Mercedes Benz has now unveiled the new S-Class. The luxury limousine has undergone a comprehensive cometic makeover. The 2021 Mercedes Benz S Class is based on the brand’s new design philosophy of sensual purity. Here are the top 5 things you need to know about the 2021 Mercedes Benz S Class.
1. Designed as a classical saloon
The new Mercedes Benz S-Class has been completely redesigned. The new design elements include the new high status radiator grille, new front bumper with large air intakes, new LED headlamps, flush-fitting door handles and wraparound LED tail-lamps. The shape of the headlamps and the tail-lamps has also been redesigned. The new Mercedes Benz S Class is 34 mm longer, 22 mm wider and 12 mm taller than the previous generation. The wheelbase, too, has been increased by 51 mm, by which the rear-seat passenger legroom has been increased by 24 mm. The new S-Class will be available with 18 to 21-inch alloy wheels.
2. Second generation MBUX
The second generation MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) now debuts in the new S-Class. The interior is even more digital and intelligent, as both the hardware and software have made great strides. The dashboard now houses a 12.8-inch tablet-style OLED infotainment screen and a 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument display. The new S-Class comes with 3 screens at the back – two mounted on the front seat backs and one armrest-mounted tablet for the rear-seat passengers. The “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant now supports 27 languages with natural language understanding (NLU).
3. Automated driving function
It is expected that from the second half of 2021 the S-Class will be able to drive in conditionally automated mode with the new DRIVE PILOT (optional extra), in situations where traffic density is high or in tailbacks, on suitable motorway sections in Germany. By taking pressure off the driver, this allows them to undertake secondary activities such as browsing on the internet or dealing with emails in the In-Car Office, and so win extra time. However, a driver is still required. The driver must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times when prompted to intervene by the vehicle
4. Rear passenger front airbag
The new optional rear airbag is the world’s first frontal airbag for the two passengers on the outer rear seats. Its design with an innovative, tubular structure is unique. As a result it deploys especially gently, and in severe frontal collisions it can greatly reduce the loads acting on the heads and necks of the outer rear passengers.
5. Rear-axle steering system
The new Mercedes Benz S Class comes with a rear-axle steering system, which turns the rear wheels by up to 10 degrees in the opposite direction of the front axle when parking, and by up to 4.5 degrees in the same direction as the front axle at speeds of over 60kph. An electric motor drives a spindle at the rear axle via a drive belt. This makes axial adjustments to the spindle.
With rear-axle steering and a large steering angle at the rear, the turning circle of the S-Class is reduced by up to 2 metres. This gives the long-wheelbase S-Class a turning circle of less than 11 metres. When opting for this feature, customers have a choice between two variants, one with a rear steering angle of up to ten degrees and one with up to 4.5 degrees.
Also Read: 2021 Mercedes Benz S Class Safety Features explained