One could try to do justice to the new S-Class only to a limited extent. One could even mock the star from the old days, which looks almost completely lost on the smooth hood, when the badge in front of it seems to be completely sufficient for a neutral observer. Also may some people find the new radiator grill strange and bigger. But it is not so dominant anymore.

After that, perhaps the comparatively restrained use of chrome would be praiseworthy, as well as the rear end, where the tail lights reaching into the tailgate for the first time. The exhaust ports are really functional. Should the renewed growth of the car, the normal version even more than the long version, be considered an advantage? Of course, it is sufficiently motorized, and with the V8 and AMG versions it will even still increase. A PlugIn will be available from 2021 with DC charging capability and allegedly 100 km range.

Which brings us slowly into the really exciting area of this car. A high mechanical part is invested in the steerable rear axle, which can counter-steer so strongly that the turning circle of the previous long S-Class has shrunk by 2 to 10.9 m (picture below) The spring-damper units are a little bit more electric and hydraulic and can be individually adjusted to noticeable unevenness in the road and the two of them lift the body by up to 8 cm in the event of an impending side impact.

When we approach the car, the door handles fold out, if the (special) equipment KEYLESS GO was ordered, by the way also in case of accidents. Enormous, the again lowered c_W value (pictures below). Unusual, the main light switch in the door, fortunately not rationalized away. One encounters a steering wheel with a possibly smooth rim, which is padded on the inside after all. You look directly at a screen with still much greater use for the head-up display behind it, which can conjure up data on the road (augmented reality).

The new Digital Lights can also do this as a programmable image. Their resolution, e.g. for dimming, has increased from 84 (!) to 2.6 million pixels. Three bright LEDs and 1.3 million micro mirrors make it possible. Even the head of passengers can be precisely hidden. And so that sufficient attention is paid to this, symbols can be drawn on the road to indicate this.

The seats may have been subjected to vibrations from bass speakers. They could already massage. On request, they contain, completely new, airbags for the rear-seat passengers. Not everyone will like the cushions in front of the headrests, maybe even heatable, as well as any other surface on which you could lay your arms. The center console is bent upwards to form a 12.8" OLED display, in time for it to be operated from the driver's seat.

The screen behind the steering wheel is 3D capable. You don't need special glasses for the spatial impression. However, this only applies to the driver whose eyes are assessed by a special camera.

Apparently, the lidar sensor does not necessarily have to be placed on the roof anymore. The new S-Class has it in the radiator grille. Automated driving of up to 60 km/h is promised for autumn 2021. There is no statement of changing lanes or letting go of the steering wheel for a longer period of time, which is still far from level 3.

What every potential buyer has to try out for himself is the voice control. It's available in 26 languages and it really seems to live up to its name. It even takes into account the direction from which it is addressed. The only thing missing is that one day you can flirt with it. Apart from that, the whole range of instruments can put you in pretty much any mood, of course only positive ones.

According to Mercedes, there will be no further body variant based on the S-Class, in contrast to the current situation. The previous version, which has sold over half a million units, was available from 2013 for 80,000 euros. Most recently, this price had risen to 90,000 Euros, with this new S-Class as the basic version to 100,000, of course just a little below that again.