The Breakdown
- Even before the Mercedes-Maybach version arrives, there's already a V12 version.
- The S680 Guard uses a twin-turbo 6.0-liter with 603 hp.
- The armored luxury sedan offers VR10 ballistic protection.
A new S-Class is always a big deal, even when it’s a mid-cycle update rather than an all-new generation. Mercedes blurred the line between a facelift and a next-generation model by changing more than half of the W223 sedan. That's over 2,700 parts in total. Much of the focus was on cleaner inline-six gasoline and diesel engines, as well as the new flat-plane V8, but we mustn’t forget the real star under the hood: the V12.
Even before the Maybach version arrives later this year, the 2027 S-Class is already available with twelve cylinders. However, the S680 Guard is by far the most expensive version of the range, costing more than double the price of the Maybach S-Class. Mercedes hasn’t released pricing details for the facelifted armored version, but the outgoing model started at €547,000 in Germany. For reference, the regular Maybach cost under €220,000 when it launched in 2021.
At the heart of the new S680 Guard is the tried-and-tested 6.0-liter V12 equipped with a pair of turbochargers. It produces 603 horsepower and 612 pound-feet (830 Newton-meters) of torque in a car that weighs about 9,259 pounds (4.2 metric tons). For a fun comparison, the electric G-Class, a different type of colossus, is 2,458 lbs (1,115 kg) lighter.
The all-wheel-drive armored luxury cocoon has an electronically limited top speed of 118 mph (190 km/h). More importantly, Mercedes claims this is the only series-production sedan in the world to offer VR10 ballistic protection for both glass and opaque body areas. Should the V12 engine go up in flames following an attack, there’s an onboard fire-extinguishing system that can also put out a fire from underneath the vehicle.
Elsewhere, there are 900 liters of compressed air accessible at the touch of a button by activating the emergency fresh-air system, preventing occupants from inhaling harmful gases. Mercedes can also equip the S-Class Guard with servo-assisted front and rear doors to compensate for the added heft resulting from armoring. There are even hydraulic window lifters, meaning it’s still possible to roll the windows up or down even after the electrical system fails following an attack.
Mercedes fits Michelin PAX run-flat tires that can be driven for up to 19 miles (30 kilometers) after a puncture. The VR10 certification means the armored S-Class can withstand gunfire and certain explosions. For politicians and other high-ranking officials, the Guard model can also be fitted with flagpoles on the fenders.
2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Motor1's Take: Although the V12 is currently limited to a specialty model, Mercedes is about to “democratize” twelve cylinders in the Maybach S-Class. The brand has committed to keeping the venerable engine alive in the years to come, though we don’t expect to see it outside the S-Class lineup.
Twelve-cylinder engines are a dying breed, especially as Bentley and Audi have stopped using them. BMW retired the 7 Series V12 years ago, although it recently announced the engine will continue to live on in Rolls-Royce models.
The S-Class equipped with the “M279” unit isn’t technically the only Mercedes-powered V12 car you can buy. AMG also supplies its twin-turbo 6.0-liter “M158” engine to the Pagani Utopia.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
