S stands for sophistication with the new Mercedes-Benz saloon

In the (streamed and pre-recorded) launch of the new S-Class, Gorden Wagener stated that ‘minimalism is the true luxury of our time’. He is not the first to voice this opinion, but the new S-Class does exemplify a lot of what has made ’sensual purity’ such a successful design philosophy for Mercedes in recent years.

The exterior of the S-class is subtly different, longer, wider, with a cab-back layout, a lovely, long wheelbase and long bonnet. The C Pillar has been tweaked to give it more mass and emphasise the strength of the rear-wheel drive DNA of this luxury sedan, and the grille is very slightly bigger, but with the sensors carefully integrated. The character lines have been pared right back and the emphasis is firmly on the proportions. The aim of this car is not to boast of its tech (of which there is plenty), but to look classic, which it achieves very well.

The sharp triangular taillight graphics integrated in a new horizontal layout remind us of the pixel lights we loved so much on the Hyundai 45 concept last year. At the front the new ‘digital light’ (optional extra) headlamp technology allows the car to project information on to the road ahead through three powerful LEDs in each headlamp module, surrounded by directional mirrors.

Both the exterior volumes and particularly the interior design remind us of the Maybach Vision 6 cabriolet concept we saw back in 2017, the yacht references with wood and flowing forms, the way the interior brightwork and open-pore woods integrate together with the leather seems to have taken its inspiration from the ideas of luxury explored in that concept, and others we have seen since too.

The flowing shape of the large touchscreen on the IP is echoed nicely in the doors and the horizontal lines of the IP and the cabin are finessed with keylines of light, and a new horizontal layout for the air vents. The large area of wood on the IP in one interior variant is embellished with inlayed aluminium, something seen in a lot of bespoke furniture design in 2019. In another, the wood is replaced with a high-gloss composite with horizontal keylines, which flow elegantly into the doors.

Another interesting development (that we will explore further within the pages of Interior Motives) is that the use of ambient lighting within the S-Class has really taken off. It is not an easy thing to communicate ‘luxury’ with so much and so complex a set of interior lighting moods and themes, but Mercedes designers have kept the materials, technology, screens, ambient lighting and sound systems working well together here.

The MBUX system’s use of colour to communicate information has been expanded and reworked to compelling effect in the larger interior space of the cabin. This could easily have become a nighmarish cascade of colours and information but the designers have pulled off a substantial success – it all feels and looks as if it was developed at the same time, with a thoroughly holistic approach. By picking the colour coding hot and cool, blue and red, and developing those themes, Mercedes has found its balance of progressive and traditional. The active ambient lighting with around 250 LEDs is now integrated into the driving assistance systems, and is able to reinforce their warnings visually. In addition, feedback is possible when operating the climate control system or the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice assistant, for instance. In the active ambience lighting system, there is an LED in an optical fibre every 1.6 centimetres.

The MBUX system has been further developed and rolled out to every seat/passenger in the car, recognising occupants using facial recognition technology when they enter the car. There are multiple massage functions in the ‘business class’ seats and gesture control within the cabin for functions such as closing and opening the sunroof. In China, for instance, passengers will be able to buy meals and book movie tickets using the MBUX assistant and facial recognition technology identifies you when you get in the car and sets the seats, temperature and other preferences as you like them. Advanced driver-assist systems are integrated, which will continue to advance with over-air updates as driving infrastructure and regulations allow.

There is a hybrid and full EV option for the S-Class, and Mercedes is due to show the EQS, the electric model line version of the S-Class in coming months - it will be interesting to see how much of the interior, in particular, changes for the EQ line (we saw the concept exterior in 2019 at Frankfurt).