Mercedes-Benz sets the world standard for premium luxury with its flagship S-Class line. To keep the S-Class on top, Mercedes-Benz imbues these sedans with extraordinary luxury, room and craftsmanship. And, from a new 31 mpg (highway) clean diesel model to a 621-hp 12-cylinder road rocket, the S-Class also offers a wide breadth of unique model choices.

 

With the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz sets the benchmark in its segment in more ways than ever for 2012. Debuting three new powertrains for 2012, the S-Class (MSRP starting at $91,850 for the S400 HYBRID) also points toward the future of luxury performance.

 

Today, saying “S-Class” means talking about six markedly different versions of the long-wheelbase premium luxury model. Remarkably, each comes with its own unique powertrain and is not simply a different trim line. In that way, Mercedes-Benz caters to the luxury customer as no other brand does.

 

Mercedes-Benz S-Class models all share a 124.6-inch-long wheelbase chassis, which, among other things, provides a generous 42.3 inches of rear-seat legroom. Inside, premium finishes abound in the S-Class with artistically applied wood and leather accentuating cabins that would not be out of place in a private jet. Standard 16-way power front seats feature heating and active ventilation, along with four-chamber pneumatic lumbar support. You can also equip the S-Class with eight-way power rear seats.

 

You can combine the heating and ventilation features to circulate heat throughout the seat more quickly on cold, damp days. When the heat and humidity of summer return, Active Ventilated seats help keep you cooler and your clothes dryer. The S-Class surrounds you in premium sound from the standard 600-watt, 15-speaker harman/kardon^® LOGIC7^® surround-sound system. Audiophiles can upgrade to the even more sonically stunning Bang & Olufsen^® BeoSound^™ premium sound system featuring 15 high-performance speakers, four acoustic lenses and 1,200 total watts from two amplifiers.

 

What truly separates the S-Class from other luxury sedans is a ride quality that you must experience firsthand to appreciate. The AIRMATIC semi-active suspension system employs electronically controlled air springs that continually adjust to changing driving conditions. You can also select between “Sport” and “Comfort” modes, depending on your own mood. Even as you add passengers and cargo, the AIRMATIC system automatically compensates, keeping the vehicle level. At higher speeds, the system lowers the car slightly to improve aerodynamics.

 

Long known for its engine innovations, Mercedes-Benz introduces new power and efficiency in the 2012 S-Class. Joining the high-efficiency S400 HYBRID, the new S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC^™ model offers exceptional, 31 mpg fuel efficiency in highway driving. This new high-tech clean-diesel model impresses with a 240-hp turbocharged V6 that produces a massive 455 lb/ft of torque. Because that torque comes in at a super-low 1,600 to 2,400 rpm, you and your passengers especially feel the car’s immediate, powerful thrust in urban driving and when merging onto highways. The engine remains quiet and seamlessly powerful under all conditions; you’d expect nothing less from an S-Class.

 

The S550 also gets a new engine this year, a twin-turbocharged, direct-injection 4.6-liter V8 that offers more power than the 5.5-liter engine it replaces while using less fuel. The new S550 serves up 429 hp and 516 lb/ft of torque, numbers you might associate with a 12-cylinder engine. Another twin-turbo V8 appears in the S63 AMG model, a 5.5-liter, 536-hp masterpiece. With the optional AMG Performance Package, these figures increase to 563 hp and 664 lb/ft, enough to accelerate the S63 AMG from zero-to-60 mph in just 4.3 seconds.

 

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class line still offers two V12-powered models – the S600 with its 510 hp, and the ultra-performance S65 AMG with a staggering 621 hp and 738 lb/ft of torque.

 

As you’d expect, technology in the 2012 S-Class comes second to none. Safety innovations include ATTENTION ASSIST, which can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents in the U.S. each year. The available SPLITVIEW dual-content front view screen allows the driver to use the navigation screen while the front passenger watches a movie. (The driver cannot view movies while the car is moving.)

 

Mercedes-Benz engineers the S-Class to cover long distances at high speeds on Germany’s Autobahn superhighways while providing the utmost comfort to the driver and passengers. Come in and see how well the S-Class will treat you and your passengers on America’s roads.