V222 is the long-wheelbase saloon in the 222-series S-Class family, not another name for S 400 HYBRID. Mercedes-Benz’s parts catalogue separates W222 “Saloon” from V222 “Saloon long.” The launch brochure puts their wheelbases at 3,035 mm and 3,165 mm respectively: an extra 130 mm between the axles, rather than merely a longer bumper.[1][2, printed p. 96]
Two chapters matter: the original S-Class introduced in 2013, and the substantial 2017 facelift. Those are calendar-year landmarks, not universal model-year boundaries. Mercedes-Benz USA presented the facelift in April 2017 as the 2018 S-Class, with its August announcement scheduling different versions for autumn, late 2017 or winter. A registration year alone is therefore a poor way to identify the specification.[5][6]
2013-era pre-facelift: luxury that could look ahead
One of the launch car’s most interesting ideas was MAGIC BODY CONTROL. A stereo camera looked at the road ahead so the active suspension could prepare for bumps before the wheels reached them. That is different from simply reacting after a wheel has moved. But it was not a universal V222 feature: Japan’s August 2013 announcement made it optional on the S 550 long and standard on the S 63 AMG long. The S 63 AMG 4MATIC long instead used an air-suspension-based AMG RIDE CONTROL system.[3, pp. 4, 9]
The rear compartment also explains why the long body deserves its own identity. The Japanese launch Chauffeur package, optional on the S 550 long, combined an Executive rear seat reclining by up to 43.5 degrees with calf and heel supports, and allowed the passenger ahead to be moved forward. A cushion airbag helped prevent the reclined occupant sliding beneath the seat belt in an accident. These are specific seat and package provisions, not a promise that every long S-Class has a reclining lounge.[3, p. 5]
Even the lighting had a less obvious trick. The launch brochure describes brake lamps that reduce their brightness when the car is stationary to avoid dazzling the driver behind. The same brochure lists LED Intelligent Light System as optional, describing Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus leaving a dark area around detected traffic. Full-LED headlights on an early car should not be retrospectively labelled MULTIBEAM LED.[2, printed pp. 38–39, 54]
S 400 HYBRID: a model name with several possible identities
The badge predates this generation: the facelifted 221 series already offered S 400 HYBRID in 2009.[4] Within the 222 series, the launch brochure lists both regular- and long-wheelbase S 400 HYBRID figures. Combining that table with the body-code distinction establishes a long hybrid within V222, not that every S 400 HYBRID is a V222.[1][2, printed p. 98]
The early 222-series hybrid paired a 3.5-litre V6 with a compact electric motor between the engine and 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission. Braking recuperated electrical energy, while the motor could assist the engine under load. Japan specified 225 kW/306 hp for the petrol engine and 20 kW/27 hp for the motor—separate component ratings, not a combined output calculated by adding them here.[2, printed p. 43][3, p. 7]
Market names matter too. Japan’s 2013 lineup listed S 400 HYBRID and S 400 HYBRID Exclusive separately from the explicitly long S 550. That announcement is not proof of a Japanese long-wheelbase hybrid. Nor should the early S 400 HYBRID be confused with the later S 560 e L plug-in hybrid, which appears in the UK July 2019 range with a different V6, a 90 kW electric motor and external charging.[3, pp. 2–3][7, pp. 8, 17]
2017-era facelift: more than three light bars
The facelift’s headlamp signature had three prominent light accents, accompanied by revised grilles, bumpers and rear lamps. Inside, the change was more useful than a new trim colour: two 12.3-inch displays beneath one shared glass cover, three instrument-display styles and swipe-sensitive Touch Control buttons on the new steering wheel.[5]
The assistance systems also gained a different kind of foresight. The facelift’s available Driver Assistance Package used more map and navigation data, allowing Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC to adjust speed in anticipation of bends or junctions. This remained driver assistance, with equipment and country-dependent functions—not permission to stop supervising the car.[5][6]
Another distinctive addition was optional ENERGIZING Comfort: coordinated programmes drawing on the fitted climate, seat, fragrance, lighting and music systems. The October 2017 press kit dates availability from September 2017 and describes ten-minute programmes. This is not the same thing as the launch-era massage function merely because both use “energizing” language.[2, printed p. 60][8, “ENERGIZING Comfort”]
Lighting needs an especially careful market boundary. Mercedes-Benz’s 24 July 2017 Polish release describes optional MULTIBEAM LED with ULTRA RANGE high beam. The UK brochure effective July 2019 lists MULTIBEAM LED with ULTRA RANGE Highbeam in AMG Line equipment, including long-wheelbase models. That proves facelift availability and a later national specification, not universal fitment. The US premiere material instead describes optional LED Intelligent Light System with Ultra Wide Beam; those market descriptions should not be silently treated as one specification.[5][7, pp. 8, 12][9]
Even a familiar badge can conceal a different engine: the US 2018 launch S450 had a 3.0-litre V6 biturbo, whereas the UK July 2019 S 450 L table specifies a 2,999 cc in-line six with EQ Boost. Identify the body, market, production period and exact model together; the badge alone cannot settle the question.[5][7, p. 63]
Sources
- Mercedes-Benz Used Parts: W222, “Saloon” and V222, “Saloon long”. Body classification, not a period equipment guide.
- Daimler AG, The S-Class, 0713 brochure. Manufacturer-authored, retailer-hosted; printed page numbers cited above (PDF pages are two higher). Not a national order guide.
- Mercedes-Benz Japan, “Fully Remodeled Mercedes-Benz S-Class,” 23 August 2013. Japanese launch lineup and equipment only.
- Mercedes-Benz Public Archive, “221 series S-Class Saloons, 2009–2013”.
- Mercedes-Benz USA, “The 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan,” 18 April 2017. Shanghai premiere; US-market descriptions.
- Mercedes-Benz USA, “2018 Model Line Updates & Changes,” 1 August 2017. US model-year and planned introduction schedule.
- Mercedes-Benz Cars UK, S-Class Saloon, effective July 2019 production, AMG models effective September 2019. Manufacturer-authored brochure hosted by a leasing company; UK specifications only.
- Mercedes-Benz, “The Mercedes-Benz S-Class,” 2 October 2017, “ENERGIZING Comfort.” Press kit hosted by Mercedes-Benz USA; expressly warns of country differences.
- Mercedes-Benz Poland, “Nowy Mercedes-Benz Klasy S: Motoryzacyjny wzorzec komfortu i efektywności,” 24 July 2017, “Wizja dalekiego zasięgu.” Facelift MULTIBEAM LED availability; not a worldwide equipment list.