2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class AMG S 63 E PERFORMANCE

You can spend more money for more prestige with a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley, but it is hard to find a finer luxury sedan than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Beneath the timelessly elegant exterior lies an opulent cabin stuffed with indulgently plush seats, artful detailing and easy-to-use technology. The slowest of its four available engines will sling the S-Class from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, and the serene ride quality is easily among the best of any car at any price.

This Benz's toughest rivals are both from BMW. In recent years, the Bavarians have pushed the 7 Series closer to the S-Class, prioritizing comfort over driver engagement. That gave BMW some leeway to make the 8 Series Gran Coupe more thrilling without overlapping the flagship. Know that you'll be giving up some rear seat space in the 8 Series, though. The Genesis G90 does a respectable impression of the S-Class for a substantial discount, but it lacks the world-beating power. If you're considering EVs in this class, be sure to take a look at the BMW i7, Lucid Air and Mercedes-Benz's own EQS.

Mercedes offers S-Class buyers a choice of two hybrid engines and two plug-in hybrids with very different goals. The gas-electric powertrains in the S 500 and S 580 are mild hybrids, so the engine shuts down when the vehicle is stopped and the motor provides some assist during low-speed acceleration. The S 580e is a plug-in hybrid with a 22-kilowatt-hour battery that enabled more than 50 miles of electric range in our testing. The AMG S 63 E Performance is also a plug-in but devotes its electric motor to the pursuit of speed. Here, the 10-kWh battery is only good for a Mercedes-estimated 16 miles of range, but the twin-turbocharged V8 engine and electric motor produce a combined 791 horsepower and an astounding 1,055 lb-ft of torque. That should have this nearly three-ton luxury sedan hitting 60 mph from a standstill in around 3 seconds flat. The only S-Class that isn't a hybrid is the V12-powered Mercedes-Maybach S 680. (We review the Maybach S-Class separately.)