Mercedes are taking their time with the unveiling of the all-new 2021 S-Class, showering us with previews and listing all of the car’s major technical highlights.

Today’s preview is no different, with the German brand focusing on comfort, maneuverability and safety. Looks aside (jury is still out), this is shaping up to be the best and most advanced Mercedes saloon ever, which was always going to be the case.

Rear Axle Steering

Believe it or not, the all-new S-Class will be as maneuverable and agile around town as a compact car due to its rear-axle steering with a large steering angle.

“The rear-axle steering makes the S-Class as manoeuvrable as a compact car. Even for the S-Class with a long wheelbase, the turning circle is reduced to under 11 metres. And thanks to Active Parking Assist with 360° camera, the vehicle can slip into tight parking spaces while recognising whether anybody is moving within that space. When leaving a space, the S-Class keeps a wary eye out for crossing traffic,” said chief engineer Jurgen Weissinger.

Trick suspension raises body before a side impact

Another innovation is the E-Active Body Control suspension, which will raise the entire vehicle immediately before an impending side collision through its new Pre-Safe function. This takes place within a few tenths of a second, directing impact forces towards more resistant structures in the lower area of the vehicle.

There’s also a new center airbag positioned between the driver and front passenger. Its task is to reduce the risk of their heads making contact during a severe side impact.

Other novelties and upgrades include an improved MBUX system, Active Parking Assist, Parking package with 360 camera and automatic braking for pedestrians (both forwards and while reversing) and loads more, such as the world’s first rear-seat airbag, detailed by Mercedes just last week.

The all-new 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class will be unveiled this September.