A facelifted Mercedes S-Class will arrive later this year, with a range of new, more economical engines – and EQ Power branding on hybrid versions.
While the next S-Class is expected to gain only minor exterior tweaks in its 2017 update, significant changes are expected under the metal. The flagship Mercedes has long been seen as a technology pioneer and will be the first car in the range to get a 48v electrical system – something already in use on the Audi Q7 SUV.
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As part of the German company's plans to offer more environmentally friendly cars – which will include new electric and hybrid models featuring the EQ Power name – the higher-voltage electrical system will enable functions such as the water pump, air-conditioning and power steering to be electrically powered instead of mechanically connected to the engine. This promises to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
2017 Mercedes S-Class engines
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A twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine – related to the one used in the Mercedes E-Class AMG E63 sports saloon – will be offered for those drivers for whom performance is all-important. However, an all-new twin-turbocharged 402bhp six-cylinder will be the more innovative of the new petrol engines for the S-Class, as it'll take advantage of the 48v electrical supply.
This technology will also be used by a new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. Both will feature an electrically driven water pump and an all-in-one 'starter alternator'. This is said to make initially starting the car quicker and is smooth enough to enable the engine to shut down when coasting and not merely when idling in traffic – where current stop-start systems function.
Few precise figures have yet been revealed, but Mercedes claims the new six-cylinder petrol matches the power output of the current V8 engine, while emitting 15% less CO2 than today's V6.
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Mercedes will also introduce its most powerful diesel car engine yet, in the guise of an all-new straight-six that'll appear in the S-Class before any other model. Mercedes claims a power output of 308bhp for the new engine – a gain of 53bhp over the present V6 diesel – while using 7% less fuel.
Although Mercedes has traditionally restricted UK versions of the S-Class to six, eight and 12-cylinder engines, company sources have suggested that a twin-turbo version of its 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel is under development. This recently launched engine has already been seen in the latest Mercedes C-Class and E-Class – and a more powerful version could potentially find its way under the bonnet of the S-Class.
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Mercedes EQ Power brand
In a bid to increase global awareness of its EQ Power+ label, Mercedes has dressed its 2017 Formula One car in a livery that promotes the brand.
'EQ Power' will appear on every Mercedes plug-in hybrid car – including the facelifted S-Class hybrid – while the 'EQ Power+' label will be reserved for forthcoming high-powered hybrid models developed with AMG – the company's performance arm.
AMG Chairman Tobias Moers told our sister title Auto Express that petrol-electric AMG models would one day be "mandatory". At least one Mercedes-AMG hybrid model is known to be in the pipeline – a 1,000bhp hypercar developed from the technology used by its championship-winning V6 turbo hybrid F1 cars. It's currently officially dubbed 'Project One' and 300 examples are set to be produced, with a reveal expected in 2018.
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As well as plug-in hybrid versions of Mercedes' usual model line-up, a range of fully electric vehicles is expected. The Mercedes EQ Concept was revealed at the 2016 Paris Motor Show in the form of a purely electric SUV with a projected range of 310 miles. A production version of this will likely be the first standalone EQ Power model offered and is expected on sale in 2019. Mercedes has pledged to launch nine more models under the EQ umbrella by 2025.
Source: www.bing.com