Rumour: Mercedes Benz India to launch S-Class V8 shortly

Globally, Mercedes Benz has launched its flagship car, the 2014 S-Class. Loaded to the gills with technology that can shame a spaceship, the 2014 S-Class is the closest that the German luxury car marque has come to autonomous cars thus far. Apart from the deluge of new technology bits it features, the 2014 S-Class has also upped the game on the luxury front, which always has been its unique selling proposition. Click here to read Team-BHP's preview of the 2014 Mercedes Benz S-Class. 

AutoCarIndia reports that the 2014 S-Class will be launched in India by the end of this year or early next year. The first variant of the S-Class to be launched in India could be the V8 petrol engined variant. Apparently, Mercedes Benz dealers have already begun accepting pre-bookings for the V8 petrol-engined S-Class luxury saloon. The car will be imported through the completely built unit (CBU) route and will be more of a presence marker considering the low potential sales that such a variant is likely to garner in India. 

The V8 petrol engined variant of the 2014 S-Class features a 4.7 liter, twin-turbo petrol engine that outputs 455 Bhp of peak power and 700 Nm of peak torque. This engine is mated to a 7 speed automatic gearbox that will drive the rear wheels of the luxury saloon. Mercedes Benz will follow up the S-Class V8 petrol variant with other variants such as the diesel engined, entry level S350 CDI model, which will be the actual seller for the luxury brand. 

The S350 CDI diesel engined variant will feature a 3.5 liter V6 turbo diesel engine outputting 258 Bhp-620 Nm. The diesel engined S-Class will also feature a 7 speed automatic gearbox. The lower priced petrol and diesel variants of the 2014 S-Class will be assembled in India, at Mercedes Benz's Chakan factory through the semi-knocked down (SKD) kit route. In India, the 2014 Mercedes Benz S-Class will take on the likes of the BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ and the Audi A8 luxury saloons.