| First Drive | Cannes, France | 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class |

You'd never know it from the outside, but the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has come in for some serious changes. The German firm's luxury flagship model has long been regarded as the car to beat in its class, so a range of new engines with more power and less thirst can't do it any harm.

In the Metal

There are no visual differences whatsoever between the outgoing S-Class and the new model - the cosmetic changes happened when the big Merc was facelifted early last year. It's still a behemoth of a car and it still exudes the kind of subtle but dynamic presence that we've come to expect of the S-Class.

Again, there are no changes inside, so the interior is still brimming with equipment and about as well built as a vehicle can be. The leather-coated dash, tasteful walnut centre console and arsenal of gadgets are lovely. Rear seat passengers have copious amounts of space, too.

What you get for your Money

Four new engines and a host of new safety gear are the order of the day. The most significant powerplant for us Brits is the 3.0-litre S 350 BlueTEC diesel, which packs 255bhp and replaces the existing S 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY.

The BlueEFFICIENCY moniker has now been applied to the petrol engines too, as the S 350 BlueEFFICIENCY replaces the standard 350. It's a 301bhp petrol V6 with more power than its predecessor (the 268bhp S 350) and fuel consumption that has improved by 24 percent.

A pair of twin-turbo V8 petrol engines will also be available for the power-crazed. The S 500 has a 4.6-litre V8, while the fire-breathing S 63 AMG will feature a 5.5-litre unit, which replaces the current 6.2-litre V8. Both engines pump out significantly more power and drink a fair bit less than their forebears.

New safety clobber includes Active Lane Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist. They're both fairly self-explanatory and mean that a car with the technology will automatically tuck itself inside a motorway lane and applies the brakes if it senses that the driver is about to clout the car next to it.

The first examples of the revised S-Class will hit UK showrooms in October (some models will be reserved until January) and the 'entry-level' S 350 BlueTEC diesel will command £58,440. Other models will see larger percentage price increases over their predecessors, but these aren't huge numbers for a car in this price bracket.

Driving it

A tight schedule meant that we sadly missed out on the chance to sample either of the beefy V8 models, but we spent enough time behind the wheel of the S 350 (3.5-litre petrol V6) and the S 350 BlueTECH (3.0-litre V6 diesel) to work out that they're both more than up to the job and suit the S-Class very well.

The seven-speed automatic transmission has been set-up with economy in mind, so it tends to remain in a higher gear and keep the revs low whenever possible. It's a good idea and very effective when you're sat on a motorway or in traffic, but use of the wheel-mounted paddle is advisable when you're pressing on, as the 'box has a tendency to blunt performance a little. This is particularly apparent in the V6 petrol, which responds well to being driven hard - it sounds terrific and thrives at high engine speeds. The diesel is much more relaxed and gets on with the gearbox better.

Despite its size, the S-Class is quite light on its feet and, when you engage Sport mode, it hunkers down and belies its large proportions. As you'd expect, the ride and refinement are utterly fantastic.

Worth Noting

It's not surprising that the S 350 BlueTEC is the most economical S-Class ever built. All models come with a stop-start system and the diesel even has an AdBlue additive, which needs attention only once every 25,000 miles and helps to drive down the emission of harmful pollutants. Expect 41.5mpg and a mere 177g/km of CO₂.

The diesel engine might be the cleanest of the bunch, but each of the four S-Class engines is more efficient and more powerful than the engine that preceded it. They're also smaller, more compact and lighter.

Summary

Merc's S-Class didn't really need to get any better than it already was, but the new engines, additional safety features and astonishing economy figures for a car of its size make the best even better. It's not cheap, but the Merc is still the car to beat in this class. The competition certainly has its work cut out.