New Mercedes-Benz S-Class spotted on test

- The seventh-gen S-Class will hit the roads sometime next year

- Will include hybrid and pure-electric models

Our spy photographers have shot the S-Class being tested on public roads with less camouflage. This essentially means that the car will be ready before its due launch sometime in 2021. 

On the looks front, although the new S-Class seems to retain the basic shape of the earlier body shell, it will have a restyled nose, and head lamps similar to the ones in the latest CLS-Class.

In all, the new seventh-generation S-Class will be crafted with a range of new electrified powertrains, tech and advanced features. Enough to easily allow it to compete against its longstanding rivals; the Audi A8 and the BMW 7 Series.

For the first time, the S-Class will be built to support two different models; a standard version with plug-in hybrid capability, and a pure-electric model under the EQ wing. While the standard model will be good for a range of about 100km, the latter EQ S, which is expected to go on sale in the year 2022, can run for 499km on a charge-full. 

Going ahead, reports state that Mercedes only plans for a long-wheelbase version of the standard S-Class car. The reason being that the evolution of the E-Class (dimension-wise) will get it hovering around the standard length of the S-Class.

On a different note, with the new S-Class inching closer to finalisation, the S-Class Guard was also captured in images. We could make out the difference due to the specialised wheels and the thicker glass-panes on this test mule (shown below).

In terms of safety, this iteration should also get its predecessor’s VR10 rating, which is the highest one for ballistic protection. Enough for the car to shield its occupants from machine gun rounds, bomb blasts and other explosives.

Do let us know what you think about the new upcoming S-Class in the comments section.