Photo: Instagram | vburlapp
Latest reports indicate that both the S-Class (ICE) and SQA (Electric vehicle) will be refreshed in 2025 and 2026, respectively, and their mid-cycle updates should keep them hot for a few more years. Expect the usual visual overhauls front and rear, a few cabin tweaks, and perhaps a few things under the skin, though we wouldn't hold our breath for the latter.
But what does the future hold for Mercedes’ flagship sedans? Well, it looks like the EQS will be on its way out after its mid-cycle refresh, while the S-Class will survive into the next decade. However, to ensure its sole surviving four-door flagship model remains popular, the three-pointed star brand will give it both ICE and EV firepower.
It looks like the next generation Mercedes S-Class and its Maybach and AMG versions (there's no reason to suspect they won't survive) will use the MB.EA Large architecture, you know, the one that was supposed to be cancelled. It looks like the battery-electric S-Class will be based on this construction, while its internal combustion counterpart could use an updated version of the current MRA.
Photo: Instagram | vburlapp
Visually, the two models should look pretty much the same, which is no surprise, given that Mercedes already applied this strategy to the latest G-Wagen. Mind you, given that the next-generation S-Class (ICE and EV) is still a few years away, with rumors of a possible 2030 introduction, it’s likely that the design is far from finalized. As such, we can’t tell you what it will look like inside and out, nor how much power it will have in its different configurations.
Fueled by this information that the next-gen Mercedes S-Class could launch with both EV and ICE power, the rendering crowd has started to imagine what it might look like. The latest digital illustration depicting this model was created by vburlapp on Instagram and shows an unrealistic interpretation of the flagship sedan. The CGI car looks like a larger version of the long-defunct CLS due to its sloping roofline and, for the most part, we like the fresh styling.
We certainly wouldn't complain if Mercedes decided to make the next-generation S-Class exactly like this one, as we're all for expanding the four-door coupe offerings. However, Mercedes won't go that route, as the next S-Class will remain a traditional, large sedan with plenty of premium touches. But do you like this virtual model as much as we do?