MB S-Class Hybrid Coming in 2008

Mercedes-Benz will launch a hybrid version of its S-Class sedan at the beginning of 2008, according to a Reuters report that cites a German magazine source. The report claims that the hybrid S-Class will be a so-called "mild" hybrid, which means that an electric motor will be sandwiched into the drivetrain between the transmission and engine to provide electric boost and eliminate idling. This is not the two-mode hybrid system that DaimlerChrysler is developing with General Motors and BMW - a more complex system with dual electric motors - though a Mercedes model utilizing that system could still be forthcoming.

Instead, the Mercedes hybrid S-Class hybrid coming in 2008 will likely be similar to the S 350 Direct Hybrid concept that Mercedes debuted at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show. That car (pictured) featured a 3.5-liter, gasoline-fueled V-6 engine integrated with a compact electric motor for a combined output of 296 horsepower and 291 lbs-ft of torque. Mercedes claims this concept hybrid can reach 62 mph in 7.5 seconds and return fuel economy of approximately 28 mpg on the New European Driving Cycle, which covers city and highway driving. There's no word yet if the production hybrid S-Class will match these numbers, but we suspect it will be close.