It’s hard to believe more than five years have passed since Mercedes launched the current-generation S-Class. Stuttgart’s flagship is about to receive a mid-cycle facelift to keep the full-size luxury sedan fresh before its replacement arrives late this decade. With the BMW 7 Series also about to go under the knife, the W223 needs updates to stay competitive.
Ahead of an alleged premiere next month, the updated S-Class is making its first official appearance. Mercedes is turning its range-topper into a robotaxi, hence the roof-mounted LiDAR. To make that happen, it has partnered with Momenta to implement a Level 4-certified autonomous driving system for a driverless shuttle service. The first phase will see cars deployed in Abu Dhabi before the test expands to additional locations.
Customer cars will obviously do without the roof bulge and likely lose the side cameras mounted in the front fenders. This lightly disguised prototype has redesigned headlights that are mostly uncovered, exposing a flashy star-studded theme. We also expect the new taillights to incorporate the Mercedes logo, following the recent trend of models flaunting an almost comical number of stars.
The S-Class is expected to go through substantial changes, even if the design tweaks remain relatively modest. We recall Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius saying the company has “invested a lot more” compared to a typical facelift. Technical specifications remain unknown, but the V-12 is definitely sticking around. As before, it’ll likely be reserved for the upscale Maybach version, and hopefully it survives in Europe despite ever-stricter emissions rules.
2026 Mercedes S-Class facelift
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes faced heavy criticism when the current S-Class debuted in 2020 with a barrage of screens. A return to physical buttons and smaller displays seems highly unlikely, given that the latest models are essentially wall-to-wall screens. Chief designer Gorden Wagener recently went as far as to say XXL displays are a necessity:
‘You want to have a visual reference on the screen, or you might want to watch a movie and stuff like that. So yeah, you need big screens.’
Ultimately, customers will decide with their wallets. Then again, rival brands aren’t exactly taking a different path. Judging by the new iX3’s interior, BMW is all but certain to give the 7 Series facelift a more screen-heavy layout as well. That will come at the expense of traditional switchgear, so prepare to kiss the iDrive rotary knob goodbye. The S-Class is likely to take after the EQS’ dashboard design by moving all the screens under a single glass panel:
The S-Class will continue to be sold alongside the EQS for now. However, Mercedes has confirmed the two will merge into a single model line with the next-gen S-Class. As a result, the EQS will be dropped after a single generation and replaced by a new model marketed as S-Class with EQ Technology.
Beyond the name change, the electric sedan will abandon its ultra-aerodynamic silhouette and adopt styling cues from the combustion-engine model. This transition has already taken place for the CLA and GLB, but the S-Class will have to wait until the W224 arrives. The next-gen model is expected to draw inspiration from the Vision Iconic concept and adopt a retro-flavored grille when it launches in 2029 or 2030.
