Big stick: Mercedes S600 gazes down upon Detroit auto show crowd

The regular Mercedes S-class too pedestrian for you? We understand. So does Mercedes, which is why they introduced the S600 today at the Detroit auto show. With a twin-turbo V12 and long wheelbase body, the new Benz is expected to appeal to at least a few of the customers who might have been in the market for a Maybach.

Power is up 13 hp over the previous S600 to 523, thanks in part to a displacement bump to an even 6 liters. As much as 612 lb-ft of torque is on tap from 1,900 rpm. Interestingly, the engine is a three-valve design -- two intake and one exhaust; an aluminum block, forged crankshaft and forged pistons help round out the power pack. Falling into the category of "features an S600 owner will never use," Mercedes also equips the new S600 with auto stop-start as standard equipment.

The S600 gets Mercedes' impressive Magic Body Control, a system that "reads" the surface of the road ahead and adjusts the suspension to prepare for obstacles, potholes and other imperfections. There's also a standard driver assistance package that includes, drum roll please: Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Brake Assist Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist, DISTRONIC Plus with Steering Assist, Pre-Safe Brake with Pedestrian Recognition and Pre-Safe Plus.

And, while we've experienced some of the new autonomous braking systems on vehicles from Volvo, Mitsubishi and others, Mercedes says the new Collision Prevention Assist Plus can brake autonomously from speeds of up to 124 mph.

Got all that? Oh, there's a heated windshield too.

Finally, the S600 driver gets an infotainment touchpad control that recognizes handwriting in any language available within the system itself, on top of voice commands. We're not sure how writing a command is faster or less dangerous than looking for a button or tapping a soft key, but hey, it's there if you need it. The car also gets a head-up display as standard, something we do find useful for eyes-on-the-road driving.

We'll have more on the S600, including a gallery live from the show floor shortly. In the meantime, enjoy the photos above.

The North American International Auto Show, known to most as the Detroit auto show, continues to serve as a barometer for the entire industry. This year, we'll expect to see the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06, the 2015 Ford Mustang and the BMW M3 and M4. The 2014 Detroit auto show is held at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Mich. and is open to the public from Jan. 18-26.

By Andrew Stoy