AFTER arriving in Australian showrooms in late 2013, Mercedes-Benz has updated its W222 S-Class to keep it fresh against rivals such as the newer BMW 7 Series and Porsche Panamera.

Improvements include the debut of a new inline six-cylinder diesel engine for entry-level variants, a smaller-capacity V8 for more highly-equipped versions, styling changes, cheaper entry to the range and an increase in safety technology.

With the update, Mercedes is aiming to return the S-Class to the top-selling upper-large luxury sedan in Australia after the BMW 7 Series usurped its title in 2017.

Will the raft of changes help the new S-Class regain its segment sales crown?