- The current S-Class will receive a mid-year update in 2026, keeping current engine options and introducing design upgrades.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class will receive a mid-life update in the first half of 2026. The German automaker recently announced that its top-floor ultra-luxury sedan will undergo a major upgrade in a makeover. Although a new generation of S-class tier with combustion and electric powertrains is in the pipeline, the current generation model will adhere to the plan and retain the same engine options currently available. The 2026 S-Class will be part of the largest product campaign ever for luxury brands, including “dozens of new or refreshed models that won’t reach the market until 2027.”
The upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class modification will be based on the same platform as before and is expected to continue to offer the same engine options. These may include a 3.0-liter six-cylinder diesel engine rated at 286 bhp and 600 nm of torque and a 3.0-liter warming hybrid petrol unit that can combine 381 bhp and 500 nm of torque. The top-tier Mercedes-AMG S63 E performance is expected to get the same update along with its 4.0-liter V8 Biturbo powerplant, allowing both 802 bhp and 900 nm of torque to get the same update.
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Most changes will be in the design aspect, which may include new headlights, air intakes and an updated front bumper design. The 2026 S-Class may be cabin upgraded, including remodeled dashboards with super-screen displays, such as those found on the EQS all-electric sedan.
For the next generation of S-Class, Mercedes will develop both Ice Power and all-electric iterations. The ICE version will be built on a car platform with a combustion engine, but the S-Class EV will be based on a dedicated platform. As a result, the latter cannot be considered an electric power equivalent and is expected to replace the equation.
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Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is investing heavily in the development of combustion engines after shrinking its overly ambitious electric vehicle program. The automaker said in 2021 that plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles will account for half of the brand’s total sales by 2025. Three years later, Mercedes released new forecasts for investors, who said EVS and PHEVS were saying that total sales in 2030 were as high as 50%. By 2030, the statement only limits “only market restrictions are allowed in the market.”
In that document, Mercedes continues to say that it will continue to cater to different customer preferences until the 2030s. That said, automakers will continue to sell cars with combustion engines over the next decade.
In 2024, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius said the automaker invested more in updating an ice-powered S-Class sedan than it usually costs in a traditional makeover. Over the years, combustion engines have to be updated regularly to meet increasingly stringent emission standards. The German automaker is expected to update all relevant combustion engines for the upcoming Euro 7 specifications, including specifications for the 2026 S-Class makeover.
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