The Mercedes-Benz S600 was a variant of the W220 S-Class that debuted for the 2001 model year. The S600 was built on the standard and long wheel base W220 platform. It was initially fitted with Mercedes' M137 engine, which was a 5.8L V12 that generated 362hp. For the 2003 model year, this engine was replaced by the M275, which was a 5.5L twin-turbocharged V12 that featured 493hp. As opposed to other W220 variants, the S600 featured a 5 speed automatic transmission throughout the entirety of its production, as the 7 speed automatic introduced in 2004 could not handle the torque from its powerplant. Production of the W220 S600 ended in late 2005, but was sold until 2006 in North America. The model series continued life in the next generation S-Class as the W221 Mercedes-Benz S600.