The New Flagship of Mercedes-Benz Has Everything to Prove

It’s a critical juncture for the grand flagship of Mercedes-Benz, the S-Class, a luxury land-yacht that has been synonymous with money and power since the 1970s. Big sedans are out of favour and big SUVs are in, not to mention the fact that the combustion-engine S-Class now faces a threat from within; it shares its top spot in the Mercedes sedan lineup with the electric EQS.

In part at least, that explains why, for 2026, the white-coated engineers at Mercedes have given their flagship S-Class an unusually extensive overhaul.