Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan (W222) · 6th generation S
W222
The car that abolished the lightbulb.
- Production
- 2013–2020
- Built
- —
- Body
- Sedan
- Chassis
- W222
Mercedes-Benz built the W222 around a claim nobody else could make: not a single incandescent bulb anywhere in the car, inside or out.
Launched in June 2013, it introduced MAGIC BODY CONTROL — a stereo camera reading the road ahead to pre-set the suspension — along with hot-stone massage seats, cabin fragrancing and DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist. Power came from the OM656 straight-six diesel and M256 electrified straight-six through the M278 and M177 V8s to the M279 V12, with an S 560 e plug-in hybrid at the efficient end.
The W222 revived Maybach as a sub-brand in 2014 and underpinned the armored S 600 Guard and the Pullman; production ran to September 2020.
Every model.
8 model designations across 2013–2020 — engines, transmissions and series codes for the W222.
| Model | Lata modelowe | Podwozie | Silnik | Skrzynia biegów | Razem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S 400 / S 450 | 2013–2020 | 222 | 276 · 256 | 725.0 | — |
| S 500 / S 560 | 2013–2020 | 222 | 278 · 176 | 725.0 | — |
| S 600 | 2013–2020 | 222 | 277 | 722.9 | — |
| S 350 d / S 400 d | 2013–2020 | 222 | 642 · 656 | 725.0 | — |
| S 300 h | 2013–2020 | 222 | 651 | 722.9 | — |
| S 500 e / S 560 e | 2013–2020 | 222 | 276 · 256 | 722.9 | — |
| AMG S 63 | 2013–2020 | 222 | 157 · 177 | 722.9 · 725.0 | — |
| AMG S 65 | 2013–2020 | 222 | 279 | 722.9 | — |
Year by year.
From the 2014 technology flagship to the 2018 powertrain and Intelligent Drive overhaul — the W222 milestones that matter.
- 2014
- The W222 S-Class launched in the US with twin 12.3-inch displays, full-LED exterior and interior lighting, AIRMATIC and the camera-based MAGIC BODY CONTROL option.
- The Driver Assistance Package combined DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, PRE-SAFE Brake and active lane and blind-spot systems.
- S 550 and S 63 AMG arrived first; S 600 and S 65 AMG followed.
- 2016
- S 550e Plug-in Hybrid joined the US range for model year 2016, combining a twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor and externally chargeable lithium-ion battery.
- 2018
- The extensive facelift introduced triple-torch LED headlamp signatures, redesigned bumpers and grille details, new steering-wheel touch controls and 64-color ambient lighting.
- S 560 replaced S 550 with a 4.0-liter biturbo V8; the S 450 added a twin-turbo V6, while AMG S 63 switched to a 603-hp 4.0-liter V8, nine-speed transmission and fully variable 4MATIC+.
- Expanded Intelligent Drive used route and map data to adjust speed for bends and junctions; ENERGIZING Comfort linked climate, fragrance, massage, lighting and music functions.
- 2020
- The final US W222 model year preceded the W223; V12 sedan production had consolidated around Mercedes-Maybach and the AMG S 65 Final Edition.
