S-Class (W223) 2021 to Present

New 2026 S Class - Pics?

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Old Jun 29, 2025 | 03:32 PM
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New 2026 S Class - Pics?

There are so many fake pics of new model cars all over the Internet - it's hard to tell what is real and what isn't.

I found one for the new 2026 S-Class that I hope is not real...

It shows the new headlights with the Mercedes star emblem in them and the new tail lights with the Mercedes star in them (much like the new E-class).

Someone please tell me that this is not the new 2026 S-Class.

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Old Jun 29, 2025 | 04:28 PM
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2026 is unchanged from 2025. 2027 will be the refresh.

It will undoubtedly have the star headlights and taillights.
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Old Jun 29, 2025 | 04:42 PM
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Does anyone here actually like the star taillights on the new E-Class...?

I think it makes the car look cheap and gimmicky...

And they want to put them on the S-Class? Along with the headlights?



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Old Jun 29, 2025 | 05:43 PM
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I've yet to see any pictures of a 26 from a reputable source, nor a reputable source stating the stars are a done deal for MY2026. As a general rule, revised fascia, headlights, taillights, that sort of thing, tend to come with the refresh when said refresh is right around the corner. I'm thinking it's possible that the lights show up on the 27s, with the 26s largely carry over. Something supporting this is that the "new" options are, by and large, actually old options that are being spread around the lineup. Things like getting the AMG appearance with exec, 4-seater in a vanilla S-class, access to new colors which are already in the catalog, etc. It's almost all sitting in the parts bin already. Furthermore, putting them on the car this year, would detract some of the punch from the refresh, which isn't typical. They normally want a visual in and out with a refresh, and all rumor has the lights/slightly revised fascia being pretty much it for new exterior visuals that are supposed to be making it look "new" and reinvigorate sales.

All that said, I don't know a damn thing, just spouting some guesses. A little experience behind them, but they're guesses for sure. Salt advised.

Oh yeah, I don't like the lights either, excessive branding isn't my groove.
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Old Jun 29, 2025 | 09:12 PM
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Originally Posted by polo1
Does anyone here actually like the star taillights on the new E-Class...?

I think it makes the car look cheap and gimmicky...

And they want to put them on the S-Class? Along with the headlights?
I didn't like them when they first came out but now I don't even think about them when I look at one. The new E Class looks great IMO

Originally Posted by crabman
I've yet to see any pictures of a 26 from a reputable source, nor a reputable source stating the stars are a done deal for MY2026. As a general rule, revised fascia, headlights, taillights, that sort of thing, tend to come with the refresh when said refresh is right around the corner. I'm thinking it's possible that the lights show up on the 27s, with the 26s largely carry over. Something supporting this is that the "new" options are, by and large, actually old options that are being spread around the lineup. Things like getting the AMG appearance with exec, 4-seater in a vanilla S-class, access to new colors which are already in the catalog, etc. It's almost all sitting in the parts bin already. Furthermore, putting them on the car this year, would detract some of the punch from the refresh, which isn't typical. They normally want a visual in and out with a refresh, and all rumor has the lights/slightly revised fascia being pretty much it for new exterior visuals that are supposed to be making it look "new" and reinvigorate sales.

All that said, I don't know a damn thing, just spouting some guesses. A little experience behind them, but they're guesses for sure. Salt advised.

Oh yeah, I don't like the lights either, excessive branding isn't my groove.
You can see the stars in the actual camouflaged test vehicles.





We know 100% that MY2026 is unchanged with no new anything because the order guide is already out.


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Old Jun 30, 2025 | 01:13 PM
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Wow... what a huge disappointment...

A gimmicky (and cheap looking) S-Class... who would have thought...

What the hell is Mercedes thinking...

And a 6 year refresh...
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Old Jun 30, 2025 | 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by polo1
Wow... what a huge disappointment...

A gimmicky (and cheap looking) S-Class... who would have thought...

What the hell is Mercedes thinking...

And a 6 year refresh...
I would wait and see what the final product looks like before you pass judgement. I think it will likely look fine, as the E Class does now.

As to what is Mercedes thinking, they're thinking that younger buyers and Chinese buyers like these kinds of embellishments and that's the buyer that is the future of their brand. As for the 6 year refresh, the market for this car is not anywhere close to what it used to be, longer refresh times and allocating of R&D resources to faster selling vehicles must be expected.
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Old Jun 30, 2025 | 04:32 PM
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The delay is due in part to Euro 7 pushing back, they wanted the car to conform, and it's just finally hitting next month. There is also the changing structure of their EV rollout: While pulling back significantly, they still see the future as eventually moving to EVs, and are trying to stretch out legacy models further to reduce costs associated with both their refreshes, and new models. The execs were saying back toward the start of 223 was that they envisioned a 10 year run and refresh at 5, with that ending the ICE S class. That of course, went out the window; Ola Källenius has stated on multiple occasions that Mercedes will produce combustion-engine cars “well into the 2030s,” including a future ICE S‑Class.

Of course, the all EV by year X, done by most of the OEMs, was never going to happen. Still, it's more a matter of when, than if, and evolving EV market strategy combined with the desire to minimize capital investments into a dead-end technology (ICE) is playing out with many of these decisions.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 03:46 AM
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Originally Posted by polo1
Wow... what a huge disappointment...

A gimmicky (and cheap looking) S-Class... who would have thought...

What the hell is Mercedes thinking...

And a 6 year refresh...
Don't worry, it should grow on you. I can't wait to see it and the increased amount of wood and there was a row of buttons : )
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 10:27 AM
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Losing that huge cheap looking black plastic center console piece will be a big win, for sure. On the other hand, I never preferred the hyper screen for this car. It looks to me like a big piece of glass with 3 screens behind it. What we have now is far more elegant, and functionally, is the same in use. When stepping back it isn't hard to look at what's there, imagine it's wood instead of cheap black plastic, and suddenly, it's fixed. At least in my mind. I do recognize it's obviously gone, and I think the hyper isn't terrible, but I don't think it's all good. While they hyper is more techy, it's also not as luxurious a look.

I'm waiting to see the actual result with the exterior; I greatly dislike excessive branding, but I'll have to see it in person. I think the E class looks worse because of it, although I can't say I absolutely hate it.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by crabman
Losing that huge cheap looking black plastic center console piece will be a big win, for sure. On the other hand, I never preferred the hyper screen for this car. It looks to me like a big piece of glass with 3 screens behind it. What we have now is far more elegant, and functionally, is the same in use. When stepping back it isn't hard to look at what's there, imagine it's wood instead of cheap black plastic, and suddenly, it's fixed. At least in my mind. I do recognize it's obviously gone, and I think the hyper isn't terrible, but I don't think it's all good. While they hyper is more techy, it's also not as luxurious a look.

I'm waiting to see the actual result with the exterior; I greatly dislike excessive branding, but I'll have to see it in person. I think the E class looks worse because of it, although I can't say I absolutely hate it.
Yes, big win. I'm sure there will be a non super-screen option same as in the E Class.

They make covers for the piano black plastic, but nothing really compelling for the S Class specifically. I like this stitched one for the C/GLC:



And an alcantara one:


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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 11:47 AM
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I have the feeling that the non-hyper may lock me out of higher tier packages, that will include it, or prevent me from optioning it in conjunction with other options. I hope to be wrong. I tend to agree that it will probaly be an option, but I'm not certain. It wouldn't leave me gasping in surprise, if they gave the S Class the hyper as a default, being the best and all that... *rolls eyes*

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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 04:56 PM
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Thats not the case with the E Class. You do not need to buy the superscreen to buy any of the high end packages.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 05:48 PM
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I heard a rumor re new body style S Class and Maybach. Let’s just say you guys will be impressed. Buttons are back under center display for climate, no more haptic seat or steering wheel controls, crystal mbux controller between seats, string of pearls AC vents and analog clock a la w222. More aggressive exterior styling and tablets in rear doors like 7 series. Cross hatch grey grill like w126 but snout like and tall/narrow like w108. Passenger display is optional and just brings a single display for the front dash from driver to passenger, otherwise wood in front of passenger e class like central display and 3 analog like separately housed gauges in front of the driver that are actually three separate screens. No stars in headlights or taillights.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 05:48 PM
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I personally like the way the W214 looks. It's a very handsome sedan for sure.
But the taillight design of the W223 is more classy and upscale looking than the W214.
The little LED light pillars give it a 3-dimensional depth, whereas the E class has just the surface-lit star shaped LED.

I'm interested in seeing how they refreshed the interior. Hopefully more buttons and less haptic controls.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 07:00 PM
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Originally Posted by CSLA
I heard a rumor re new body style S Class and Maybach. Let’s just say you guys will be impressed. Buttons are back under center display for climate, no more haptic seat or steering wheel controls, crystal mbux controller between seats, string of pearls AC vents and analog clock a la w222. More aggressive exterior styling and tablets in rear doors like 7 series. Cross hatch grey grill like w126 but snout like and tall/narrow like w108. Passenger display is optional and just brings a single display for the front dash from driver to passenger, otherwise wood in front of passenger e class like central display and 3 analog like separately housed gauges in front of the driver that are actually three separate screens. No stars in headlights or taillights.
We’ve seen the stars on the test mules, the stars are coming. I don’t believe much of this.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 07:56 PM
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The spy shots show the stars, also the buttons under the center display. The steering wheel in some of the spy shots has two physical and the rest haptic, in some of the pics.

@SW20S The EQS has transitioned over to hyper only, but before, it was optional on the lower model, and came standard on the 580. Or do I remember that wrong?
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 07:57 PM
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It’s not the refresh but the next gen. Don’t believe it.

Originally Posted by SW20S
We’ve seen the stars on the test mules, the stars are coming. I don’t believe much of this.
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 07:57 PM
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EQS went to all hyperscreen but that’s a way more tech forward car. I would be very surprised if they did that with the S Class
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Old Jul 1, 2025 | 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by CSLA
It’s not the refresh but the next gen. Don’t believe it.
We’re talking about the refresh. The test mules we have seen are obviously the refresh, the front and rear clips are the only parts camouflaged and the doors are carried over. Next gen is many years away still.
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Old Jul 2, 2025 | 04:23 AM
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Originally Posted by nearwater4me
I personally like the way the W214 looks. It's a very handsome sedan for sure.
But the taillight design of the W223 is more classy and upscale looking than the W214.
The little LED light pillars give it a 3-dimensional depth, whereas the E class has just the surface-lit star shaped LED.

I'm interested in seeing how they refreshed the interior. Hopefully more buttons and less haptic controls.
It (the taillights of pre-facelift W223) was called the skyscraper design I think.
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Old Jul 2, 2025 | 04:24 AM
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Originally Posted by crabman
Losing that huge cheap looking black plastic center console piece will be a big win, for sure. On the other hand, I never preferred the hyper screen for this car. It looks to me like a big piece of glass with 3 screens behind it. What we have now is far more elegant, and functionally, is the same in use. When stepping back it isn't hard to look at what's there, imagine it's wood instead of cheap black plastic, and suddenly, it's fixed. At least in my mind. I do recognize it's obviously gone, and I think the hyper isn't terrible, but I don't think it's all good. While they hyper is more techy, it's also not as luxurious a look.

I'm waiting to see the actual result with the exterior; I greatly dislike excessive branding, but I'll have to see it in person. I think the E class looks worse because of it, although I can't say I absolutely hate it.
What do you think of the screen layout of the Vision EQXX and the new 2026 CLA? Future MB models might adapt a similar design.
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Old Jul 2, 2025 | 04:26 AM
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Originally Posted by CSLA
I heard a rumor re new body style S Class and Maybach. Let’s just say you guys will be impressed. Buttons are back under center display for climate, no more haptic seat or steering wheel controls, crystal mbux controller between seats, string of pearls AC vents and analog clock a la w222. More aggressive exterior styling and tablets in rear doors like 7 series. Cross hatch grey grill like w126 but snout like and tall/narrow like w108. Passenger display is optional and just brings a single display for the front dash from driver to passenger, otherwise wood in front of passenger e class like central display and 3 analog like separately housed gauges in front of the driver that are actually three separate screens. No stars in headlights or taillights.
Are you sure this rumour wasn't one of those many AI generated videos on youtube?
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Old Jul 2, 2025 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
What do you think of the screen layout of the Vision EQXX and the new 2026 CLA? Future MB models might adapt a similar design.
I think it lacks any elegance whatsoever, and I'm a big form over function guy, that likes industrial/ purposeful/mechanical looks. In that form, it also lacks any sense of luxury, of decadence. I can't imagine it inside an S Class without serious revision; the only box it checks for me is that it loses the multiple screens behind a glass slab aspect.
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Old Jul 2, 2025 | 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by crabman
I think it lacks any elegance whatsoever, and I'm a big form over function guy, that likes industrial/ purposeful/mechanical looks. In that form, it also lacks any sense of luxury, of decadence. I can't imagine it inside an S Class without serious revision; the only box it checks for me is that it loses the multiple screens behind a glass slab aspect.
I see, thank you for sharing your opinion, hopefully it looks better in person.
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