- The 2026 S-Class facelift adds the EQS-inspired Hyperscreen display.
- Exterior updates include new star-shaped lights and revised grille.
- Powertrains likely mirror the current lineup, including plug-in hybrids.
A new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is just around the corner, and though it’s technically just a facelift, it promises some genuinely meaningful updates. The refreshed model pairs new front and rear designs with a thoroughly revised interior, as Mercedes aims to nudge its flagship sedan even further up the luxury ladder.
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We’ve seen several prototypes on the road over the past year, though few have revealed as much as this one. Wearing production-ready bodywork created to mark 140 years since the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, the car widely regarded as the first production automobile, the latest S-Class test vehicle looks subtly sportier than the version it replaces.
Stars In Its Eyes
This development car wears newly designed headlights, each unit featuring two star-shaped daytime running light clusters that mirror recent styling themes seen across the brand’s lineup.
Read: Facelifted 2027 Mercedes S-Class Shows Its Face After Parts Leak
SHProshots
The overall shape of the lights also appears slightly different. Although the grille is still concealed, it seems marginally larger than the current one, with recent patent leaks suggesting a new design that loosely echoes the Vision Iconic concept. It’s expected to pair with a reworked bumper and redesigned air intake shrouds.
Very little seems to have changed along the sides of the 2026 S-Class, but at the rear, new taillights with revised LED signatures give it a slightly fresher look.
An EQS-Inspired Cabin
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Mercedes has also made plenty of updates to the flagship sedan’s cabin. Whereas the current model has a separate digital gauge cluster and a portrait-oriented infotainment screen floating neatly above the center of the dash, things are changing for 2026.
This prototype is sporting the same basic Hyperscreen as the all-electric EQS, which includes the cluster, infotainment, and passenger displays, all housed within a single piece of glass.
One notable difference between the EQS and the new S-Class is that the latter has a physical engine Start/Stop button on the dash. A new steering wheel has also been fitted, now including a physical rocker switch for the volume controls. Little else is known about the cabin of the new model as it’s almost entirely covered by black fabric.
What About Powertrains?
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There’s no word yet on what powertrains will be offered for the updated S-Class. In all likelihood, it’ll be available with most of the same engines as the current model, albeit likely tweaked for improved performance and efficiency.
These include a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 442 hp as well as a plug-in hybrid with the same engine and a 28.6 kWh battery pack, combining to deliver 503 hp.
A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 496 hp should also return, along with the range-topping S 63 E Performance, which currently produces an impressive 791 hp from its hybrid V8 setup.
