The Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan will get a six-cylinder engine with the introduction of the new S450 in the U.S. this fall. It’s part of a new range of engines for the S class, which is being re-engineered for the 2018 model year. Mercedes unveiled the 2018 S class on Tuesday at the Shanghai auto show.
The exterior undergoes a nip and tuck that includes a new grille and a redesigned lower bumper section. Inside, Mercedes has added two new high-resolution displays that are 12.3 inches long each. The steering wheel has also been redesigned.
Mercedes said last week the 2018 S class will also be equipped with the latest autonomous driving technology. The S450 becomes the new base model for the line. It is powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 twin-turbo engine that produces 362 hp.
The current base model gets a new name for 2018 — the S560 instead of S550 — and will be powered by a smaller V-8 with higher output than the outgoing V-8. The S560 has a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 producing 463 hp and features cylinder deactivation that shuts down half its cylinders in lighter-load driving situations.
Mercedes calls it one of the most economical V-8 engines in the world and says it consumes 10 percent less fuel than the predecessor engine.
The Mercedes-AMG S63 gets a new handcrafted 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with cylinder deactivation producing 603 hp. Despite the smaller displacement, that output is higher than that of the outgoing 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 in that model. The Mercedes-Maybach S560 4MATIC also gets a version of that engine.
