After launching the all-new GLA last month and the Maybach GLS 600 last week, Mercedes-Benz India is back again with another product launch. Yes, the all-new S-Class has arrived on our shores. And it did so in less than a year after making a global debut in September 2020. At the moment, the company is offering the new Luxo barge in two ‘Launch Edition’ variants – 450 and 400 d. Both those tags are suffixed with 4MATIC, but where the latter costs Rs 2.17 crore, the former wears a price tag of Rs 2.19 crore.

Yes, both those numbers are pretty high. The reason behind that is simple – the S-Class is being imported to India as a CBU (Completely Built Unit). That said, Mercedes-Benz will introduce locally-assembled versions at a later stage, which should help bring those price tags down a bit.

Those who want a petrol-powered S-Class will settle for the 450 variant. That has a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine that produces 362bhp/500Nm. The oomph is harnessed and fed to all four wheels by a 9-speed automatic transmission. The setup is enough for a 0-100kmph sprint time of 5.1 seconds and an electronically-controlled top speed of 250kmph.

The diesel-fed S-Class comes with a 2.9-litre, six-cylinder unit with 326bhp/700Nm on tap. Here too, a 9-speed automatic does its thing and routes the power to all four wheels. Mercedes-Benz claims a 0-100kmph time of 5.4 seconds and, like the variant above, a top speed of 250kmph.

Of course, on-the-go performance is vital for an S-Class. However, its real party piece is what it offers in terms of luxury, comfort and technology. Now, some of the following features might not be available when Mercedes-Benz starts the local assembly process. So, if you don’t want to miss out on them, the ‘Launch Edition’ is your answer.

So, the list of features. It includes rear-wheel steering, ‘Digital Light’ LED headlamps, pop-out door handles and air suspension with continuously adjusting dampers. Indoors, it offers stuff like a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.8-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system, powered and heated seats, adaptive ambient lighting, four-zone climate control, rear-seat entertainment and wireless smartphone pairing. As you’d expect, the list is quite extensive. Under the safety umbrella, features like a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, rear airbags and Lane Keeping Assist are bucketed.

As for the colours, there are fives of them available – red, black, white, blue and green. Similarly, there’s a choice in upholstery as well. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class renews its rivalry with the Audi A8 and the BMW 7 Series in India. So, if you had to buy one, which of the three would it be?