The facelifted W223 Mercedes-Benz S-Class has made its first appearance in Malaysia, although this is not an official local launch just yet. Instead, the refreshed flagship sedan arrived in Kuala Lumpur as part of Mercedes-Benz’s “140 Years. 140 Places” global tour, which celebrates 140 years since the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, widely recognised as the world’s first
The world tour involves three S-Class units finished in special livery, each carrying personalised Manufaktur headrest embroidery. The cars have already travelled across Europe, the Americas and Asia, and will continue to Australasia and Africa before returning to Stuttgart.
By the time the cars reached Kuala Lumpur, they had covered nearly 38,000 km. Mercedes-Benz says the total mileage is expected to exceed 50,000 km by the end of the tour.
While the local event is part of a global celebration, the bigger point of interest is the facelifted S-Class itself. Mercedes-Benz describes this as one of the most significant updates it has ever made to the S-Class, with around 2,700 components either new or reengineered.
On the outside, the facelifted S-Class gets a much larger grille, now around 20% bigger than before. The grille surround can also be illuminated for the first time, while the design incorporates multiple Mercedes-Benz star motifs, including on the radar sensor.
The star theme continues with new headlamps featuring quadruple star graphics, joined visually to the grille by a gloss black frame. At the rear, the taillights also adopt star-shaped lighting elements, linked by a new two-tone black and chrome strip.
The Digital Light headlamps have also been upgraded with a new chip, increasing the illumination field by 40%. High beams can project up to 600 metres ahead and now swivel to optimise cornering coverage, while the adaptive high beam system is said to better highlight poorly lit pedestrians without dazzling oncoming traffic.
Inside, the facelifted S-Class drops the previous portrait-style central screen in favour of the MBUX Superscreen layout. This combines a 14.4-inch centre touchscreen and a 12.3-inch passenger display under a single glass panel, paired with a 12.3-inch freestanding driver display.
The infotainment system runs on the latest Mercedes-Benz Operating System with fourth-generation MBUX, Google Maps navigation and upgraded “Hey Mercedes” voice control. The system also supports generative AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
Mercedes-Benz has also revised the steering wheel controls, bringing back physical rocker and roller-style buttons. The centre console now features dual wireless chargers, illuminated cupholders and 100-watt USB-C ports.
As expected from an S-Class, rear-seat comfort remains a major focus. The rear displays are now larger at 13.1 inches, while the previous single tablet controller has been replaced by twin detachable touchscreen remotes. Cameras are also fitted for video calls, including Microsoft Teams support.
Depending on specification, the rear cabin can be had with reclining rear seats, heating, ventilation, massage, wireless charging, four-zone climate control, a built-in ottoman, or a four-seat First Class layout with a full-length centre console, fridge and fold-out tables.
Globally, the facelifted S-Class is offered with a range of updated mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines. These include 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol engines in the S450 4Matic and S500 4Matic, diesel options in the S350d and S450d, and plug-in hybrid variants such as the S450e and S580e with up to 100 km of pure electric range. The range-topping S580 also receives a new flat-plane crank V8, with output increased to 537 PS and 750 Nm.
For Malaysia, Mercedes-Benz has yet to confirm the official launch timing or local variant line-up. The current S-Class sold here is the locally assembled S580e priced from RM 738k, while the AMG S63 E Performance is also available locally.