It’s not yet time for the newest generation of Mercedes’s flagship sedan, but we’re more than halfway there. According to the automaker, more than 50 percent of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (approximately 2,700 parts) is “newly developed, updated and refined.”
As if the S-Class wasn’t distinctive enough already, the thoroughly refreshed model has a 20 percent larger grille and can be spec’ed with an illuminated three-pointed star hood ornament—a first for the brand. The driver can see other vehicles better thanks to micro-LEDs and a new chip that enable the new Digital Light twin-star headlamps to provide 40 percent more illumination. Not only do the Ultra Range high beams pierce through up to 1,968 feet of darkness, but they also swivel to light up curves ahead. At the rear, the redesigned taillights incorporate three chrome-framed stars.
Two new Manufaktur paint options are available: Black Sparkling, which features real glass flakes, and Verde Silver Magno, a matte version of the blue/green color. The new Manufaktur Made to Measure program allows S-Class buyers to choose from more than 150 paint colors and over 400 interior colors, and customize the illuminated door sills, interior stitching, the colors for the wheels, and more.
Inside, the cabin has been updated with a new dashboard, door trim, and center console. Nearly the whole width of the dash is filled with screens: a 12.3-inch driver display and the standard MBUX Superscreen, consisting of a 14.4-inch central display and a 12.3-inch display for the front passenger, both of which are under one seamless panel. The Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) runs on redesigned architecture and powers the fourth-generation MBUX infotainment system. The combination of AI from Microsoft and Google helps the new MBUX Virtual Assistant develop a “more intuitive, more personal” dynamic with the driver and passengers.
Fixed rear seats are standard equipment, but those can be replaced with increasingly luxurious setups. The next level up is the Exclusive Package, which treats those in the back to “power adjustable rear seats with backrests adjustable up to 37 degrees, rear seat memory functions, luxury headrests with additional cushioning, PRE-SAFE® positioning function and a folding center armrest with double cupholder.” Above that is the Pinnacle Package with rapid heating and ventilation, heated armrests, Digital Vent Control (as part of the four-zone climate control system), rear airbags, two additional USB-C ports, wireless charging, and MBUX remote controls added to the folding rear center armrest. The top-of-the-line configuration is the new Pinnacle Plus Package, which includes “rear seat massage functions, an executive rear seat with an adjustable backrest angle up to 43.5 degrees, rear seat neck and shoulder heating, a leg and footrest for the right rear seat, seat belt presenters, beltbag and adaptive rear cabin lighting.” For those who need to use the revamped S-Class as a mobile office, Mercedes offers the MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment System equipped with larger 13.1-inch displays that have integrated HD cameras—perfect for video conferences while on the go.
The 2027 S-Class lineup has two mild-hybrid gas models and one plug-in hybrid variant. The entry-level S 500 4Matic is powered by a more potent 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6 that generates 442 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque (short bursts of up to 472 lb-ft in Overtorque mode). A revised injection system, optimized intake and exhaust ports, redesigned intake camshaft, flat-plane crankshaft with a new firing order, and turbo improvements help the S 580 4Matic’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 pump out 530 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. Mercedes combines the I6 with a more potent electric motor to give the S 580 e 4Matic output figures of 576 and 553, respectively. All S-Classes get 4.5 degrees of rear-wheel steering as standard, but a 10-degree system is available to make the big-bodied Benzes maneuver more like a C-Class.
How much will the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class cost those who want a better version of what many consider to be the best sedan in the world? We’ll all find out closer to when it arrives in showrooms in the second half of this year.
