Mercedes-Benz is calling it the most comprehensive update a new generation of its S-Class saloon has ever received, and judging by the stunning number of improvements the company has just announced, that’s anything but an empty boast.

The upcoming S 450 4MATIC and S 580L 4MATIC are due in Aussie showrooms on August 6, priced at $264,200 and $353,900 respectively, and they’ll arrive with a list of features that would rival the Australian tax code in length if we ran them all here.

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Mercedes says around 2700 components of the new models – or about 50 per cent of the vehicles – have been newly developed, updated or re-engineered, and the changes to the motors are among the most outstanding examples of that.

The S 450’s 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six has been heavily revised with optimised fuel injection and a higher compression ratio that keep power at 280kW, but up the torque to 560Nm, with an overboost function able to spike that to up to 600Nm for brief periods.

But the S 580L’s V8 has had the book thrown at it in terms of improvements. It gets a new-generation M177 EVO twin-turbo eight-pot with refined injection, a flat-plane crankshaft, revised intake camshaft, and changes to its intake and exhaust ports, turbo housing and compressor wheel. 

That translates to 395kW, 750Nm, a 4.0-second 0-100km/h time – 0.4 of a second quicker than its predecessor – smoother power delivery, better throttle response and increased efficiency, with both models feeding the grunt through the 9G-TRONIC transmission.

Rear-axle steering is still standard, with the optional Airmatic suspension and E-Active Body Control now uprated to include intelligent damping tech that transforms bumpy roads into billiard tables by remembering where obstacles are and preparing the suspension in advance.

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Mercedes’s most advanced driver assistance system, MB.DRIVE, gathers data from a host of integrated sensors to help the lucky motorist navigate lane changes, parking and reversing among a multitude of other functions, and the new Digital Light system produces an illumination field that’s been expanded by 40 per cent over the new models’ predecessors.

The interiors are everything you’d expect from one of the world’s benchmark limousines. Customers can choose from a standard Burmester 3D or optional High-End 4D surround sound system, and the overhauled climate control now refreshes and purifies the air in the cabin every 90 seconds. You can even get heated seat belts.

A 14.4-inch touchscreen is the cars’ digital centrepiece, along with the 12.3-inch instrument cluster, and an MBUX Superscreen is available for the front passenger. The MBUX High End Rear Seat entertainment system comes as an option, and buyers get a Virtual Assistant.

The exterior has been revamped with a radiator grille 20 per cent larger than the previous models’, complete with an illuminated surround and 3D detailing on the chrome star. The styling of the front and rear, plus the headlights and taillights, is new, and the AMG Line package is now standard, as are 20-inch AMG cross-spoke alloy wheels finished in Himalaya grey.

Naturally, the list of options is as luxurious and refined as it is comprehensive. You can get the Exterior Elegance Package for no extra cost, but the Comfort PLUS and Comfort Complete alternatives will hit the hip pocket nerve as they provide touches like a massage function for the rear seats and an augmented-reality heads-up display. The Business Class Package turns the rear seats into a high-tech office complete with temperature-controlled cup holders and folding tables.

Just a word of warning: the prices quoted at the start of the article include GST and luxury car tax, but not on-road costs… not that they’re likely to bother anyone with the sort of bank balance that lends itself to S-class ownership.