Mercedes S-Class facelift spotted in autobahn-storming S 63 guise

For a car that’s built its reputation on being ahead of the curve in terms of luxurious technology, excitement is building for the updated Mercedes S-Class. Due to arrive in 2026, we’ve already seen the limousine testing – but we’ve only just caught the hot S 63 variant on the road for the first time.

According to Mercedes in a recent financial results report, we can expect a ‘major upgrade’ for the S-Class, with Mercedes' CEO Ola Källenius stating the company has "invested a lot more in the model update of the new combustion-engined S-Class than we normally spend on a facelift".

To the front, there’s a larger grille (still in Mercedes’ ‘panamerica’ shape), flanked by two slightly reshaped headlights that use the brand’s new three-pointed star daytime running-light style already seen on the recently updated EQS and upcoming electric CLA. 

Changes at the rear include new tail-lights that look to be inspired by the latest E-Class, featuring yet more three-pointed star motifs. These sit above a prominent set of exhaust finishers at the bottom of the lower bumper. The S 63 not only has extra cooling at the front in the form of larger vents, but at the rear the quad-tip exhaust layout has been retained with a subtle central diffuser. 

In typical fashion, the current S-Class was the first Mercedes to introduce a new infotainment system when it arrived in 2020. That portrait-oriented touchscreen is now in use across most of the marque’s C-Class and sports-car ranges. But the latest E-Class has now usurped the S-Class with its new ‘Superscreen’ option, suggesting that a more comprehensive tech update will be on the cards in order to keep the limo feeling like a flagship model. 

We expect to see and hear more about the new S-Class in the coming months, with an unveiling possible later this year, ahead of going on sale in 2026. 

The S 63’s powertrain is unlikely to change drastically, although that’s no bad thing. The plug-in hybrid S 63 E Performance mixes a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with a battery pack sending power to a supplementary electric motor for a total of 791bhp and 1,430Nm of torque. 

With a 3.3-second zero to 62mph time and 180mph top speed with the optional AMG Driver’s Package, we’ve never yearned for more oomph from the S 63 – although we hope its 13.1kWh battery is swapped out for the S 580 e plug-in hybrid’s 28.6kWh unit to improve the 21-mile electric range. 

The current seventh-generation Mercedes S-Class went into production in 2020, with a range with petrol, diesel and hybrid engines, leaving all-electric power to the EQS. That won’t change with the facelifted S-Class either because Mercedes claims it has a range of ‘future-proof’ engines ready to meet Euro-7 emissions guidelines. That line-up spans four to eight-cylinder units, with 12-cylinder options still being made for certain markets. Beyond this year, Mercedes says investments into combustion-engine technology will remain limited, thanks in part to a ‘reduction in powertrain complexity’ and ‘modularisation between BEV and electrified high-tech ICE products’.

Further hybridisation should be part of the powertrain strategy. However, the brand’s pragmatic approach to offering diesels in models that fundamentally suit them should mean they remain an option here in the UK – though that’s not a given when rivals such as BMW and Audi no longer offer any diesel variants of their full-size saloons.

Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...