2021 Mercedes-Benz S580 wants to coddle at every opportunity

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is an absolute banger, once again setting the standard for all other luxury cars.

Under the hood is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 producing 496 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, augmented by a 48-volt mild hybrid system that can throw another 21 hp and 184 lb-ft into the mix, usually when leaving a stop or pushing the accelerator into the firewall.

A nine-speed automatic transmission does its thing with near imperceptibility, and optional rear-axle steering (4.5 degrees, $1,300, although 10-degree steering is also available on some variants) means it's pretty darn easy to navigate parking lots and other tight confines.

The EPA rates the S580 at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg city.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class ain't cheap. 

The S580 starts at $117,350, and a limited number of aesthetic and functional enhancements bump my tester's price up to $131,500 -- and there's still an AMG variant or two that will live above this one, in addition to the big-boy Maybach.

The S500 and its straight-6 engine are thankfully a little less expensive, coming in at $110,850. Thank goodness.

Mercedes' closest competitors, the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8, are both high-quality luxury cars in their own right, but it's hard to recommend anything other than the S-Class. 

The standard bearer remains at the front of the pack, and should stay there for a while. 

Keep scrolling or clicking to check out even more pictures of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580.