Just four months after it was revealed to the world, the facelifted W223 Mercedes-Benz S-Class made its first appearance in Malaysia over the long weekend. However, rather than it being a launch as previously anticipated, the refreshed luxury sedan was here as part of the “140 Years. 140 Places” world tour, celebrating the 140th anniversary of the creation of the world’s first car, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. The ongoing tour involves three cars – all in a special livery and with neat personalised headrest embroidery from Mercedes’ Manufaktur division – that have already crossed Europe, the Americas and Asia and will continue on their journey to Australasia and Africa before returning to Stuttgart. The trio had accumulated nearly 38,000 km by the time they had arrived in Kuala Lumpur and are expected to rack up a total mileage of over 50,000 km once the tour is concluded. Fun fact – the cars’ number plates carry the initials of the important people that helped shape Mercedes: “CB” for Carl Benz, “GD” for Gottlieb Daimler and “BB” for Bertha Benz, Carl’s wife who completed the first long-distance journey in an automobile. Anyway, about the S-Class itself. Mercedes calls this the most significant facelift it has ever performed, with around 2,700 components – more than 50% of the car – being either new or reengineered. It certainly looks that way from the outside, with a massive grille that’s 20% larger than before. The hexagonal surround is illuminated for the first time, and it features numerous smaller stars, including on the radar sensor. That’s just the start of Mercedes’ rather ostentatious use of the star graphic, which has inflicted every other model but reaches new heights here. The aforementioned bonnet ornament is illuminated as an option, and there are now quadruple stars in the headlights. The lamps are joined to the proboscis via a gloss black frame – a design cue adapted from the W214 E-Class, originating from the EQ series of EVs (ironic, given that the also-new facelifted EQS has moved away from this look). Also lifted from the E-Class are the stars in the taillights, except there are now three stars on each side, joined by a new two-tone black and chrome strip. Completing the array of illumination is the optional welcome light projection along the flanks, rather tastefully incorporating a linear pattern and the Mercedes-Benz script. The Digital Light micro-LED headlamps have been upgraded with a new chip enabling a 40% increase in the illumination field. The high beams, which project up to 600 metres ahead, can now swivel to optimise coverage in the corners, while the adaptive high beam has been improved to better highlight poorly-lit pedestrians without dazzling oncoming traffic. The cornering lights also now adapts to more road layouts, aided by camera and navigation data. Users can opt for a projection function, which can now project a snowflake icon in slippery conditions and a light guide on narrow lanes, the latter replacing the construction zone light. As standard, the S-Class features a slim centre air intake and diagonal chrome-trimmed inlets on either side, while the rear features more chrome strips and dual integrated exhausts. The AMG Line adds larger “nacelles” on the front bumper corners and an increased use of gloss black on the rear bumper. Wheel options range from 19 to 21 inches in diameter. The wholesale revamp continues on the inside, where the S-Class ditches its portrait infotainment touchscreen in favour of the E-Class’ MBUX Superscreen. This combines a larger 14.4-inch centre touchscreen and a 12.3-inch passenger display under a single piece of glass, with the driver instead getting a 12.3-inch freestanding instrument display, optionally available with a 3D function. Taking a page out of Tesla, the driver’s display is able to show surrounding cars, bikes and pedestrians in 3D. All this runs on the latest Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), featuring a fourth-generation MBUX, a new service-oriented electrical and electronic architecture, Google Maps navigation and an upgraded “Hey Mercedes” voice control with support for generative AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. This extends to the new MBUX Notes feature, which lets you dictate notes hands-free. With the built-in short-term memory, the voice control is able to engage in complex, multi-turn conversations. The S-Class also receives new physical rocker and roller controls for the steering wheel, as well as a redesigned centre console with dual Qi wireless chargers, illuminated cupholders and 100-watt USB-C ports. The corner air vents are in a new nozzle-like design, which are powered and can be controlled via the touchscreen (this can be extended to the rear vents), although you can still adjust them manually. As befits its luxury billing, even the front seats of the S-Class are extremely plush, with 19 motors to provide a whole host of adjustments, as well as heating, ventilation and no less than six massage programmes. But really, it’s the rear seats that are the most important here, and to that end the S-Class comes with upgraded technologies and displays. The rear monitors are larger at 13.1 inches across, and there are now twin detachable remote control touchscreens that replace the single tablet. Interior cameras are fitted at the front and on each rear screen, and they can all be used for video calls on Teams. Buyers can choose from four five-seater options – a fixed rear bench, reclining rear seats, Rear Comfort Package with heating, ventilation, a wireless charger and four-zone climate control, and Rear Comfort Package Plus with massage and a built-in passenger-side ottoman. For even greater opulence, there’s the four-seat First Class layout with a full-length centre console, a built-in fridge and fold-out tables. There are also the usual Burmester 3D and 4D surround sound systems (with up to 39 speakers and 1,690 watts of power) available, and you can even now spec the car with heated seat belts that reach 44 degrees Celsius. Mercedes says the latter even helps with safety, as occupants will be more inclined to remove their jackets, making the seatbelts work more effectively. Under the bonnet, the S-Class can be had with a range of updated mild and plug-in hybrid engines, including the M256 Evo 3.0 litre turbo straight-six in the 381 PS/560 Nm S450 4Matic and 449 PS/600 Nm S500 4Matic, as well as an OM656 Evo six-pot diesel in the 313 PS/650 Nm S350d and 367 PS/750 Nm S450d. The M256 can also be had in two PHEV flavours in the shape of the 435 PS/680 Nm S450e and 585 PS/750 Nm S580e, both with up to 100 km of pure EV range. But the biggest change is to the range-topping S580, which gains a Ferrari-style flat-plane crank V8 – akin to the AMG GT Black Series and Aston Martin Valhalla. Outputs have been boosted to 537 PS and 750 Nm, up from 503 PS and 700 Nm with the old cross-plane crank M176. It’s unclear which models will be offered in Malaysia, but for what it’s worth, only the S580e is currently sold here, alongside the AMG S63 E Performance; the three cars on tour include two S580s and an S500 4Matic. Suspension duties are handled by standard Airmatic air springs, with E-Active Body Control roll stabilisation optional. Both come with a new intelligent damping system that can differentiate between short and sharp road irregularities such as potholes, and long speed bumps common to southern Europe and the US. To do this, the system relies on crowdsourced data on surface imperfections via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, enabling it to adjust the damping proactively. Rear-wheel steering at 4.5 degrees now comes as standard, with the 10-degree system still optional. The S-Class has always led the way in safety, and this latest model features an upgraded water-cooled supercomputer to power its autonomous driving functions. As standard, MB.Drive Assist is capable of Level 2 semi-autonomy, with Distronic adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist and lane change assist. The Pro version adds highly-autonomous city and highway driving and can stop the car in traffic lights; it will be launched in China first and will be rolled out to other markets once regulations allow. The stickers of the 70 locations (yes, we counted) already visited on the tour The MB.Drive Parking Assist can now park diagonally and assist in exiting parking spots even after the car was parked manually, with the Chinese market gaining a reversing assist function already found in most BMWs. The 360-degree camera system is still optional (bewildering for such a large car) but comes with enhanced displays and a soon-to-be-available wheel kerbing warning. Passive safety has been improved, too, with an updated active restraint system featuring dual-stage front airbags (with a active vent for the passenger) and load limiters, as well as Pre-Safe Impulse seat belt pre-tensioners as standard. A new standard passenger knee airbag joins the one on the driver’s side, leading to a total of 15 airbags available. No word yet on when the facelifted S-Class will be launched here, but expect it to arrive relatively soon given that the current model is already CKD locally assembled. Are you excited? Let us know in the comments. Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro. Use the promo code 'PAULTAN' when you checkout for 10% discount!
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