Lorinser debuts 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class

Brabus and AMG aren't the only tuning houses fielding their own versions of Mercedes-Benz cars, and during this week's Essen Motor Show German tuning house Lorinser unveiled their version of the new W222 Mercedes-Benz S-class. Lorinser has been tuning Mercedes-Benz automobiles since 1976 (and they've been selling them for more than 80 years), though their tuned cars not often seen on our shores. But Lorinser's upgrades to the S-class cars of the last 20 years have been well received in Europe.

For the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class, Lorinser developed a performance and appearance package that's sure to turn heads, the latter being a little less low key than their previous S-class tuning efforts. But it's what's under the hood that matters, and Lorinser has given the 4.6-liter V8-powered S500 (as it's badged on its home continent) a 75-hp boost, up to 530 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The 2014 S-class can now reach 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds, and up to an electronically limited 155 mph.

Lorinser
New front and rear fascias are a bit of a stylistic departure from previous Lorinser S-class cars.

Lorinser has also tweaked the sedan's exterior, creating a rather extensive bodykit that features some design cues we haven't seen on their cars before, such as the "floating" side skirts and rear diffusers. A new grille and a trunklid spoiler have also been added, in addition to quad exhaust pipes of Lorinser's own design. And Lorinser's signature rear air vents pull hot air from the brakes. The result is a little more visually loud than Brabus' take on the 2014 S-class, and the power output is a bit more tame.

Lorinser
A number of wheel options will be available for the W222 S-class by Lorinser.

No word in pricing and availability in the U.S. for now, though it's worth noting that Lorinser did offer their versions of the last two S-class sedans in the U.S. (though given the styling of their W222, we suspect that Lorinser may be targeting a slightly different audience with this iteration of the S-class, compared to previous models). And of course a number of power and stylistic upgrades can be purchased separately.

By Jay Ramey