Fifth generation · W221 · 2007–2013
2012Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Brought Night View Assist and the first S-Class hybrid (S 400 Hybrid, 2010). The two-door flagship continued as the separate CL-Class (C216) during this era.
Photo: “Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350 2012” by Captainmorlypogi1959 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Start here
What do you need to know?
This page covers the whole 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.
Complete, source-verified lineup
Find your exact 2012 S-Class
Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified
We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory sedan, coupe, cabriolet, drivetrain, and powertrain roster represented by the cited exact-year or factory-archive evidence. Every version shown below has its own detail page.
Verified 2026-09-01 from Mercedes-Benz USA — 2012 S-Class brochure model and specification tables.
Mercedes-Benz S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC Sedan
- Body
- Four-door diesel all-wheel-drive sedan
- Engine
- 3.0-liter turbo clean-diesel V6 (240 hp / 455 lb-ft)
- Gearbox
- 7-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 400 HYBRID Sedan
- Body
- Four-door rear-wheel-drive hybrid sedan
- Engine
- 3.5-liter gasoline V6 with electric motor (295 hp / 284 lb-ft combined)
- Gearbox
- 7-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 550 Sedan
- Body
- Four-door rear-wheel-drive sedan
- Engine
- 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 (429 hp / 516 lb-ft)
- Gearbox
- 7-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 550 4MATIC Sedan
- Body
- Four-door all-wheel-drive sedan
- Engine
- 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 (429 hp / 516 lb-ft)
- Gearbox
- 7-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 600 Sedan
- Body
- Four-door rear-wheel-drive sedan
- Engine
- 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12 (510 hp / 612 lb-ft)
- Gearbox
- 5-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG Sedan
- Body
- Four-door rear-wheel-drive performance sedan
- Engine
- Handcrafted 5.5-liter biturbo AMG V8 (536 hp; 563 hp with AMG Performance Package)
- Gearbox
- 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT
- Built
- Regular production
Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG Sedan
- Body
- Four-door rear-wheel-drive performance sedan
- Engine
- Handcrafted 6.0-liter biturbo AMG V12 (621 hp / 738 lb-ft)
- Gearbox
- Reinforced 5-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT automatic
- Built
- Regular production
No factory configuration matches those filters.
The 2012 model year
Overview
Mercedes-Benz USA's 2012 brochure documents seven W221 sedans: S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC, S 400 HYBRID, rear- and all-wheel-drive S 550 models, S 600, S 63 AMG, and S 65 AMG. The S 550 pair used the newer 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8 rather than the earlier 5.5-liter naturally aspirated engine.
Specifications
- Engines
- 3.0-liter turbo clean-diesel V6 (240 hp / 455 lb-ft)
- 3.5-liter gasoline V6 with electric motor (295 hp / 284 lb-ft combined)
- 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 (429 hp / 516 lb-ft)
- 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12 (510 hp / 612 lb-ft)
- Handcrafted 5.5-liter biturbo AMG V8 (536 hp; 563 hp with AMG Performance Package)
- Handcrafted 6.0-liter biturbo AMG V12 (621 hp / 738 lb-ft)
- Transmissions
- 7-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters, 5-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters, 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT, Reinforced 5-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT automatic
- Body styles
- Four-door diesel all-wheel-drive sedan, Four-door rear-wheel-drive hybrid sedan, Four-door rear-wheel-drive sedan, Four-door all-wheel-drive sedan, Four-door rear-wheel-drive performance sedan
Year over year
What changed
- The S 550 moved to a 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8.
- The diesel, hybrid, two S 550 drivetrains, and three performance/V12 models form the exact brochure roster.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The factory brochure supplies model-specific engine, output, drivetrain, and transmission boundaries for all seven pages.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- Inspect Airmatic or Active Body Control operation, electronics, cooling-system condition, and documented service history on the individual car; a generation-level reputation is not evidence that every example has a fault.
- Match filters, fluids, ignition or diesel-service parts, brakes, and transmission service items to the exact engine, drivetrain, build date, and VIN before ordering.
Maintenance & service parts
Keep your 2012 S-Class on the road
Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.
Service desk
What this car needs & when
Use this as a service-planning checklist for 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.
- Service topics
- 4
- Factory intervals
- 3
- Fitment-scoped
- 4
- Exact references
- 1
Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.
Engine oil and filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA — 2012 Maintenance Booklet · required service work — oil and filter at every annual/10,000-mile service · checked
Brake fluid
Sourced interval available
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA — 2012 Maintenance Booklet · required service work — brake-fluid replacement at each 20,000-mile/2-year service · checked
Combination and/or dust filter
Sourced interval available
Source: Mercedes-Benz USA — 2012 Maintenance Booklet · required service work — combination/dust-filter replacement at each 20,000-mile/2-year service · checked
Engine air filter
Exact reference available
The part reference below is catalog fitment only; retain the separately sourced factory service interval where one is shown.
S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC — 3.0-liter turbo clean-diesel V6 (240 hp / 455 lb-ft)
K&N 33-2940
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — 3.0L V6 diesel, 2012 — 33-2940 (two required) · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2940
Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — 3.0L V6 diesel, 2012 — 33-2940 (two required) · checked
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S 400 HYBRID — 3.5-liter gasoline V6 with electric motor (295 hp / 284 lb-ft combined)
K&N 33-2181
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 400 HYBRID, 2012 — 33-2181 (two required) · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2181
Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 400 HYBRID, 2012 — 33-2181 (two required) · checked
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S 550 — 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 (429 hp / 516 lb-ft)
K&N 33-2474
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 550, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2474
Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 550, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
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S 550 4MATIC — 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection V8 (429 hp / 516 lb-ft)
K&N 33-2474
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 550 4MATIC, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2474
Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 550 4MATIC, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
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S 600 — 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12 (510 hp / 612 lb-ft)
K&N 33-2412
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 600, 2012 — 33-2412 · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2412
Qty. 1 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists one element for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 600, 2012 — 33-2412 · checked
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S 63 AMG — Handcrafted 5.5-liter biturbo AMG V8 (536 hp; 563 hp with AMG Performance Package)
K&N 33-2474
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 63 AMG, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2474
Qty. 2 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists two elements for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 63 AMG, 2012 — 33-2474 (two required) · checked
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S 65 AMG — Handcrafted 6.0-liter biturbo AMG V12 (621 hp / 738 lb-ft)
K&N 33-2412
Source: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 65 AMG, 2012 — 33-2412 · checked
Verified ordering references
- Service replacementK&N 33-2412
Qty. 1 · Reusable engine air-filter element · catalog-listed
K&N lists one element for this application; confirm VIN and build date before ordering.
Catalog: K&N Engineering — 2017 European Automotive Catalog, S-Class application tables (archived copy) · W221 S-Class table — S 65 AMG, 2012 — 33-2412 · checked
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