The model year 2007 S-Class will be named the S550, replacing the S500. In the U.S. market, the new S-Class line will be launched with an all-new 5.5-liter V8 engine delivering 382 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque, the first of a new-generation V8 engine family featuring four-valve-per-cylinder technology and variable valve timing.

The "S" designation had long been used to identify top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz sedans and coupes, and the S-Class has embodied the brand's flagship role for more than five decades