New Mercedes S500 Plug-In Hybrid Averages 3L/100 KM or 78.4 US MPG

After the launch of the new S 400 Hybrid and S 300 BlueTec Hybrid, Mercedes today pulled the wraps off the third hybrid model of the all-new S-Class series, the very frugal S 500 Plug-In Hybrid that returns a combine fuel consumption of 3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (78.4 US mpg / 94.2 UK mpg) and CO2 emissions of 69 g/km.

These impressive figures are made possible by an 80-kW (107hp) electric motor that can propel the car all by itself for about 30 km or 18.6 miles.

The electric motor is paired to a new 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged gasoline engine developing 328 hp (245 kW) and 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque, which means the system’s total power is 325 kW (436hp). The combustion engine can be completely decoupled from the electric motor, with the car also featuring systems such as a second-generation recuperative braking system and the anticipatory Intelligent Hybrid energy management system.

The latter not only adjusts the hybrid system for the current driving condition and driver input, but also configures it to the likely route (inclines, downhill stretches, bends or speed limits) for the next eight kilometers, using navigation data from Comand Online.

As opposed to the S 400 Hybrid and S 300 BlueTec Hybrid whose batteries can only be charged during braking, coasting or by the combustion engine, the high-voltage lithium-ion battery of the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid can be recharged from an external source. A charging socket is located on the right side of the rear bumper.

The driver can select four operating modes by pressing a button: Hybrid, E-Mode (electric power only), E-Save (fully charged battery is reserved to be able to drive on electric power alone later) and Charge (battery is charged while driving). Performance isn’t hampered by the hybrid setup, on the contrary: the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

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Mercedes-Benz Reveals Surprisingly Subtle S63 AMG with 577HP Bi-Turbo V8

We had the chance to see what the new Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG would look like thanks to a video shot inside the factory, which caught the car on the production line with no camo whatsoever. Even that quick glance showed it looked very restrained, and now that it’s been fully revealed we have shots from multiple angles proving the same point.

Said to be around 100 kg (220 lbs) lighter than before, thanks to various weight-saving measures, including the use of a lithium-ion battery, which itself saves some 20 kg (44 lbs), the new S63 is nowhere near as in-your-face as its predecessor, despite receiving a completeAMG visual makeover, to go with the extra performance it boasts.

I for one, think it’s a bit too subtle, but then again I’m not the target audience for this car; those it is actually built for will probably mostly care about the interior and performance, anyway, both of which are highly competent and competitive.

Power comes from a twin-turbo5.5-liter V8 engine, also powering a variety of other AMG models, which with the help of two turbos gives the S63 577hp (585PS) and 900 Nm (663 lb-ft). It has the sole aim to outperform “all comparable engines,” while remaining “the most efficient series-produced V8 engine of all.” So, with the increase in power (41hp up) and weight-shedding, the car can sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in just 4 seconds when equipped with4Matic all-wheel drive (like the US-bound new E63s), which grows to 4.4 seconds for the regular rear-wheel-driven model – the fast AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission helps too…

Moreover, Mercedes quotes the same 0-62 mph time whichever body style you go for, and this is in part due the long-wheelbase model’s minimal weight handicap over the standard car, of 25 kg (55 lbs), though, the long-wheelbase is the standard car, and the standard car is a ‘chopped’ or shortened version of that, according to the original information from when the new S-Class came out.

Predictably, the rest of the package contains stiffer suspension, unique lightweight rims, optional carbon ceramic brakes (offered for the first time) as well as customary sporty touches throughout. Inside, there’s an AMG sports steering wheel with aluminum paddles, AMG logos everywhere, sportier seats and dials appropriate for a car this fast and powerful.

Being an S-Class, optional extras are plentiful, and can completely change the experience, if chosen with care one recklessly ticks all of the boxes. For instance, not only can you get an “Exterior Carbon-Fiber pack,” red-painted brake calipers and special trim pieces, AMG is also offering an engine cover also made entirely out of the same material, in order to keep weight down.

This is only a small part of what the S63 AMG is about, and more specific information, hopefully some reviews/drives will make their way onto the web prior to the car’s debut at the Frankfurt motor show, in September.

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Mercedes Boss Says S-Class Pullman will Rival Rolls-Royce Phantom

With the demise of the Maybach brand, Daimler has been left without a player in the top segment of luxury cars, where the Rolls-Royce Phantom is now virtually on its own. One could say the Bentley Mulsanne is up there too, but I for one (and RR too), see it more as competitor for the Ghost than the monumental Phantom.

However, it looks like the Phantom will soon have competition, since the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class will spawn a Pullman model that will act as the flagship of the brand. In an interview withAutocar, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has confirmed that the S-Class Pullman will be aimed at the Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Zetsche said Mercedes-Benz has developed the new S-Class to support six different models with three different wheelbases. On top of the range will sit a new Pullman model that will replace the Maybach. The ultra-luxurious sedan will be based on an extra-long-wheelbase version of the S-Class and will be differentiated from regular S-Class models by individual styling touches. These will include a unique grille that will give it a more noble presence.

“We will continue in the market segment above €200,000 (£170,000). It is important that Mercedes-Benz is represented. We have tradition at this level,” Zetsche told the magazine. “We see a chance to extend our leadership at the top end of the luxury car market. We plan to extend the number of models, and a Pullman is included in those plans,” he added.

The CEO stated that the new S-Class will be offered with three wheelbases in selected markets: standard, long, and extra-long variants. The latter will be aimed especially at markets such as China they are likely to form the base for the Pullman models. In the past, the Pullman name designated stretched versions of the S-Class limousines.

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New 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Goes On Sale in the UK Priced from £62,650

You'll be hard pressed to find another model series in the full-size premium segment that has left such an impact in the industry as theMercedes-Benz S-Class, and that's a legacy that the Germans want to continue with the new generation of the car that has just arrived in the United Kingdom. According to Mercedes, the new S-Class "promises to continue to raise the benchmark in efficiency, in comfort, refinement and personalization".

In the UK, the new 2014 S-Class is available to order now with first customer deliveries in October. There's a three engine lineup, beginning with the S 350 BlueTEC powered by a 254hp (258PS) 3.0-liter diesel and priced from £62,650 OTR, which accounts for a two percent increase over the previous model. The long-wheelbase version of the same model costs £65,650 OTR.

Next up is the S 400 Hybrid L SE Line featuring a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid with 302hp (306PS) and an electric boost of 20 kW (27 hp) priced at £69,650 OTR, while the S 500 L AMG Line with a 449hp (455PS) 4.7-liter V8 starts at £88,130 OTR.

The new range offers buyers standard and long wheelbase options, as well as two trim grades, the SE Line and AMG Line, and a choice of three different rear seat packages ranging from three seats, to two individual seats complete with the ability seats to recline to an angle of 43.5 degrees and the option to simulate a hot stone massage (sic).

Understandably, the new S-Class' standard and options lists are as big as the car itself, but we will mention that improved levels of standard equipment over the outgoing model include the addition of a reversing camera, COMAND Online NTG 5, full LED Intelligent Light System, DAB digital radio and Keyless Start. Available features include the Magic Body Control suspension system priced at £4,340 on the S500.

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Mercedes-Benz Lifts the Covers Off the All-New 2014 S-Class Sedan

Take a moment and scroll down to see all of the photos of the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, so that you can more clearly put into perspective what you will read here. This car will influence the luxury sector starting now and until it is replaced by an all-new model somewhere around the year 2020 (wonder what that’s going to be like?).

As you’re probably expecting, it’s packed with electronic gadgets, one more useful than the next. It’s all very safe, green and innovative, while also being wrapped in one of the prettiest bodies Mercedes has made in a while.

The restrained design is backed up by excellent proportions, which are emphasized by the deep side creases. It is a very different car than the one it replaces, but since it must also bridge the gap left in the lineup after Mercedes gave up on Maybach, it feels even more premium than the outgoing model that is still considered a class leader in many respects even today, despite being an 8-year-old model.

So what does the new S-Class bring to the segment? Well, aside from the headlights (full-LED with 56 diodes each), which have an odd shape, we say it’s design is quite successful and very modern - its sleek profile grants it another advantage in making it the most aerodynamically-efficient S-Class ever (Cd 0.24).

Also, despite having a sloping roofline and tapering rear, it benefits in driver and passenger space all-round, with rear occupants gaining an extra 14 mm of legroom.

The interior is still one of the key selling points for the W222-codenamed S-Class, and Mercedes has managed to bringing something new here, as well. It is very clean and architectural in its design, looking more like than that of a Bentley than anything else, with few visible buttons – most of the functions can be controlled via a central rotary knob. The steering wheel has only two columns and a limited number of buttons.

The features you can now get with the flagship are simply astonishing. The heated armrests still sound a bit strange to us, but give it a few years and you’ll get it as standard from Volvo, or some other cold-conscious manufacturer… How about the camera system that monitors the road, pre-adjusting the suspension to cope with changing conditions or imperfections, and adapting on the fly? There’s also inflatable rear seatbelts – you now strap yourself into the bag, instead of waiting for it to cushion your impact with anything hard…

So far, we only have information on the European lineup of engines, which consists of the S400 Hybrid, S500, S350 BlueTec and S300 BlueTec Hybrid. The first two variants run on gasoline; one is a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid with 302 hp and an electric boost of 20 kW (27 hp), while the other is a 4.7-liter V8 with 448 hp – it pushes the car to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.8 seconds. The other two variants are the diesels, and while the S350 is pretty straightforward, featuring a 3.0-liter diesel with 254 hp, it’s the other variant that’s the most interesting.

The S300 BlueTec Hybrid uses the same 2.1-liter four-cylinder engine as the old but unsuccessful S250 CDI. However, here it is boosted by the same 20 kW electric motor as S400 Hybrid. This means it can do 150 mph (240 km/h), hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.6 seconds and return a claimed 4.4 l/100km at the same time – this equates to 64.2 mpg UK or 53.4 mpg US, and it’s the last of a very impressive set of figures and features. There’s a lot more we could say about the new S-Class, but we will probably break that down into separate pieces which we will post once we ourselves completely get our heads around it.

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