Peek inside the new Mercedes S-Class: 'luxo-barge' unveiled in Abu Dhabi

Potential customers got to see the German brand's latest release at a series of events in the UAE capital

The covers are off the new Mercedes S-Class. All photos courtesy EMC and Daimler AG

The new stylings of the S-Class mark it out as a classical sedan.

Visitors sit in the new S-Class.

The new S-Class sits alongside seven of its ancestors.

You won't get bored in the back.

The lights on the S-Class are smaller but brighter than in previous models.

There are five screens in the S-Class.

An early reveal shot of the S-Class from 2020.

The view from the rear.

Much has been made of the new Mercedes S-Class, but a handful of potential customers in Abu Dhabi got to see the model up close at a glitzy event this week.

Small groups of visitors were shown around a number of themed rooms at a villa in the grounds of the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in the UAE capital, before being taken for a chauffeur-driven trip in the new model.

The rooms showcased features of the new car, including its design and technological aspects.

Highlights include rear-wheel steering and air suspension, so expect a supple-riding saloon that handles with tautness and agility. Inside, you’ll find a cutting-edge cockpit with a 3D instrument cluster and a massive OLED touchscreen.

The S-Class, which is frequently referred to in motoring circles as a luxo-barge, is being marketed as a vehicle to be driven in, as well as driving yourself, hence the chauffeur trip. It is, so Mercedes says, a car where “luxury meets the highest possible levels of motoring innovation”.

“The arrival of the brand-new S-Class is a cause for great excitement, with the state-of-the-art sedan sparking huge levels of interest among our clientele,” said Lawrence Good, general manager at Emirates Motor Company, Passenger Cars.

The latest S-Class is now in its seventh generation, with the first car rolling off production lines way back in 1972. Ever since its introduction, it has been the flagship vehicle for Mercedes-Benz and remains one of the world’s best-selling luxury sedans.

The vehicle is priced from Dh498,542.