The Mercedes-Benz S-Class generation introduced in 2020 carries the code name W223.
The W223 is the seventh generation of the modern Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan. Mercedes-Benz unveiled it on 2 September 2020, and production began that year, with the first market launches following in late 2020 and into the 2021 model year. It replaced the W222 generation, which had been produced since 2013.
W223 identifies the standard-wheelbase sedan, while related internal codes distinguish other body lengths: V223 is used for the long-wheelbase sedan and Z223 for the Mercedes-Maybach version. This is why “W223” is the familiar shorthand even when people are discussing the wider Baureihe 223 family.
The generation introduced Mercedes’ second-generation MBUX interface, a large central OLED touchscreen and extensive driver-assistance technology. It also retained the S-Class tradition of debuting features that later spread to smaller Mercedes models. The main confusion is chronological: W221 and W222 are earlier generations, while W220 belongs to the late-1990s and early-2000s era.