Yet you’re going to invest heavily in options
Once you could easily find a large limousine without any luxury at the Germans, but nowadays that proves difficult. The newest Mercedes-Benz S-class is already packed with goodies as standard, although many buyers will still invest a considerable amount in options.
Mercedes-Benz S 450 e – €136,361
An S-class or 7-series with fabric upholstery or a manual gearbox: once that was quite normal. Due to the combination of different demands and the German way of selling cars, that was still generally accepted twenty to thirty years ago, but much has changed since then. Mercedes-Benz Netherlands doesn’t even bother to offer the renewed S-class without the ‘Advanced Plus Package’, while that is still possible in Germany. Just for fun, we’ve dug up some pictures of an S-class without that package. In that form, the car has 18-inch wheels (not available in the Netherlands) and a ‘closed’ roof (with a seam!).
No panoramic roof and 18-inch: this is only possible in Germany.
Such a German basic S even has fabric upholstery, although black leather is a no-cost option and the fabric therefore seems primarily intended for nostalgic buyers and people who simply don’t like leather.
Fabric upholstery in an S-class: it’s possible, at least in Germany.
Nevertheless, an S-class is never truly bare even in Germany, but in the Netherlands, this is even more true thanks to the standard Advanced Package. The list of standard equipment is so long that for this overview, we’ll actually present it to you as a list. Here we go:
Highlights of standard equipment S 450e (2026)
Beyond the equipment, there’s another typically Dutch ‘advantage’: not the diesel, but the plug-in hybrid is the cheapest here. That, of course, says everything about the prices of the non-hybrids, but it does mean that the cheapest S-class can immediately drive 114 kilometers and sprint from 0 to 100 in 5.7 seconds. Under the hood hums a six-cylinder petrol engine, and the system output of the S450e comes to a whopping 435 hp.
With its 19-inch light alloy wheels, illuminated grille full of stars, and advanced headlights, even the cheapest S-class looks very luxurious on the outside, although an S-class without an AMG package will undoubtedly remain rare. This also applies to an S-class with the ‘short’ body, as the vast majority of buyers will opt for the Long version, starting at €139,388. Because unicolour black is not among the options in the Netherlands, ‘warm grey’ is the only free paint color. For a metallic paint finish, you pay €1,198; exclusive Manufaktur colors can even cost up to €4,780.
The fact that a lot is already standard, of course, doesn’t mean there’s no temptation to spend a lot of money on options. For example, you can choose from all sorts of beautiful leather and wood types, the standard Burmester audio system can be elevated to an even higher level for €6,600, and there are option packages that make life in the back even more comfortable.