on-road costs, rising to $335,100, BOC, for the S580L 4Matic.