Mercedes Aesthetics S concept

The all-new Mercedes S-Class doesn’t arrive until next year. But Mercedes has chosen the Paris Motor Show to begin building the motoring world’s appetite for its new super-luxury saloon.

Called Aesthetics S, the silhouette concept gives “an artistic glimpse of the design of the luxury saloon of the foreseeable future,” according to Mercedes’ head of design Gordon Wagener.

For that read the next Mercedes S-Class, which is likely to reflect the current importance of the Chinese market by being launched at the Shanghai Auto Show on 20 April 2013.

The S-Class Aesthetics S concept features a host of now-familiar Mercedes styling traits, which already exist on the latest A-Class, E-Class and CLS-Class models.

Although it’s only an arty concept, which will be shown with a special light display which highlights different parts of the model, the Aesthetics S reveals that the new S-Class will get prominent wheelarches, and both upward and downward sloping creases on its sides. A coupe-like roofline is also in evidence.

Mercedes has broader plans for its flagship model this time around. The new S-Class will be crammed with luxury kit to fill the upmarket hole in the brand’s line-up now that Maybach has been axed.

Regular and long wheelbase models are likely, powered by petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains.

As well as a saloon, the CL-Class will return as the S-Class Coupe, and is likely to be offered with a convertible roof for the first time.

Tech highlights will include Magic Body Control, which scans the road ahead for bumps with cameras and sensors and varies the dampers accordingly.

Safety equipment like an airbag which inflates under the front of the car in the event of an imminent crash, increasing friction and compensating for brake dive, is also a possibility.