The Mercedes S-Class Facelift Is Here, And The V8 Is Better Than Ever

Mercedes knows the S-Class is holy ground. You do not screw this car up. So when they tell you this is just a facelift, do not believe that for one second. This is more like Mercedes taking a deep breath and saying, "Okay, let us make sure we still own this segment."

A few journalists had a sneak peek over in Germany recently, and the message is simple. They went for it. Thousands of parts were changed, reworked, and improved. That is not something you do unless you are worried about losing your crown.

The best part is under the hood. Yes, the V8 lives. And not just lives, it got better. Mercedes kept the four-liter twin-turbo engine but rebuilt it in a way that makes it feel sharper and more alive. The throttle response is quicker, it feels smoother, and it's somehow still relaxed at the same time. That is peak S-Class energy. Fast when you want it, invisible when you do not.

In the S580, power jumps to 530 horsepower. Is that overkill for a luxury sedan? Absolutely. Does anyone buying one care? Not at all. It is about knowing the car can move when you ask it to, even if most of the time it is just floating along in silence.

The facelift doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to exterior design. The classic shape is retained, but with some cleaner lines and details, and new lamps with small star motifs. It’s a facelift only the owners will see, and that’s sort of the point.

The biggest changes are inside. Mercedes is replacing the previous instrument panel with a cleaner, flatter, and more digital arrangement inspired by the EQS. Some will love the higher-tech approach. Others will lament the loss of traditional Mercedes luxury. We’re honestly on the fence. It looks cool, but we hope it still feels like a living room and not a tech demo.

Source of photos: Carscoops