The next generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class is due for its world premiere on the 15th of this month at an event in Hamburg, Germany. Ranging from a series of spyshots seen earlier and also a scale model unveiled last week, the last and final set of details just before the live unveiling have emerged through a brochure showcasing a host of images and specifications of the 2014 W222 S-Class. The flagship model of the German carmaker depicts refurbished design at its best.
There should be no doubt of it being an S-Class at first glance but at the same time it can be differentiated from the outgoing W221 in many aspects. If crisp lines dominate some areas then it is also accompanied by smooth and bulging flow lines. Among the important details about the new S-Class, what’s news to the ears is that the W222 is bigger in most aspects compared to its predecessor.
The S-Class saloon rides on a 3035 mm wheelbase and is totally stretched to 5116 mm in length, 1,899 mm in width and stands 1496 mm tall. The long-wheel base version will be 5246 mm long riding on a 3165 mm long wheelbase. So that makes the new S-Class 20 mm longer and 28 mm wider but with a reduced height of 25 mm as compared to the W221. The typical prominent front-grille and sleek airdam make the car look dominant while the design towards the sides, more so below the headlamps seem inspired from the CLA.
The profile along the length swoops towards the rear of the vehicle with sharp and prominent flowlines along the doors and with much sober wheel-arches. There’s nothing much to see at the rear but yet it looks quite distinctive with those huge LED tail lights wrapped around. The area holding the number plate gets somewhat of a hexagonal design which seems new. However the most interesting part of the car lies inside. The interiors are undoubtedly superior, luxurious and feature-loaded. A few worth a mention are the 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a similar instrument panel. The climate control system features air filtering and active perfuming and the armrests come with a heating option.
Most important among technical specifications, there will three engines powering the 2014 S-Class. The S350 will be driven by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine with a power of 255 BHP. The S500 will be driven by a V8, 4.7-litre turbocharged petrol engine churning out a maximum power of 449 BHP. The S400 will be hybrid fitted with a 3.5-litre V6 gasoline engine, which along with the electric motor gives a combined power of 302 BHP. As per the brochure, the engines are Euro 6 compliant and all variants will be coupled to a 7-speed automatic gearbox. The S500 can sprint from 0-100 km/hr in 4.8 seconds while the S350 and S400 Hybrid will do the same in 6.8 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz will launch the 2014 S-Class in Europe first and later spread across the globe. The brochure also displays a host of customization offerings right from the colour and pattern of fabric to the wood inserts. To make choosing even more easier, there seems to be dual combination options as well. We are sure the Chinese would be the most excited about the new S-Class but we in India are no less excited, as the all new S-Class is all set to grace our shores next year.
