Just yesterday we brought you a story about the brand new Rolls Royce Ghost, a luxury saloon that is the entry level of the company’s range. Today we bring you news of the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which is the halo of the German automaker’s passenger car line-up but, in some ways, can be seen as a rival for the Ghost.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.

Conservative outside…

In years gone by, the large saloon set the tone for the models lower down in the portfolio. The E-Class was seen as a scaled down S and the C-Class was considered a shrunken E. However, that seems to have been turned on its head as the latest generation S-Class (model designation 223) has styling treatment that we’ve already seen on cars such as the facelifted E-Class (click here to check out the facelifted E-Class) and CLA.

In a departure from previous generation S-Class models the taillamps are now horizontal in layout, as opposed to vertical. Again, this is a treatment we’ve seen on the CLA and E-Class. With a Cd figure from 0,22 the S-Class is one of the world’s most aerodynamic cars. Despite being larger than its predecessor, Mercedes says that the turning radius has been reduced by two metres thanks to rear wheels than swivel up to 10 degrees. We’ll leave you decide how you feel about the newcomer’s appearance.

Check out the range-leading Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series at this link.

…high-tech inside

If the exterior leaves you underwhelmed, the interior is likely to impress. Taking pride of place on the facia is a massive (325 mm diagonal) touchscreen infotainment interface that controls Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX system. All major controls are handled via an OLED touchscreen that features fingerprint and facial recognition. 27 languages are supported by “Hey Mercedes” voice control commands. Ahead of the driver is another digital screen that conveys all driving info. The navigation system features a new augmented reality display, fed from a front-facing camera, with three-dimensional graphics. Mercedes says that the new S-Class has more computing power than any series production car ever made.

Mercedes seemed intent to create an environment that is as, if not more, relaxing and luxurious than one’s house. Some of the highlights include, 10 different massage programmes, 19 motors in the seats (8 for adjustments, 4 for massage and 5 for ventilation, one for the lumbar support and one to move the rear-facing monitor), 31 loudspeakers as part of the Burmester high-end 4D surround sound system. There is mood lighting in several different colours, optional individual rear seats and a cabin that is billed as one of the quietest of any road car on sale today.

Engine options

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class range launches with five different engine options, two petrol and three diesels. Every engine in the line-up is a six-cylinder that displaces nearly 3,0 litres and is mated with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Petrol derivatives are badged S450 (270 kW/500 N.m) and S500 (320 kW/520 N.m). Each is mated with a 16 kW electric motor and is all-wheel-drive. The turbodiesel variants are dubbed S350d (210 kw/600 N.m), S350d 4Matic (similar power, but directed to all four wheels) and S400d (243 kW/700 N.m), which is also all-wheel drive. Mercedes plans to introduce more derivatives in time. These will include a more powerful petrol-fed V8, a hybrid version with 100 km of electric-only range and eventually a range-leading S63 AMG as well. Learn more about the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the official video below.