New Mercedes S-Class revealed on social media

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan has apparently been revealed in spy shots that capture the car's high-tech new interior.

The pictures, which have not been verified, were posted on a Spanish Instagram page and show the car's exterior and interior, with only a light disguise.

German press reports say the upper premium sedan will be available to order in Europe from September with deliveries starting in November.

Mercedes has said that the launch of both the S-Class and the related all-electric EQS sedan are on track despite the coronavirus pandemic that forced the automaker to introduce remote working and temporarily close factories.

The EQS is expected to go on sale next year as a Tesla Model S rival.

The S-Class exterior appears to be evolution of Mercedes' current design, with a wider grille up front and rear lights that now extend into the trunk lid, in a similar fashion to those seen on the current CLS coupe-styled sedan.

Inside, however, the dashboard has been overhauled to place much more emphasis on digital interaction compared with the more analogue functionality of the outgoing model.

A large portrait screen dominates the central console with the previously prominent vents now shrunk and moved up above the screen. Few buttons are visible on the dashboard itself, but more are seen on the steering wheel.

Behind the wheel a freestanding display offers further digital information for the driver with what appears to be a secondary information display behind it.

A shot taken behind the front seats shows large seat-mounted screens positioned for rear passengers.

The S-Class is expected to offer advanced autonomous driving functions, over-the-air updates and new connectivity capabilities.

The S-Class and the EQS upper-premium sedans are "absolutely crucial for the future" of parent Daimler and the cars have "top priority," Mercedes Production Manager Joerg Burzer told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automobilwoche recently.

Burzer said the S-Class is the automaker's most important model for helping to develop new technology and a vital profit generator for the company. The Mercedes Vision EQS concept was unveiled at the 2018 Frankfurt auto show.

The new S-Class and the EQS will be built at Mercedes's Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, near Stuttgart. Production of the current S-Class has restarted in Sindelfingen after the plant was closed in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The new S-Class will only be available as a long-wheelbase version this time, with no shorter model planned, Autocar magazine has reported.