Mercedes brought back the S-Class Coupe for the 2015 model year and with it came the best design, technology, and luxury features the German automaker had to offer at the time. It was heavily based on the S-Class Coupe Concept that debuted in Frankfurt back in 2014 and came with one of two engines: a 3.0-liter V-6 with 367 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque or a 4.7-liter V-8 with 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It’s only been a couple of years since the new S-Class entered the market, and Mercedes is now busy preparing the car’s first facelift – a venture that should manifest itself for the 2018 model year. Little is known about the facelift at this point but considering it’s Mercedes that we’re talking about, there isn’t going to be much. Expect to see new exterior light units, new front and rear fascias, and a few minor changes inside – maybe even a new instrument cluster or steering wheel.
With that said, we’ve already seen shots of the sedan test mule putting in work, and now we’re finally laying our eyes on its Coupe sibling. It’s not wearing any camo, but it does sport an unfinished front fascia and a little bit of tape over the rear lights. It’s time of debut has yet to be announced, but considering this facelift will be of the minimalist nature, and it’s slated for the 2018 model year, sometime in the third quarter of this year sounds like a good prediction. So, let’s dive on in and see what the updated S-Class Coupe is working with.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 Mercedes S-Class Coupe.
Exterior
As is the usual case with Mercedes facelifts, there’s not going to be massive amounts of change to the body of the S-Class. In fact, changes will be rather limited with the biggest modifications coming in the form of a new front fascia. Right now, the mule is sporting a decoy fascia that is void of any trim elements in the corner. If we go by the look of the current front fascia, the 2018 S-Class will feature a much smaller air dam and wider corner inserts. Then again, considering this isn’t a production fascia, it could change dramatically by the time we see it in production form. I tend to lean toward the smaller air dam look, as this would be nice and fresh compared to the current design. This mule is sporting the current, production headlights, but we should see the newly designed units later on this year before the car’s official debut. Expect to see a different LED DRL pattern and a revised lens layout.
There’s not going to be massive amounts of change to the body of the S-Class. In fact, changes will be rather limited with the biggest modifications coming in the form of a new front fascia.
There will be zero changes to the side profile, however, there are a couple of things to touch base on when it comes to the rear of the S-Class coupe. The most noticeable thing to mention is the tape that’s blocking off the taillights. This obviously means that we’ll see a new lens layout. For now, we can’t make out much, but it looks like the reverse lights will be moved within the lens while a new matrix layout should provide a slightly sportier appearance. As far as the rear fascia goes, it is what I like to call a partial decoy. The same corner vents should reside on the updated model, and the same body line will travel the width of the fascia. The real change will come into play further down, where the exhaust outlets are now split in the middle. Right now, they are integrated into the fascia itself, but the production model should get a revised, diffuser-like insert that will still serve has home for the rear reflectors but will feature a different design that’ll help freshen up the rear a little more. Again, it’s all mild stuff, but it’ll keep the car relevant until at least 2020.
Interior
The image you see above comes from a set of spy shots that we received of the S-Class Convertible but should be representative of what we’ll see in the coupe as well. As you can see, the steering wheel is covered up, ultimately indicating that a new steering wheel will enter the fold. More importantly, however, is the wide instrument cluster/infotainment display that all but defines the dashboard. It’s already been seen in the spy shots of the facelifted sedan, so it really doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but should be a nice update compared to the current model.
There will only be other little changes like revised door skins, and some new color options at best.
Outside of that, there will only be other little changes like revised door skins, and some new color options at best. The same seats and controls should carry over, while all other interior specifications should remain the same. As far as the steering wheel goes, expect the same general look with the same central hub, but different, thinner spokes and more refined thumb controls.
Drivetrain
A $120,000+ vehicle isn’t going to be a slouch when it comes to performance and usability, but don’t expect any surprises in this department from the updated model. The current model comes in various flavors, with the entry model being the S 400. It’s not available here in the U.S. but makes use of a 3.0-liter V-6 that delivers 367 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. It hits 62 mph in 4.6 seconds and is electronically limited to 155 mph. Here in the U.S., we get the S550, which comes correct with a 4.7-liter Biturbo V-8 that delivers a cool 449 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It hits the 60-mph sprint in 4.5 seconds and is also electronically limited to 155 mph.
Of course, who can forget the S63 and S65 coupes? The S63 delivers 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque from a hand-built 5.5-liter V-8 while the S65 delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque from a hand-built 6.0-liter V-8. The S63 hits 60 mph in 3.8 seconds while the S65 gets there in 4.0 seconds. Top speed is – you guessed it – limited to 155 mph. These specs will most likely remain the same for 2018, and most likely through the rest of this generation’s life. But, with those kinds of credentials, who can really argue?
Back to the standard coupe, here in the U.S., the facelifted model should still manage to pull 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. All U.S. models should get 4Matic AWD as standard equipment to go with that 9G-Tronic, nine-speed automatic. Merc may make some minor mapping adjustments to the transmission’s software to provide better and smoother shift points in some driving modes, but don’t expect anything too wild – this is, after all, a Mercedes facelift. It’s all about refinement and Merc is good at it.
Pricing
Here in the U.S., the Current S-Class Coupe starts out at $122,750 in S550 4Matic form. Anything other than that will have you walking over to the AMG side of the dealership, where you’ll look at the S63 Coupe for $164,750 or the S65 Coupe at $236,250. With the facelift, pricing will increase marginally, but nothing that your wallet will actually notice – not if you’re someone who’s able to spend more than $100,000 on a car, anyway. Expect to see the S550 start out at $123,400 while the S63 will increase to around $165,300 and the S65 to somewhere around $237,000.
Competition
The S-Class Coupe kind of sits in its own weird little niche with next to no on-point competitors. So, we have to reach a little, but there are a few decent options – even if they are a little more expensive.
Lexus LC 500
The Lexus LC500 is essentially a production version of the LF-LC Concept from a few years back. It comes with a bold and unique styling that is somehow mixed in with Lexus’ spindle grille and a coupe silhouette that warps the mind a bit. It’s powered by a 5.0-liter V-8 that delivers a decent 467 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque. The LC 500 can hit the 60 mph sprint in 4.5 seconds and should easily exceed 155 mph if not electronically limited. It’s not a slouch on the inside either, with a digital instrument cluster that’s small but stylish, a sexy display in the center of the dash, and some pretty decent upholstery options too. Pricing for the LC 500 has yet to announced, but pricing should fall somewhere in the $140,000 to $150,000 range.
Read more about the Lexus LC 500 here.
Bentley Continental GT
The Continental GT is technically in a different price bracket, and maybe even a different luxury bracket, but when there are so few coupes that can actually compete with the S-Class, sometimes you have to consider paying more. The GT is powered by a 6.0-liter W-12 that delivers 582 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. And, that sounds like a lot compared to the S-Class Coupe, but on the performance front, the sprint to 60 takes about 4.5 seconds, so it can hit the benchmark in the same exact timeframe.
Styling-wise, the Continental speaks for itself with that Bentley grille, sharply defined body lines, and muscular haunches. Meanwhile, the interior is about as luxurious as it can really get, so you might pay quite a bit more with a price tag of around $194,000, but it doesn’t come without its benefits if you can manage to squeeze out that kind of cheddar.
Find out more about the Bentley Continental GT here.
Conclusion
We’ve still got a good six months before the S-Class Coupe will make its official debut, so we could very well see more spy shots that include the updated fascias and lights out in the open. They’ll probably be wrapped in camo, of course, but we will see more of the updated coupe before the sheet officially comes off. Until then, check out our gallery of spy shots and let us know what you think about it so far in our comments section below.