Maybach is dead, long live Mercedes-Maybach!
The noble marque that was resurrected in 1997 by Daimler AG to compete with BMW’s Rolls-Royce and VW’s Bentley has now been relegated to a sub-brand called Mercedes-Maybach. Okay, maybe the term “relegated” is not the most appropriate in this case, as we’re talking about a top specification of the S-Class sedan. But you’d better get used to it: Maybach is no longer a standalone brand.
Unveiled simultaneously at the 2014 Guangzhou Auto Show and Los Angeles Auto Show, the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 is the pinnacle of what the Stuttgart-based automaker has to offer when it comes to luxury – at least until the stretched Pullman limousine comes out.
Based on Mercedes’ latest flagship, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class rides on a wheelbase that is 200 mm (7.9 in) longer than the long-wheelbase S-Class and is offered in two flavors – the V8-powered S 500 and V12-powered S 600. The automaker claims the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class has “the quietest rear seat of any production limousine in the world”, which is an important statement because the rear seat is where you want to be if you’re in the market for such a model.
As a matter of fact, the luxury sedan was developed mainly with the Chinese market in mind, as customers there have been asking for a more spacious and luxurious variant of the S-Class for quite some time. Well, their prayers have been answered: the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is 5,453 mm (215 in) long, has a 3,365 mm (132.5 in) wheelbase and can be fitted with every imaginable luxury.
Passengers in the rear benefit the most from the stretched wheelbase and they also enjoy more headroom thanks to the car’s taller roofline. Specifically designed to be chauffeur-driven, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class offers exclusive features for passengers in the back, including two Executive Seats with a reclined position, as well as a voice amplification system that eases communication between driver and rear-seat passengers.
The range-topping Mercedes-Maybach S 600 is powered by a 530 PS (523 hp) 6.0-liter V12 biturbo engine which develops a monumental 830 Nm (612 lb-ft) of torque, available from as low as 1,900 rpm. The S 500 features a 4.7-liter V8 biturbo engine rated at 455 PS (449 hp) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, available from 1,800 rpm. Mercedes says the S 500 averages 8.9 l/100 km (26.4 mpg US) over the European NEDC combined cycle, while CO2 emissions stand at 207 g/km.
Market launch begins in February 2015, with prices in Germany starting from €134,053.50 for the S 500 and from €187,841.50 for the S 600. The U.S. market only gets the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 with a base price of $189,350.