2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class spied again

New images show next-gen flagship’s cabin for the first time

Photographers have snapped the next Mercedes-Benz S-Class during development testing this week, well ahead of its 2019/2020 reveal.

The prototype still wears a very heavy disguise and false body panels to conceal the final shape, but there are a couple of new details revealed in this latest set of images.

It appears the new S-Class will be an evolution of the current design, though will likely sport a reworked face more in line with the new-gen A-Class and CLS – the front looks lower and wider than the current car, with lower-set headlights and a more prominent grille.

The wheelbase is long (duh), but we’re unsure if this particular vehicle is a long-wheelbase version.

For the first time, however, we’ve got a glimpse of the interior – though it’s also heavily camouflaged, so not a lot of detail is visible.

Up front there’s a new steering wheel, and it looks like a new dashboard layout is in the works, largely indicated by the high-mounted air vents sitting atop the centre stack.

Unlike the current model, there’s only a single display ahead of the driver rather the dual-screen setup that also incorporates the infotainment display – we reckon the production version will add an additional screen, though.

Not much can be seen in the back other than the silhouettes of seats, so we may have to wait for more refined prototypes before we can get an idea of what rear passengers are in for.

Engines should come in the form of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines in six- and eight-cylinder configurations, we’d also wager a plug-in hybrid is almost a certainty as well.

However, don’t expect the S-Class to gain an all-electric version, as Mercedes has indicated the standalone EQ brand will be responsible for battery-only vehicles that won’t necessarily be based on core model lines.

Additionally, we’d expect the new S-Class to once again serve as the marque’s next-gen technology showcase, meaning the latest in driver assistance and active safety systems will be offered. This could mean Level 4 autonomous driving ability, too.