Mercedes launches new V12 S600 limo

Mercedes has shown a new range-topping S-Class at the Detroit motor show. 

The new S600 L will cost around £120,000 when it goes on sale in the UK in June. Like the previous version, it is powered by a twin-turbo V12 petrol engine, although the capacity has been boosted to 6.0-litres. Power and torque have also risen accordingly, to 522bhp and 612lb ft.

Billed by company boss Dieter Zetesche as 'the ultimate in luxury and refinement', the new S600 will also be more economical than the outgoing model. Like the rest of the S-Class range it is fitted with stop-start technology. Combined fuel economy with the new engine has been boosted by 21%, to 25.4mpg. 

At the Detroit show the company also announced further enhancements for the entire range, from March. A head-up display, duplicating info such as speed and sat-nav instructions is an option for the first time, as is a quick-clear front windscreen. Major functions on the main display screen can now be controlled by iPhone-style fingerprint gestures, too.

By Chas Hallett