What's the news?

The latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class is now officially on sale, priced from £62,650 with a choice of three power units, standard or long wheelbases and in SE Line or AMG Line trim levels. Production for the UK will start in September with the first cars arriving a month later.

A 3.0-litre diesel V6 engine powers the entry level S 350 BlueTEC SE Line, while the flagship for the range is the 4.7-litre S 500 L AMG Line. In between is the S 400 Hybrid L with a 3.5-litre V6 and hybrid drivetrain. There is no word yet on whether the S 500 Plug-in Hybrid will come to the UK.

Choosing the long-wheelbase option adds 130mm to the wheelbase and overall length as well as £3,000 to the price. The extra length also reduces fuel economy by 1mpg and adds a couple of grams per km to the official CO₂ figure; with 18-inch alloys the S 350 BlueTEC manages 51.4mpg and 146g/km. Both the £69,650 S 400 Hybrid L and £88,130 S 500 L are only available in long-wheelbase form.

The S 500 can be specified with a 'Magic Body Control' suspension system as a £4,340 option. Other extras available include a 1,540-watt, Burmester 3D surround sound system for £6,430, with 24 speakers including three in the headlining. Less costly is the £360 Air-Balance Package, which ionises, purifies and can add perfume to the air entering the vehicle.

Anything else?

Mercedes has confirmed that an extra-long wheelbase 'Pullman' version of the S-Class is in the pipeline to replace the Maybach range. Also on its way is a new coupé to replace the CL, this is expected to debut as a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and will also form the basis of a convertible model.