2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Facelifted With Two Types Of Grille

Facelifted Mercedes-Benz S-Class renderings with two types of grille based on the latest spy shots. Which one is better?
 

Nikita Chuicko, the virtual artist better known as kelsonik on social media and a proud member of the imaginative guild of digital car content creators dwelling across the parallel universes of vehicular CGI, thinks that now is the right CGI time to work on the full-size executive saloon. We agree.
 
The luxury model, introduced officially to the W116 generation in 1972, has already reached its seventh generation. The W223 iteration was revealed in 2020 as heir to the long line of full-size executive-class limousines that always epitomize the best Mercedes-Benz has to offer.
 
Indeed, the German automaker strives to offer the best and stand out among the rest with the second-generation Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) platform, a larger footprint, inline-six plus V8 and V12 engines, as well as various derivatives like the bulletproof Guard, the ultra-luxurious Maybach models, or the high-performance AMG version.
 
The latter is also among the latest to arrive on the market, with the M177 four-liter twin-turbo V8 aided by an electric motor. The Mercedes-Maybach S 580 also debuted afterward as Maybach’s first plug-in hybrid version. What else could be done after these versions and ultra-luxury ideas like the S 680 Haute Voiture?
 

Well, the simple answer is simple – a mid-cycle refresh, of course. Indeed, with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, as elegant and technologically savvy as it may be, entering its fifth production year, it’s easy to say that it’s growing a little long in the tooth. No worries, Mercedes-Benz is already out there testing prototypes of the 2026 S-Class, and the flagship limousine will feature a facelift, even if it’s only a nip and tuck. As per the reveals from the spied prototypes, we can easily see that Mercedes is giving the S-Class the starry lightning signature treatment plus an updated interior – all in line with the E-Class, the EQS Sedan, and the EQS SUV, most likely.
 
Naturally, the Mercedes-Benz efforts to hide the 2026 or 2027 S-Class prototypes under body camouflage didn’t go unnoticed by pixel masters, and this one decided to strip the dizzying camo one layer after another to showcase the unofficial, hypothetical facelift of the German limousine. So, what do you think about this potentially subtle refresh – is it enough to make the Mercedes-Benz S-Class relevant again for another three or four years?
 
By the way, the rumor mill believes the facelifted limousine will receive the three-display setup with a screen for the front passenger along with updates for the chassis and suspension setups. As for what happens under the hood, reports speak of a streamlined powertrain family with the V8 model dropped in favor of the inline-six S 580e 4Matic, a plug-in hybrid model with a bit more power and torque. So, what do you think?