Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that the upcoming S-Class facelift will not be offered with a diesel engine in India. In its place, Mercedes-Benz will launch the S 450e plug-in hybrid variant – a first for the German marque’s India arm. The 2026 S-Class facelift is expected to go on sale in India by late 2026 or early 2027.
- Global-spec S-Class facelift gets upgraded diesel engine in 350d variant
- S 450e comes with a 22kWh battery, rear motor, and turbo-petrol inline-6
- PHEV powertrain outputs a combined 435hp and claims 100km all-electric range
No diesel for 2026 Mercedes S-Class facelift in India
Pre-facelift S-Class currently offers a 286hp 3.0-litre diesel inline-six
In India, the outgoing S-Class is offered with Mercedes-Benz’s ‘OM 656’ 3.0-litre inline-6 diesel engine in the 350d variant, mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and a 48V mild hybrid system. Globally, this diesel engine has been retained and upgraded – now dubbed the ‘OM 656 Evo’ – for the 2026 S-Class facelift, but when the updated luxury sedan hits the Indian market, there will be no 350d variant on offer.
To alleviate the loss of a diesel option, Mercedes-Benz will launch the facelifted S 450e as the brand’s first PHEV for India. The S 450e combines a 326hp 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-6, a 22kWh battery, and a 163hp rear-mounted electric motor. System output is pegged at 435hp and 680Nm, routed solely to the rear wheels via a 9-speed automatic.
Thanks to the 22kWh battery pack, the S 450e claims an all-electric range of 100km. On the flip side, the battery pushes the S 450e’s kerb weight to 2,465kg (280kg heavier than the pure-petrol S 450), which means its claimed 0-100kph time of 5.7 seconds is slower than the S 450’s 4.9sec figure.
The S 450, which is also expected to launch in India, is powered by a 381hp 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline-6 paired with a 9-speed automatic. Mercedes-Benz may launch the S 500 and S 580 here too, which get a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 outputting 449hp and 537hp, respectively.
