Mumbai: Mercedes-Benz India has launched the new S 450e PHEV, marking the arrival of the company’s first-ever plug-in hybrid version of the flagship S-Class in the country. Priced from Rs. 2.20 crore for the Launch Edition and Rs. 2.38 crore for the Manufaktur Edition, both ex-showroom, all-India, the luxury limousine brings electrified power, expanded technology and a major generational update to India’s top-end luxury segment.
Bookings for the new S 450e have opened, with deliveries scheduled to begin from Q4 2026. The model is positioned as part of Mercedes-Benz India’s flexible, powertrain-agnostic approach, giving customers a choice across internal combustion, battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
At the heart of the S 450e is an updated 3.0-litre M256 Evo inline-six turbo-petrol engine, now Euro 7 compliant. On its own, the engine produces 326 hp and 540 Nm. It is paired with a 120 kW, or 163 hp, synchronous electric motor integrated between the engine and the 9-speed 9G-Tronic automatic transmission.
Together, the system produces 320 kW, or 435 hp, and 680 Nm of torque. That makes the S 450e more powerful than the petrol S 450 4Matic, which develops 280 kW, or 381 hp, and 500 Nm.
The plug-in hybrid limousine offers around 115 km of pure electric range under the WLTP cycle, supported by a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery. Mercedes-Benz says this range is sufficient for most urban commutes in India’s major cities without using the combustion engine — a useful advantage in traffic where silence may be the only true luxury.
For longer drives, the petrol engine steps in as required, removing range anxiety from the equation. The system continuously switches between electric and combustion power during everyday driving, with the transition designed to remain barely noticeable to occupants.
The S 450e accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Unlike most S-Class variants, it is offered with rear-wheel drive only, a configuration aimed at prioritising rear passenger refinement and giving the model a distinct character within the S-Class range.
“The S-Class embodies Mercedes-Benz’s extraordinary legacy of timeless luxury, setting the global benchmark for automotive excellence. In India, it leads the top-end luxury segment and redefines customer aspiration — with serene first-class comfort in every seat, sublime driving, quiet strength and safety, unparalleled presence and personalisation, and an intuitive digital experience powered by MB.OS. With more than 2,700 new and updated components, the new S-Class enhances comfort, safety, digital experience and refinement to become the most advanced S-Class ever. We are confident it will exceed customer expectations and carry the S-Class legacy forward in India.”
“Mercedes-Benz follows a flexible, powertrain-agnostic strategy, and bringing a PHEV to the S-Class for the first time in India reflects exactly that. There is growing demand for a plug-in hybrid among our top-end customers, and the S 450 e PHEV answers it directly. With ICE, BEV and PHEV powertrains now in our line-up, customers have the flexibility to choose the one that suits them best.”
— Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India
Mercedes-Benz says more than 50 per cent of the new S-Class has been newly developed, updated or refined, involving over 2,700 components. The company describes it as the most comprehensive update within a single S-Class generation.
The 2026 S-Class receives new twin-star Digital Light headlamps with micro-LED technology. The high-beam illumination field is around 40 per cent larger than before, while the Ultra Range high beam can project up to 600 metres ahead. For a car already known for lighting up boardroom parking lots, this is a fairly literal upgrade.
The front grille is now approximately 20 per cent larger and illuminated, with redesigned three-dimensional chrome stars. At the rear, newly designed tail-lamps with three chrome-framed signature stars reinforce the S-Class identity.
Inside, the S-Class gets the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, or MB.OS, which acts as the digital backbone of the vehicle. The system connects key vehicle functions into one integrated ecosystem and powers the car’s latest digital features.
The standard MBUX Superscreen and latest-generation MBUX bring the AI-based “Hey Mercedes” MBUX Virtual Assistant with natural dialogue, an enhanced Zero Layer interface and MBUX Surround Navigation based on Google Maps. The aim is to make interaction more intuitive and human-like, though thankfully the car still leaves the driving decisions to the person in charge.
The S 450e also comes with Airmatic air suspension as standard. Rear-axle steering of 4.5 degrees is standard, while customers can upgrade it to 10 degrees. Mercedes-Benz says the upgraded system can reduce the turning circle by almost two metres, helping the long limousine handle tight parking spaces, narrow hotel driveways and crowded city centres more easily.
The vehicle also uses Car-to-X information shared by other Mercedes-Benz vehicles through the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud. This allows the car to prepare its suspension in advance for speed bumps and road imperfections.
Safety remains central to the new S-Class package. The S 450e will offer up to 15 airbags in India for the first time, along with an enhanced adaptive restraint system and Pre-Safe Impulse belt pretensioners.
With the launch of the S 450e PHEV, Mercedes-Benz India is bringing plug-in hybrid technology into one of its most prestigious nameplates. The move reflects a broader shift in the luxury market, where customers increasingly want performance, comfort and lower-emission mobility without giving up long-distance flexibility. For India’s chauffeur-driven elite, the S-Class has long been a statement; now, it comes with a charging port too.
