Driving on air and watching a movie – welcome to the midlife makeover for the world's most popular luxury car. Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the new restyled S-Class which will arrive here later this year for the 2010 sales. The changes to the exterior are limited: a sharper grille, new bumper, new tail light design and exhausts set into the rear bumper.

The interior is far more interesting. In the top versions high technology is the new toy. Take the Splitview for example, here the central console display allows the driver to use the Sat-Nav while the front-seat passenger can watch a movie. And the cutting-edge technology in the top of the range S500 includes air suspension so there will be no distractions when the movie gets interesting. Even high-speed corners are ironed out thanks to a Torque Vectoring Brake system which reduces understeer by braking the inner-rear wheel on bends.

Leather, wood and luxury abound to give armchair comfort and there are three interior light mode settings depending on your mood. To make sure you are kept safe there are add-ons to the braking system, loads to airbags and a system called Distronic Plus, an active cruise control which always keeps you at a predetermined distance from the car in front. And don't worry if your driver gets drowsy while you are watching the movie, Attention Assist will pick up the telltale signs and a wake-up call goes out before disaster strikes.

The S-Class is the world's most successful luxury saloon with 3.3 million sales clocked up since it was first introduced in 1951. If you decide to get behind the wheel there is now a choice of two diesel and six petrol engines ranging in size from six- to 12-valve design. With new technology, aerodynamic fine-tuning, low rolling resistance tyres and tweaking the automatic transmission there are lower CO2 emissions and a seven per cent reduction in fuel consumption, with no loss of power.

Diesels units will be the main sellers here and start with the S-350 CDI BlueEfficiency: a 235bhp, three-litre version with fuel consumption of 7.6 litres per 100km and CO2 emissions of just 199 g/km. Petrol units include the S350 3.5-litre, six-cylinder with 272 bhp output and two 8-cylinder units – the S-450 4.7-litre 340bhp and the 5.5-litre, 388bhp S-500.

A hybrid model is expected to be available in right-hand drive within two years.

Irish prices will be announced closer to launch date.