"2013 is the year of the S-Class. We are driving forward our model offensive in the luxury segment. The new S-Class is opening up additional opportunities for us in the market," said Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

All S-Class variants are produced in an efficient and flexible process on one assembly line. And the range of optional extras is so varied that Mercedes claims it is unlikely any S-Class will be entirely identical to another over the lifecycle of the vehicle.

This year alone Daimler has invested around 1 billion euros in the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant. This includes a significant outlay on the new S-Class, for which - between 2011 to 2014 - around 350 million euros is being invested in the body shop, 130 million in the press shop and 70 million in assembly, amongst others.

All these investments show just how strongly the Sindelfingen site and the biggest employer in the Stuttgart region are focused on future requirements.

Employees have been undergoing extensive training in preparation for production startup. New technologies are being used in the body shop to join cast aluminium alloys. For the aluminium lightweight roof, a new manufacturing process has been developed - the roof and steel body will now only be joined once they have been through the paint shop together.

Customers purchasing a new S-Class can choose from various seat variations in the rear that offer numerous settings. Behind the rear seats is a back wall module that is preassembled on its own line.

As part of an ergonomic working environment, employees are able to mount the control units on the back wall module at a height that is most comfortable for them. A lifting device does the job of transporting the component into the vehicle, taking the strain off the workers.

Since the start of production in 2005, more than half a million S-Class models have rolled off the assembly line. For this new S-Class generation, there will be now three new models in addition to the short wheelbase and extended wheelbase variants and the S-Class coupe.