Mercedes-Benz S-Class: FAQs

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the German company’s flagship model range and traditionally the vehicle that pioneers new technology and safety innovations for the brand. It is offered in standard, long and extended wheelbase sedan variants as well as coupe and cabriolet (convertible) versions.

The current S-Class model line-up is the 222 Series in Mercedes’ own nomenclature. It was launched in 2014 and the facelifted version reached Australia in 2018.

An all new family of S-Class dubbed W223, including a revised Maybach uber-luxury limousine edition, will debut later this year.

The body styles are known as follows: sedan (W222), Coupe (C217), and Cabriolet (A217). The latter two have different designations as they were original CL-Class models.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is offered with a range of turbo diesel and turbo petrol engines including inline four and six-cylinder engines plus V8 and in some models, V12 powerplants.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW are archrivals in many new car segments, no more so than in their flagship S-Class v 7 Series limousine and sedan head to head.

For most of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class seven generations, however, it has had the upper hand. The Mercedes-Benz not only outsells the BMW 7 Series but typically has been judged more luxurious and more desirable.

But when asked many pundits say the Audi A8 is superior to both.

The Mercedes-AMG fettled big S-Class sedans and coupes feature twin-turbo V8s, in the case of the S 63s, and blown V12s in the case of the S 65s.

While nobody buyers these mega-expensive ultra-luxury models for outright performance, they are very fast cars.

Mercedes-Benz quotes a 0-100km/h time of 4.3sec for the Mercedes-AMG S 63 L sedan and the Mercedes-AMG S 63 Coupe and Cabriolet are both 0.1sec quicker.

That 4.2sec 0-100km/h time is also the stat quoted by Mercedes-Benz for the Mercedes-AMG S 65 L.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the German company’s iconic large sedan. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the company’s flagship model range and the choice of generations of world leaders – democratically elected and despotic alike.

Although there are coupe and cabriolet (convertible) versions of both E-Class and S-Class, the ranges aren’t commonly compared. The S-Class inhabits an altogether different social and financial strata.

Both the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are storied ranges from Mercedes-Benz. Each has their followers, but if the E-Class is premium, the S-Class is palatial. It’s hard to find a more luxurious or prestigious way to get where you are going.