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Mercedes spotted testing new S-Class cabrio in the snow

A fullsize luxury convertible is a rare species. There's the Bentley Continental GTC, maybe the Aston Martin DB9 or Vanquish Volante and the Maserati GranTurismo Convertible if you won't need those rear seats too often, but that's about it. The segment seems to be expanding, though, with the imminent arrival of the drop-head version of the Rolls-Royce Wraith and the new challenger you see here. Spied undergoing winter testing in Sweden, this prototype for the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet is wearing barely any camouflage or body cladding whatsoever. In all likelihood that's largely because it's essentially the S-Class Coupe we already know, but with a folding fabric roof: Mercedes typically keeps the origami tin-tops to two-seaters like the SL and SLK. When the new S-Class cabrio is ready to launch – probably sometime between now and the summer – it'll join an expanding array of convertible Benzes that already includes the aforementioned SL and SLK and the E-Class Cabriolet, and will soon adopt the AMG GT roadster as well. Featured Gallery 2017 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet: Spy Shots View 12 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Mercedes-Benz Convertible Luxury mercedes s-class cabriolet

2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic [w/video]

Maybe you saw our recent blog snippet on a bunch of US journos getting pulled over in the middle of nowhere in Catalunya, Spain for driving a bunch of new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG models. By all accounts, they weren't speeding - which makes me softly guffaw. I was there in that group, yet I had taken the more direct route into the mountains from Barcelona so that I could... well, so that I could go faster. No one hassled me and I had the Autovia all to myself. And it was the goodniks - the team players - who got nabbed because Spain had decided to suddenly enforce the never enforced "must carry an international driver's license" clause of the highway code.
The departing E63 AMG with 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from its M157 5.5-liter biturbo V8 hasn't exactly been poorly received. It isn't as crisp as, nor as pleasantly evil as its C63 AMG kid brother, but we generally accept that the heavier and larger car will always feel, well, heavier and larger.
As part of the 2014 E-Class mid-cycle redesign, Affalterbach decided to give its E63 AMG more power and torque for the occasion. The base car now gives off 550 hp and 531 lb-ft, while the hotter S version I tested (formerly the AMG Performance Pack) produces 577 hp and 590 lb-ft. The other big novelty is that E63 sedans will be available with both rear- and all-wheel drive, while all US-spec E63 wagons will be 4Matic equipped.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class caught totally undisguised

Based on the lightly camouflaged spy shots of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class we've seen lately, it hasn't taken a vivid imagination to picture what the next iteration of this big luxury sedan will look like. Even so, we now we have our first unobstructed views of the redesigned S-Class, codenamed W222, as it has just been caught out flaunting for some promo shots.
The first thing we notice about the new S-Class design is the disappearance of the last generation's flared wheel arches. Yet the new design adds even more character with bodyside creases similar to the CLS-Class and some elements reminiscent of 2007's F700 Concept, including the massive grille and vertical LED taillights. Other key details include a large panoramic roof and the narrow exhaust outlets, but the large LED-trimmed headlights and the aggressive front fascia are probably the biggest departure from the current design. With these spy shots, we also catch a blurry shot of the interior, but we've seen a practically uncovered look at the new S-Class' cabin back in January.
Overall, the next S-Class sports an expressive and premium new look, but as far as all-new designs go, it's quite conservative - a move no doubt fitting for these lean financial times.