MotorTrend: 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Continues Its Flagship Mission

Mercedes-Benz has built luxury sedans for nearly 100 years. For roughly half that time, the pinnacle of those vehicles has been the S-Class. In that time, the S-Class has not merely been the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz portfolio, it has also served as the benchmark of design, engineering, and refinement for the global automotive industry. 

Mercedes-Benz is diligent about keeping the S-Class ahead of the curve, resulting in periodic substantial updates, as we see with the 2027 model. MotorTrend took its first drive of this new superlative sedan, and this Mercedes-Benz of Plano post takes you along for the ride. 

The two biggest updates to the 2027 S-Class occur under the hood and behind the digital displays behind the dash. Not all the changes are invisible, however. There are new headlights, each with a pair of LED daytime driving lights patterned after the famed three-pointed star. LEDs also illuminate the grille, which is now 20% larger and filled with bright tri-star mesh trim. The famed Mercedes-Benz hood ornament above can also be illuminated. The basic body is unchanged until you get to the rear, where, within the full-width tail light trim, are three triangular LED elements on each side.  

Inside, a glass instrument panel that stretches door-to-door houses a 12.3-inch configurable display for the driver, a 12.3-inch display for the front passenger, and a 14.4-inch center touchscreen. These interfaces are all controlled by an updated fourth-generation MBUX user interface system, which now includes features designed to assist with highway lane changes and backing down long, winding driveways. The MBUX virtual assistant employs generative AI to facilitate complex, natural conversations and has short-term memory. 

The new S-Class also incorporates the car-to-X communication system first introduced on the CLA. Not only does this system allow for Mercedes-Benz vehicles to relay safety and traffic information with other drivers, it can also allow S-Classes equipped with the available E-Active Body Control to adjust suspension parameters for potholes or other poor road surfaces ahead – further allowing the S-Class to deliver the most serene experience possible to its passengers. 

The S 580’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 may seem familiar at first glance, but it has been substantially re-engineered to improve power delivery, refinement, and overall efficiency.  This engine is rated at 530 horsepower, peaking between 5500 and 6100 rpm, and a stout 553 lb-ft of torque, which is delivered between 2500 – 4500 rpm. Mercedes-Benz claims this engine is capable of moving the S580 from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. 

The S 500’s 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine also received attention, receiving a more powerful electric supercharger. The engine’s 442-horsepower rating remains unchanged, but its peak power delivery arrives 300 rpm earlier than in prior models. Torque has increased to 443 lb-ft, which can briefly be boosted to 472 during hard acceleration. 

The S 580e features a plug-in hybrid setup that pairs the inline-six engine with a 161-hp electric motor powered, which is powered by a 288.6-kWh battery pack. This yields a total system output of 576 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, along with improved fuel economy, though the EPA mpg and EV range estimates are not yet available.  

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, MotorTrend’s favorite S-Class variant was the least expensive and powerful model in the line. “The entry-level S 500 4MATIC® impresses with its improved refinement and low- to midrange punch, and with less weight over the front wheels, it feels marginally more alert through the twisties than its V-8-powered sibling.” 

You may decide differently when the vehicles arrive in fall 2026. If interested, we invite you to contact one of our sales professionals for updates on these details and, of course, when the first models arrive in the vast Mercedes-Benz of Plano new-car inventory, ready for your test drive.