itschase

A friend sent me these photos from his phone - he called me immediately when he saw this pair parked in his hotel parking lot. Thought I would share...

Diesel Benz

A face lift model. Perhaps the badge should read S400 hybrid?

trumpet1

Thanks for posting. I never knew the 350 was coming this way. Is that a 6 cylinder?

Diesel Benz

Yes, I assume you would call it "half an engine"?

AsianML

I like the new grille.

QuadBenz

It's not bad.. I'm not the fondest of the new lights but they're growing on me quite a bit. I want to see the new S in person. Which hotel was this at?

Germancar1

Wow...could they really be testing the S350 for a U.S. market introduction? Hmmm....interesting. I always thought they'd bring over the S450 before the S350.

S350, S400, S550, S600 S63, S65....that could be.

If they do offer an S350 they should offer it in both long and short wheelbases. Would be really neat is to have the S350 introduce the direct-injection version of the 3.5L V6 to the U.S. market....288 or so hp instead of 268.


M

Oxygen

Those look like the non-US models due to the lack of orange side markers.

hstmercedes

If you look closely, the Orange markers MAY be covered with tape.

If this model were to be available here, it would probably have MB Tex as standard interior. Can you imagine an S-Class with an MB Tex interior?

Just my thoughts.

AsianML

What makes you think that?

QuadBenz

I'd think even an S350 would have real leather. What do current S350's in Europe have as standard?

AsianML

Leather. Even the W220 S350 had leather.

pmb600

I don't think the S350 is coming this way. This isn't a US model, doesn't have that orange side marker. The German engineers routinely do testing all over the world (cold weather in Norway & Sweden, hot in Cali/Nevada/Africa/Middle East).

QuadBenz

I think you're right. If you look closely, you can see that there isn't one and that there's nothing covered in tape in that area.

pmb600

Yeah that was what I always look for. Living in NJ, I have seen one or two taped up cars (being so close to MB HQ) and they always have the side marker.

Diesel Benz

MB Tex is not available for the W221 in Europe. Actually MB Tex is not popular at all in Europe like one can see for the W204 or W211 cars in the US.

But we have cloth seats quite often. I doubt cloth would be available for US cars, even if an S350 was sold there. Cloth is available for the smaller engine variants of the 221 in Europe. Actually I would have preferred cloth myself but it was not available with the other options I wanted.

QuadBenz

I've never seen a W221 with cloth. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction please?

RedG

No offense, considering there is no US S350 it would stand to reason these are non-US models being tested here.

benz_addict

They are test cars. Look at the front license plate holder they are the long European ones!

AustinGuy

Uuumm... how do we know that these pics were taken in the US?



If I had to bet a $1, I'd say these are pics taken in Las Vegas, Spain.

trumpet1

I'm not so sure I like that chrome strip running across the entire bottom of the front bumper. I like the monochromatic appearance of Benz's in the past. I like some chrome but I feel that piece is too much.

Satan

Because there are SUV's all around the 2 cars. You see an Escalade or some big van in the reflection, and there is a jeep grand cherokee on the other side.

pmb600

S-Class facelift has already been presented, there would have probably been a press release if they were introducing new models.

RedG

Best bet is that in Europe The Jeep Cherokee's have completely clear sidemarkers, in the states, they are required to have amber/orange side reflectors.

itschase

Those were taken in the states. Save yourself the detective work. The Cherokee has yellow - check the gamma settings on your monitor.