The all-new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, designated W222, is one of the most highly anticipated debuts of its model year. Every generation of the flagship sedan has broken new ground in technology and innovation for the entire industry, and the German automaker appears determined to raise the bar much further with its latest arrival as it promises to deliver “the best automobile in the world.” Mercedes-Benz has just released nearly two dozen interior images of the new sedan, showing off style in design, craftsmanship in execution and pioneering advancements in technology.

Unlike all previous generations – the first S-Class officially arrived in 1972 – the 2014 model completely discards a traditional instrument cluster and replaces it with two high-resolution color displays in 8:3 format with a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches (the outgoing model’s gauges were a mix of digital and analog). The left unit displays traditional analog gauges (digitally, of course) while the right unit is reserved for infotainment and comfort settings with the automaker’s all-new mBrace2 – a cloud-based entertainment and information delivery system that is rolling out this year.

Passengers will be pampered with “energizing” massage, active seat ventilation with reversing fans, heated seats, heated steering wheel and heated armrests (door and center). A total of 14 separately actuated air bladders in the backrest of the seats will provide six different massage programs. There are also “beltbags” (airbags in the seatbelt webbing – not unlike the Ford Explorer) and “cushionbags” (airbags to prevent occupants from sliding beneath the the belt).

Mercedes calls its newly developed climate control “thermotronic,” as it features completely autonomous adjustment options for driver and passenger. It also includes improved filtering utilizing ionization, and an “active perfuming system,” as part of its “air-balance” package, to individually customize the smell of the vehicle interior – finally making those pine tree car fresheners obsolete.