As Mercedes prepares to launch the next-generation S-Class, the German automaker and its performance division, AMG, are bidding adieu to the current-generation model with a Geneva-bound special-edition model that’s called the AMG S 65 Final Edition. Limited the just 130 units, the AMG S 65 Final Edition is a fitting swan song for Mercedes-AMG’s resident luxobarge. The exclusive touches are mostly of the cosmetic variety, but there are a lot of them, especially in the exterior and interior of the sedan. More importantly, the AMG S 65 Final Edition represents the last time we see a V-12 engine in the S-Class family. More than the exclusive touches, the end of the V-12 era in the S-Class is reason enough for this model to turn into a collectible down the road. Mercedes-AMG has not indicated a price for the AMG S 65 Final Edition, but with the “standard” AMG S 65 starting at around $232,000, expect to pay a lot more for the opportunity to go home with one of the 130 AMG S 65 Final Edition models.

What Makes the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Final Edition Special?

The current-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, internally called the W222, has been around for five years. It’s not that long of a time for a specific generation’s full life cycle, but the super luxury world from which the S-Class belongs in operates on a different timetable. In that sense, five to six years is a decent amount of time for a full life cycle. Unfortunately, the departure of the W222 S-Class isn’t just a model’s exit, but it’s also the curtain call for Mercedes-AMG’s silky-smooth 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-12 engine. You can argue that the V-12 engine is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, selling points of the AMG S 65. That’s certainly the case here in the U.S. as it’s one of the last remaining 12-cylinder engines that’s available in this market.

That’s one of the many reasons why the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Final Edition is more than just a “Final Edition” special edition model.

I mean it when I say that the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Final Edition has a chance to be a collectible down the road. It doesn’t hurt, too, that its presentation qualifies it as a proper special edition model. Take the exterior, for example. The color works beautifully on the AMG S 65. It highlights the class and quality of the luxobarge, especially after Mercedes-AMG added subtle yet unmistakable bronze accents throughout the body. Aiding in the pleasing visuals is the set of 20-inch bronze wheels, reinforcing the notion that black and bronze go well together as a two-tone exterior color on a car. If you don’t think so, look up the Audi R8 V10 Decennium. It’s a different special edition model from Audi that was developed for a different purpose, but it uses the same two-color setup in the exterior, and it looks absolutely mesmerizing, just as it does on the AMG S 65 Final Edition.

Not that you ought to be surprised, but the AMG S 65 Final Edition’s interior is also dressed to the nines in the best digs that Mercedes and AMG have to offer. The cabin is mostly covered in Black Nappa leather, but the same bronze/copper accents are also heavily visible in a variety of forms. Bronze stitching, for example, is present in a lot of the cabin’s surfaces. Bronze threads also form an aesthetic interplay with the carbon fiber trim, and since we’re talking about all the bronze and copper embellishments in the AMG S 65’s cabin, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the copper-colored ambient lighting that’s available only to the AMG S 65 Final Edition.

Obviously, there’s more to the AMG S 65 Final Edition than the black leather and bronze accents. More important than these visual add-ons are the tech and safety features that are included in the special edition AMG S 65 Final Edition. This is one of the secretly awesome things about this particular special edition Merc-AMG model. You can buy it as it is, or you can load it up with all the available goodies that it can carry with it, whether it’s a panoramic sunroof, power-reclining rear seats, cooled and heated cup holders, or any of the vast number of driver-assistance and infotainment features that are available to the luxury sedan. I can list them all down, but with the AMG S 65, that’s going to take a while to line up. What’s important is that you don’t have to limit yourselves with all the exclusive touches that Mercedes-AMG is offering for this special edition model. Hell, you can even score a custom-fitted car cover with the Final Edition logo if that’s something you’re interested in buying.

As fancy as the special edition AMG S 65 is, its real claim to collectible status lies underneath its hood. That’s where the 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, V-12 engine resides. It’s this same engine that produces a whopping 630 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Needless to say, all it takes is AMG’s Driver’s Package to increase the top speed to 186 mph. If you’re paying to turn your AMG S 65 Final Edition into a true collector’s piece, a Driver’s Package goes a long way in establishing that kind of status for the luxosedan.

Neither Mercedes nor Mercedes-AMG have announced pricing details for the Mercedes-AMG S 65 Final Edition. That’s to be expected since the model is debuting at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show alongside another Mercedes model that’s bidding adieu to the auto world: the SLC-Class Final Edition. Expect pricing details to arrive sometime after the Geneva Motor Show. Rest assured, though, prepare to spend a lot more than the AMG S 65’s $232,000 base price.

Mercedes-AMG S65 Final Edition Drivetrain Specifications

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Mercedes-AMG S65.

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes S-Class.}