Mercedes-AMG Says Auf Wiedersehen to the V-12 S65 with a Black-and-Bronze Final Edition
It's the end of an era now that this Final Edition is out; this is to be the last V-12–powered Mercedes-Benz S-class.
Mercedes-AMG is only releasing 130 of the S65 Final Edition, and each gets a numbered badge.
The good news: The Final Edition's appearance at the Geneva auto show this week portends the arrival of an all-new S-class in the near future.
To mark the end of the V-12 era, Mercedes-AMG is launching this Final Edition model of the S65 sedan, complete with stylish copper and carbon-fiber accents and a very limited run of just 130 units available worldwide. The exterior will be finished in Obsidian Black Metallic paint and outfitted with matte bronze accents, bronze 20-inch wheels, and an AMG crest on the rear roof pillar.
Inside, Mercedes-AMG stylists have carried over the black and bronze theme in a subtle way by including black nappa leather with bronze stitching, carbon-fiber trim with black and bronze threads, copper-colored ambient lighting, and floor mats with bronze details. The center console lid also will feature a "1 of 130" badge denoting the exclusivity of the Final Edition.
We reported last April that Mercedes-AMG would be dropping the silky-smooth V-12 engine from the S-class lineup once a redesigned model hit the market. We've also seen spy photos of the next generation S-class as recently as this month. The Final Edition's bow at the Geneva auto show is a clue that an all-new S-class must be just around the corner.
For the record, we're sad to see the car's twin-turbocharged V-12 go. In the AMG-branded S-class, it makes 621 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, good for a 3.9-second rip from zero to 60 mph at our test track. Although that proved to be slower than the V-8–powered S63 sedan, there's just something about the V-12's signature resonant warble that causes goosebumps even at idle.
The Final Edition comes fully loaded with goodies such as a panoramic sunroof with Mercedes's variable-tint Magic Sky Control feature, power-reclining rear seats, heated and cooled cupholders, a plethora of driver-assistance and infotainment features, and even a custom-fitted car cover with the Final Edition logo.
Mercedes-AMG hasn't announced pricing for the Final Edition, but it won't be cheap: A similarly equipped standard S65 runs almost $240,000. If you want to own one of the very last 12-cylinder S-classes, call your money guy, get your checkbook ready, and contact your local Mercedes dealer.
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