Autocar has just outed some spy shots of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class as it was being tested. The upcoming vehicle, which has a codename of W222, isn’t due officially until 2013, and the pictures still show a heavily covered-up vehicle to hide the car’s exterior from the public eye.
While not much gets past the extensive camouflage of the upcoming S-Class, there’s definitely some amazing curves lurking behind all that cladding. That’s because the new S-Class is supposedly going to take some design inspiration off the F700 concept showcased at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The car will be powered by a new range of V6 and V8 petrol engines from the MoVe line, along with some diesels—including the smallest S-Class engine, the 2.2-liter four-cylinder used by the S250 CDI that goes for 201 brake horsepower.
It is said that the upcoming S-Class will not be using any cabin designs from current models, although it may take some interior cues from the last Geneva Motor Show concept, the F800 Style. There should be extensive use of wood and aluminum with heavily contoured design architecture.
Of course, no S-Class is complete without a full line of the latest technology Merc can cram inside a vehicle. A couple of front-facing video cameras included in the rear-view mirror console is one of the features expected to be among the tech specs of the next S-Class. There’s also a next-gen damping system called Magic Ride Control, which is said to be able to reduce movements of the car body by half. It will also include pedestrian detection and a low-speed cruise control system.
