Mercedes-Benz to replace sought-after Diesel variant with hybrid in upcoming S-class facelift

With increasing pressure on manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of their line-up, Mercedes-Benz has decided to drop its diesel engine for the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class facelift. Instead, the German brand will introduce a plug-in hybrid variant, the S 450e.

The outgoing engine was Mercedes-Benz’s 3.0-litre inline-six diesel in the S 350d variant, paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox and a 48V mild-hybrid system.

While Mercedes plans to phase out this engine in the Indian market, the same powertrain continues to be retained and updated for global use. With the arrival of the facelift model, the S 350d variant will no longer be offered in India.

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The S 450e will be Mercedes-Benz’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for India. It combines a 326 hp 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-six engine, a 22 kWh battery pack, and a 163 hp rear-mounted electric motor. The total system output stands at around 435 hp and 680 Nm of torque. The new variant is expected to offer an all-electric range of approximately 100 km.

However, due to the heavier battery pack, the S 450e is expected to be around 280 kg heavier than the pure petrol version. As per a report from Autocar India, the S 450 expected for India is powered by a 381 hp 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-six engine paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox.

Whether Mercedes-Benz will launch the S 500 or S 580 in India is not yet known. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engines in these variants produce 449 hp and 537 hp, respectively.