Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222)


The Mercedes-Benz W222 is the sixth generation of the Mercedes Benz S-Class; it was produced from 2013 to 2020, serving as the successor to the W221 S-Class and predecessor to the W223 S-Class. The W222 was designed in 2009 by Korean designer Il-hun Yoon, who drew inspiration from the Mercedes-Benz F700 concept car. The exterior design was developed by a team under the direction of the Slovenian car designer Robert Lešnik. The W222 has a design theme similar to the C-Class (W205) and E-Class (W213).
In Europe, sales of the S400 Hybrid, S350 BlueTEC, S350 BlueTEC Hybrid, and S500 began in September 2013; and sales of the S550 in the United States also began on that same month. The four-wheel drive model went on sale in November, and additional models, including V12 models and those from AMG, were released in 2014.
The W222 S-Class debuted on 15 May 2013, in Hamburg, Germany, and entered production in Sindelfingen, Germany, in June 2013.
Production of the W222 ended in September 2020 with the introduction of its successor, the S-Class (W223).

Suspension

Mercedes' hydropneumatic, active suspension, known as Active Body Control, was updated with a system dubbed Magic Body Control, which is fitted with a road-sensing system that pre-scans the road for uneven surfaces, potholes, and bumps. Using a stereo camera, the system scans the road surface up to 15 meters ahead of the vehicle at speeds up to, and it adjusts the shock damping at each wheel to account for imperfections in the road. As of 2017, MBC was not available on any of the 4Matic models.

Models

The vehicle was unveiled at Airbus in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, followed by Shanghai's Mercedes-Benz Arena, and the 2013 Osaka Motor Show. The new S-Class became available to order in May 2013, with official arrival at Mercedes-Benz dealers on 20 July 2013.
Early models included S 400 Hybrid, S 500, S 350 BlueTEC, followed by the S 300 BlueTEC Hybrid in early 2014.
US models went on sale for the 2014 model year; the lineup initially included only the long-wheelbase "S550" in September 2013, and the long-wheelbase S 550 4Matic, which arrived in November 2013. Auto Bild measured the LWB as the quietest among cars such as the Rolls-Royce Ghost and the Bentley Flying Spur in 2014.
European models went on sale at the end of July 2013, followed by China at the end of September 2013, and the US in October 2013.
Delivery in Japan began in November 2013. Early models include the S 400 Hybrid, S 400 Hybrid Exclusive, S 550 LWB, S 63 AMG LWB, S 63 AMG 4Matic LWB. The S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC, S 600, and S 65 AMG Saloon arrived at dealer showrooms in March 2014.
There is also the "S500 Intelligent Drive", which is a self-driving version of the S 500 sedan, using sensors that are also available in the production version of the S-Class. The car uses the sensors to capture the massive amounts of data in traffic. The vehicle was officially unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

S 63 AMG, S 63 AMG 4MATIC (2013–2020)

Available in short and long wheelbases, the S 63 AMG is a version of the S-Class saloon with the twin turbocharged M157 V8 engine rated at at 5,500 rpm and at 2,250-3,750 rpm. It features an AMG SpeedShift MCT 7-speed sports transmission, ESP Curve Dynamic Assist, 2 suspension types, a weight-optimised AMG high-performance composite brake system, AMG sports exhaust system, and a lightweight 78 Ah lithium-ion battery. Exterior features include 10-spoke or Siena 5 twin spokes, AMG forged light-alloy wheels, aluminium body panels, front apron with three large air dams with grille in high-gloss black, flics in high-gloss black on the side air intakes and side sill panels with three-dimensional inserts in silver chrome. Interior features include an AMG sports steering wheel, AMG door sill panels, AMG floor mats, AMG sports pedals in brushed stainless steel with rubber studs, a spare wheel recess made of carbon fibre, ambient lighting, Attention Assist, Collision Prevention Assist, COMAND Online, 10 loudspeakers with Frontbass, Pre-Safe Plus, Tyre pressure loss warning system, LED High-Performance headlamps, and DISTRONIC PLUS.
AMG Performance Studio options include an AMG Exterior Carbon-Fibre package, AMG ceramic high-performance composite brake system, AMG carbon-fibre engine cover, AMG performance steering wheel in black Nappa leather / DINAMICA, AMG trim in carbon fibre/black piano lacquer, and red brake callipers.
Other options include Air-Balance package, Burmester surround sound system, Burmester high-end 3D surround sound system, Business Telephony in the rear, Chauffeur package, designo appointments packages, Executive seat, Exclusive package, First-Class rear suite, folding tables in the rear, LED Intelligent Light System, Seat Comfort package including ENERGIZING massage function, and Warmth Comfort package.
The US model of the S 63 AMG 4Matic included an increased top speed of, and was set to go on sale in November 2013.

S 65 AMG (2014–2019)

The S 65 AMG is a version of the long wheelbase S-Class sedan with an AMG 6.0-litre V12 biturbo engine rated at at 4,800 rpm and at 2,300-4,300 rpm. Some of the features include a 78 Ah lithium-ion battery, seven-speed automatic transmission, AMG sports suspension with MAGIC BODY CONTROL with Crosswind stabilization, ESP Dynamic Cornering Assist, electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive sports steering with variable steering ratio, optional AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system, 20-inch AMG 16-spoke light-alloy wheels, front apron with three large cooling air intakes, grilles and flics on the side air intakes in high-gloss chrome and dark paint colours, exclusive carbon-fibre/aluminium engine cover, high-gloss black rear diffuser insert, AMG sports exhaust system with twin tailpipes, and the V12 radiator grille with six twin louvres, side sill panels, door pins, and more finished in high-gloss chrome. The interior upholstery is finished in exclusive nappa leather with a choice of 5 colour schemes, with newly contoured seat cushions and backrests, seats and door centre panels in an exclusive diamond-pattern design, delineated perforations in the upholstery of the seats, and no perforations in the leather wherever there is contrasting topstitching. The dashboard, steering wheel rim, roof grab handles and roof liner are also all wrapped in leather. The interior features a 2-spoke AMG sports steering wheel, additional wood trim, AMG stainless-steel door sill panels illuminated in white, aluminium shift paddles, analogue clock in an exclusive IWC design, AMG instrument cluster with two animated round dials on TFT colour display, head-up display, and a 6.5 x 4.5 centimeters touchpad integrated into the handrest with a cover for the keypad.
AMG Performance Studio options include an AMG exterior carbon-fibre package, AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system, AMG performance steering wheel in Nappa leather/DINAMICA, AMG trim in carbon-fibre/black piano lacquer, and red brake calipers.
Other options include a 360° camera, Business Telephony in the rear, designo appointments packages, an executive seat, a first-class rear suite, an individual entertainment system in the rear, folding tables in the rear, and a warmth comfort package.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2013 Los Angeles International Auto Show and the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, followed by the 2013 Osaka Motor Show.
The vehicle was set to go on sale in March 2014.
On 24 February 2019, Mercedes-Benz announced the S 65 Final Edition with a limited run of 130 units, and unveiled it at the Geneva Auto Salon on 2 March 2019. This model marked the end of the era of the V12 engine within AMG; however, the M279 V12 engine continued on in non AMG models such as the Mercedes-Maybach S 650 and S 680 Guard 4MATIC. The Final Edition is finished in Obsidian Black metallic paint, with bronze highlights in the front and rear bumpers, underneath the doors, as well as bronze-coloured 20-inch alloy wheels. The special AMG emblems are affixed to the C-pillars. The interior is trimmed in black Exclusive Nappa leather, with special carbon ornamental elements, and bronze-stitching black foot mats. Production ended in November 2019.

S 500 e (2014–2017)

The S 550 e is a plug-in hybrid version of the long wheelbase S-Class sedan, with a 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine rated at and and an electric motor rated at and, and with an externally rechargeable 8.7kWh battery pack. It features 4 hybrid operating modes, second-generation regenerative braking system, haptic accelerator pedal, pre-entry climate control of the interior, and Intelligent HYBRID with charging management based on COMAND Online navigation data.
The all electric range is about under the New European Driving Cycle. Under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tests, the S 500 e has an all-electric range of, with some gasoline consumption. So, the actual all-electric range is rated between.
The EPA, under its five-cycle tests, rated the 2015 S 500 e energy consumption in all-electric mode at 59 kWh per 100 miles, which translates into a combined city/highway fuel economy of 58 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent . When powered only by the gasoline engine, EPA's official combined city/highway fuel economy is.
The production vehicle was unveiled in Toronto in 2013, followed by the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Deliveries began in September 2014 in Europe, starting at a price of . The U.S. launch was slated for early 2015. A total of 17 units were registered in Germany as of 2014. According to JATO Dynamics, a total of 38 units were registered in Europe through September 2014.

S 600

The S 600 is a version of the long-wheelbase S-Class sedan with a 6.0-litre V12 biturbo engine rated at and at 1,900 rpm. Features include ECO start/stop function, optional touchpad, optional head-up display, Collision Prevention Assist Plus, and optional electric windscreen heating. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2014 North American International Auto Show and went on sale in March 2014.

Mercedes-Maybach

In 2015, Mercedes brought back the Maybach name as a sub-brand of the Mercedes lineup. The first model produced was the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, designed to compete against the Bentley Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII. At long with a wheelbase of, the new model is approximately larger, in both dimensions, compared to the long-wheelbase S-Class models.
The Mercedes-Maybach is available in S 500 and S 600 models, with 4MATIC optional, with the V8 engine and V12 for the latter. Mercedes also claims that the S Class is the world's quietest production car. The basic car has colour options and the option of a rear bench seat or 2 reclining rear seats. Options include air-conditioned, heated, and massaging seats; heated armrests; a system to pump agarwood scented ionised air around the cabin; first-class suite for the rear cabin; and a 24-speaker, 1,540 watt Burmester High-End 3D surround sound system.
Assembly of the Maybach S 500 started in Pune, India, in September 2015, India being the second country to produce a Maybach.
In 2017, the facelift S 600 was discontinued, while the S 650 was introduced.
The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 and S 650 were also available in a Pullman version, a chauffeur-driven sedan that includes a partition-separated rear passenger compartment with two sets of paired-facing seats. This version is equipped with the V12 dual-turbocharger gasoline engine, the seven-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive. The same vehicle is additionally available as an armoured version, known as the Pullman Guard.
At the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show, a new Chinese-only Mercedes-Maybach S 680 was introduced for the 2018 model year and onward. In China and other Asian countries, the number 8 is very auspicious, being closely associated with luck and wealth; hence, Mercedes' decision to name it as they did. The S 680 is essentially identical to the S 650 where equipment is concerned.

Specifications

Engines (2013–2017)

  • With optional extra-cost AMG Driver Package
  • Badged as S 400 HYBRID, S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID, S 350 BlueTEC, S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC and S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID before 2015

W222 facelift (2017–2020)

A mid-cycle refresh was unveiled in April 2017 and entered production on 3 July 2017 for the 2018 model year. The refresh introduces the new 48-volt integrated starter/alternator, ENERGIZING Comfort Control, and updated autonomous driving technologies. The grille is updated to differentiate between six and eight-cylinder engine versions and long wheelbase and V12 versions. The headlamps and taillamps are also revised with new, enhanced LED technology.
A new range of six-cylinder inline petrol and diesel engines is offered with electrification. This marks the return of six-cylinder inline engines to the S-Class, since the last one was offered in 2005. The engine is for both petrol and diesel engines. The sole gas V6 engine is in the S 560 e with a plug-in hybrid system. The four-cylinder inline engine with a hybrid system was removed from the S-Class model range. Additionally, the old 4.7-litre V8 petrol engine is replaced by the new AMG-engineered 4.0-litre biturbo V8, consolidating the V8 engine range to one size. 2019 marks the final year of the S 65 AMG, with 130 units to be finished in obsidian black metallic paint with bronze highlights on the body and alloy wheels. However, the 6.0-litre V12 AMG carries on in the Maybach S 650 after the production of the S 65 AMG ended.
Inline 6 and V8 engines are now paired with the 9-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission while V12 engines continue to use the 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission.
The S 63 AMG 4MATIC+ became the sole choice for the V8 version of the S-Class from AMG, eliminating the previous rear-wheel-drive version.

Engines (2017–2020)

  • With optional extra cost AMG Driver's Package