There's no denying that the Tesla Model S has reshaped the premium car market, with the Model 3 doing pretty much the same to the segment below. The cost of autopilot seems too high at first, considering German automakers use more/better sensors. But the S-Class seems to be working on swarm-like technology.
Our spies in Germany were able to capture a fleet of W223 S-Class prototypes testing together as a compact group, and it's not the first time this has happened. Usually, you don't see more than one or two prototypes of one kind, since road testing in a group has no benefits.
The two main goals of this procedure are probably comfort and autonomy. By communicating with each other, the S-Class prototypes can adapt to road conditions, such as traffic lights, surface bumps, climate or even lighting. Why? When it comes to flagships, it's more a question of "why not?" as gesture controls or remote parking are now becoming convenience features for regular cars after debuting on cars like the 7 Series or S-Class.
WalkoArt, our Stuttgart spy, also captures glimpses of the interior and… it's not what we expected. The most famous W223 spyshots revealed a huge center screen dominating the dashboard, which we put at around 16 inches. But today, we see a smaller single screen.
Based on a new platform, this S-Class will have a much longer wheelbase and wider tracks than its predecessor. At the same time, it should rely mostly on the latest 3.0-liter and 2.9-liter straight-six gasoline and diesel engines. Mercedes is also working on more powerful electric motors and compact PHEV batteries that can deliver up to 100 km (62 miles) of pure EV range.
