This is a good point - What do you think the cost to repair out of warranty would be?

Hmm. Speculation going wild...
Unlike Audi having zero experience with adaptive suspensions and MB having decades of it and all of their suspensions being rock-solid for many years we are now speculating on repair risk and costs?
This is not outside their area of expertise and moving to 48V makes things easier, not more difficult.

Uhh...

No. These are basically completely new systems and the voltages at which they power them are close to irrelevant. These electric motors exert a tremendous amount of current and force and will do so under many tough circumstances.

tldr; way too soon to tell. - I would not own any German flagship, especially with these systems without extended warranty.

My point is that Mercedes have longstanding experience with suspensions (unlike Audi) so developing a new one doesn't start from scratch. Managing current and electric motors is also quite a bit simpler than 3000+psi hydraulics.
If there risk in any new product and tech? To some extend yet we buy new tech all the time... I am waiting for getting my iPhone 12Pro right now

Is the current track record for Mercedes is an indication (engines, suspensions, MBUX) we are in good shape...
The biggest issue they have had were US vendor quality for the GLE/GLS interior, etc. components

Do you guys think that the cost to repair E-ABC out of warranty could ever significantly exceed the cost to buy the option in the first place?

For example, let's imagine the option is $8,000 - would the cost exceed that $8,000 + reasonable amount of labor?

If you get the extended warranty, and then exceed it, then if your worst-case expense is $8,000 +/- then this seems fine to me. I think where I would be unhappy is if the cost out of warranty was say $30,000.

Re: Warranty - speaking for myself - I think getting the extended warranty is a no-brainer. If you are buying a $150K car, just get the extended warranty.

Vast majority of S Class cars are leases. At least here in the US. No real need for warranty.

OK , so... just to sum it all up.
Are you happy with just Airmatic and /or MBC?
If so, then so be it. For everyone else, look elsewhere and don't turn back.

German... French... Romulan...
Doesn't matter.
Thing is that the bar for what is deemed premium quality has been lowered tremendously across the board and MB cars are no exception.
I miss my W126.

So I do have an update from my dealer which is that there is now a tentative build date of January. So that is something.

However, the guy who deals directly with Mercedes corporate is still out (some kind of family issue) and so they don't have an update on E-ABC yet. Hopefully next week.

So, it’s been awhile. Any news as to when EABC will be entering production?

Here is the latest from my dealer:

Thank you for your message. I had training on the new S Class today and I asked your question re: the E ActiveBody Control. They indicated that it could be available in 2022 but definitely would not be available in the 2021 model year.

I then replied back later asking this:

Thanks for the update. I was watching some of the coverage today for the Maybach 2021 S-class and Mercedes was again out saying that E-Active Body Control is an option for the 2021 model year. Is it possible that it will be based on build dates, and build dates after say March will have the option of E-Active Body Control?

And here is his latest reply:

You're welcome. With the launch of the Maybach 2021 S-Class it is conveivable that they would release the Maybach with the E ActiveBody Control for 2021 model year, but the most likely scenario is that the feature will be shelved for all variants till the 2022 model year. While "possible" it is highly unlikely that the E-ActiveBody Control will be an option for any of the MY 2021 build dates.

So this is not looking good. It still seems possible that they will release it for 2021 MY, but it seems more likely at this point that MY 2022 will have an early start as was previously rumored. Worst case scenario is that it is just delayed until MY2022 which would be late in the 2021 calendar year.

Now I have a choice to make - do I stick with my January build date or try to push in the perhaps vain hopes of getting it. I suppose I could also push until MY 2022.

Curious what other folks are doing?

Well, I think the W223 is a beautiful car. The dash & screens are a bit much for me, but I can probably live with them. That said, I did not want a first year new S Class with just SO many new features and new tech. So, several months ago, I ordered myself a new 2020 S560. I’ll probably end up with a 2022 or 2023 S Class, which will, hopefully, have all the bugs worked out of it and all the glorious options available to order. Lots of wonderful, new and CPO W222’s out there. A proven car that can be had at a huge discount right now.

Might not be a bad idea - this is a list of some of the major missing features in the US:

- Digital Light
- E-ABC
- Intelligent Drive Pilot

My dealer actually did suggest if I absolutely had to have all the features, maybe just do a 1 year lease on a 2020 S class and then buy the 2021 when it is fully out.

My current thinking is stick with the purchase and then maybe get the V-12 Maybach at facelift time.

Approximately what month is a vehicle designated MY2022 production?

Typically, it's been the fall of the previous year or fall 2021 for a 2022 model but in recent years all of the manufacturers including MB have pushed that date back to earlier in the previous year. That might then mean earlier in 2021 but I don't know if that's been announced by MB yet. Maybe MBUSA might know more about it possibly?

I always understood the fall of each year the next years cars are available at dealerships.

But my question is “around” what month does production at factory start? June? To be designated an MY the following year.

The new model factory production start date has also begun to change and now vary like the at the dealership on sale dates of new models gets earlier and earlier.