Only two short years after Mercedes-Maybach launched its first S-Class—and eight years since Daimler incorporated Maybach into Mercedes-Benz in 2015—the German marque’s pure luxury brand is going electric its first hybrid offering.

“With our first plug-in hybrid model, we are combining the luxury experience typical of Maybach with emission-free local driving when in electric driving mode,” Daniel Lescow, Head of Mercedes‑Maybach at Mercedes‑Benz Group AG, says of the new S 580e.

“The Mercedes‑Maybach S 580e represents a pivotal step in the transformation of our heritage brand into an electric future. We will present our first fully electric model as early as 2023.”

While hybrids are more environmentally friendly that combustion-powered counterparts, the decision to electrify the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class was made in the pursuit of silence. All manufacturers of chauffeur’s cars, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley, aim to make the cabin as quiet as possible.

When driven on pure electricity for up to 62 miles, the Mercedes-Maybach S 580e’s makes almost no noise, the brand promises. The faint whir of the electric motors will likely be the only audible tell that one’s in motion.

When performance is the foremost objective, the S 580e offers a combined 510 horsepower, the bulk of which comes from the standard S 580’s straight-six. Even at a weight approaching 5,000 pounds, it’ll hit 62 mph in brisk 5.1 seconds on the way to 155 mph.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the battery can also be recharged in just 30 minutes when paired with a 60 kW DC fast charger, while other cool “electric-specific” features include a concealed charging socket on the left side of the vehicle and blue color accents in the headlights and battery charging indicators.

The Mercedes-Maybach S 580e will be available in Chinese markets first before heading to Europe. Whether it will make it stateside will be revealed closer to the car’s full unveiling later this year.

There’s nothing particularly common about a $111,000 S-Class, but some people want more. That’s who the Mercedes-Maybach S580 is for. Even with a fully optioned price tag hovering around $230,000, one can argue that Mercedes’ luxobarge offers bang for your buck. Here’s why:

A Yacht On Wheels

Generally, big limousines from Rolls-Royce and Bentley appear as a formidable presence on the road, and there’s no denying that the Maybach S580 is too.

But it also shows some executive restraint, borrowing most of its outer design cues from its S-Class sibling. There are some additional chrome elements popping out here and there, plus the plethora of lit-up Maybach logos emblazoned around the car. The 20-inch monoblock-style wheels come as standard and the two-tone paint option costs another $12,750. 

The meticulous painting process warrants the lofty cost. Robotic arms first paint the whole body in the bottom color, then the separation line is painted by hand. Finally, the lower part is wrapped and the coating for the roof, bonnet and rear is applied manually by Maybach’s expert painters.

On the front, the rather compact front grille of the S-Class is replaced by a behemoth radiator-style grille. Thanks to its seven-inch extended wheelbase, rear ¨comfort¨ doors are larger as well. They are electronically opened and closed, either via touching the pop-out door handles, an interior roof switch, or the infotainment touchscreen.

The C-pillar is considerably more upright, ensuring there is plenty of headroom where it really matters for VIPs—in the back.

All-Inclusive Luxury

Usually, the front of the cabin’s amenities get all the attention. However, when it comes to uber-luxurious limousines, chauffeured driving is the norm, so the rear compartment is massive.

The comfort level is commensurate with that of a private jet. Everything inside screams luxury, from the design to materials and overall feel. 

Take the rear seats. You don’t get just a headrest to take tension off your neck, you also get a head pillow attached in front of the headrest. The S580 boasts another set of leather-wrapped pillows at the bottom of the seats, where your calves rest. These can be extended out to stretch your legs in multiple positions.

Reach to the right door panel and, with the press of a button, the front seat moves as forward as possible and folds away to give an incredible amount of space in the back. Press the next button on the door handle and the rear seat goes in a lying down position. 

A hidden compartment reveals itself from the center console splitting the two rear seats, uncovering four cup holders: two for champagne flutes ($3,200 a pair) and two for regular cups (not included). And they’ve got their own climate controls. Press a button and the cup holders will turn either red or blue, depending whether you want to cool or heat your drink. There are also USB chargers and climate controls for the cabin, set above the cup holders. 

The touchscreens positioned on the front seatbacks allow the passengers to control all aspects of the vehicle: radio station, navigation destination, climate control, phone calls, even fragrance settings. This is truly a car for the passenger first and then for the driver.

The rear console also features foldable tray tables that extended and rotate to be used with a laptop or agenda. The tiny screen at the base of the console actually pops out, turning into a mini tablet for yet another interface with which to control the S580’s amenities.

As expected, the Maybach S580 brings the utmost quality materials all around the interior. There are basically limitless choices when it comes to configuring the interior, both in terms of technology and upholstery. Even the very small handful of plastic parts are pleasing to the touch.

From the Driver’s Seat

The 2022 Maybach S580 is powered by the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in the S-Class. Despite being 472 pounds heavier than the S-Class, the S580 is still able to reach 60 mph in 4.7 seconds thanks to a sporty launch mode.

The accelerator pedal is gentle and the nine-speed automatic gearbox shifts at lower revolutions to maximize graceful motion. The air suspension is pushing for utmost comfort regardless of where you are being seated in the car. Even the brakes are more progressive than those found in the S-Class, so as not to disturb your sips of coffee on red light approaches.

Not even the extended wheelbase causes any problem for this sedan. The rear wheels are capable of 10-degrees of opposite lock. Basically, turn the steering wheel to lock and the S580 will have a turning radius more similar to C-Class’ than a stretch limo’s.

Seamless is the way to describe how the start-stop technology feels like in the S580. If it weren’t for the notifications on the dashboard, you would barely know whether or not the engine is running. 

Driver stress and fatigue are kept at bay via Mercedes’ vast suite of passive and active assistance systems. While most cars would start acting erratically when encountering improperly marked lane lines, damaged road signs or unfamiliar construction zones, the Maybach S580 can simply be trusted to continue. It won’t, under any circumstances, trigger erratic or non-human moves, regardless of all the hectic situations it has been put through during testing. 

Conclusion

The Maybach S580 can be configured to reach in excess of $230,000—over $100,000 less than the competing Rolls Royce Ghost. But that price tag is still hefty.

However, what you get for the money spent can hardly be put into words. The only proper way to witness the refinement, luxurious whisper of elite and faultless technology of the Maybach S580 is to find yourself driven in one. 

The legacy of Virgil Abloh is still alive and well over at Mercedes’ luxe Maybach division, where an undeniably gorgeous S-Class S 680 designed by the acclaimed fashion designer has been unveiled.

Abloh died in late 2021 at 41 after a private battle with cancer. Mercedes-Maybach reverently described him as a “polymath artist, architect, creative director, fashion designer and philanthropist, “which is certainly more thorough than the “hip-hop fashion designer” title Abloh was given during the Grammys’ In Memoriam segment to the dismay of many.

Indeed, Abloh successfully merged streetwear with high fashion as Louis Vuitton’s first Black Men’s Artistic Director, creator of the Off White label, and through numerous collaborations with big brands including Nike.

One of his final collabs focused on the vehicle here. The exterior features a two-tone color combo—glossy Obsidian Black on the upper half, and a gold-ish sand hue on the lower portion, side flanks and special forged rims.

The interior is predominantly finished in the sand color, including the Nappa Leather-clad seats, trims and strips. The high-pile floor mats are black with a sand colored leather border and embroidered Mercedes-Maybach logo. A special Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh badge is inscribed on the Piano Black middle of the center console, rear cushions, headrests and door sill panel. 

The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class S 680 by Virgil Abloh follows the Project Maybach concept, an ambitious all-electric off-road concept also designed by the Abloh that was displayed at Miami’s Rubbell Museum. Unlike the showcar, Mercedes is actually selling 150 examples of the S 680 later this year.

But if you can’t wait—or spend a surely exorbitant amount on a limited-edition Maybach—there’s Abloh’s Off-White x Project Maybach capsule.

The newly launched collection includes sand colored vintage washed cotton t-shirts and half-brushed cotton fleece crewnecks and hoodies, as well as canvas baseball caps and racing gloves crafted in canvas, neoprene and suede, coated with a black spray effect and embroidered.

Visit the Off-White and Maybach Icons of Luxury websites for more.

The Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet concept EV was compared to The Batmobile after its buzzy 2017 unveiling, so it’s only fitting that Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne will be driving the head-turning beauty in the upcoming The Flash. 

Set photos shared by movie-focused influencer Grace Randolph on Twitter show the luxe one-off almost exactly in its original form, save for a Batman-worthy blacked-out body instead of the original Navy paint coat. 

“This is his car, not [Ben] Affleck’s,” Randolph said, clarifying that this is indeed a ride owned by Keaton’s older Dark Knight (Affleck will portray a younger iteration of the superhero). “I hear this is from the end of the movie and he’s now permanently in the #DCEU.”

This Caped Crusader’s discerning taste in automobiles is both decadent and progressive. The one-off Merc runs all-electric four-motor powertrain delivering 738 horsepower—good for a sub-four-second zero-to-60 mph time, or 200 miles of range when operated efficiently, according to The Drive.

But the shape of the 20-foot-long shell is a throwback to “boattail” designs dating back to classic cars from the mid-1900s. It rides on 24-inch wheels with rose-gold center locks that mirror the grille’s pinstripe suit-inspired grates. 

It appears that producers have kept the interior’s quilted crystal white nappa leather seats—perhaps as a motif indicating Wayne/Batman’s struggles with good and evil, when compared to the body’s color. No word on whether the cockpit’s blue, fiber-optic interior glow will be utilized. 

All questions will be answered when The Flash hits theaters on November 4, 2022. 

Few names carry as much resonance in the luxury auto space as Maybach. With origins dating back to 1909, the marque is a full decade older than Bentley and nearly as storied as Rolls-Royce. Admittedly its production history has been more sporadic, but that has only served to preserve its aura of ultra-exclusivity. An aura that hasn’t dissipated since Daimler incorporated it into Mercedes-Benz in 2015 with the launch of the first Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. 

Just as AMG represents the most powerful, performance-oriented expression of Mercedes-Benz cars, Maybach now stands for “the manifestation of sophisticated luxury in its most advanced form” for vehicles bearing the coveted three-pointed star. 

This year sees not only an all-new Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, but also the first-ever Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 SUV, making 2021 the most important year in the marque’s history since Daimler originally revived it nearly 20 years ago. The timing is hardly accidental; in 2019, more Mercedes-Maybach S-Class cars were sold than ever before. 

While the two new models carry on Maybach’s signature incomparable elegance and refined craftsmanship, Mercedes has now brought the storied marque fully up to speed in terms of its industry-leading intelligent drive, connectivity and driver assistance systems. The resulting blend of luxury and technology truly has no equal. 

Many exclusive features distinguish the Maybach S-Class from the standard Mercedes-Benz S 580 4MATIC, which is already bristling with class-leading technology. Chief among them are  wider rear doors and a seven-inch longer wheelbase which makes the rear compartment as sybaritic as the Orient Express—especially when paired with the new Executive Seats upholstered in exclusive Maybach leather, incorporating a calfrest massage function and neck/shoulder heating. 

Large swathes of luxurious wood and leather trim on the rear of the front seats and between the two rear passengers (an option) heighten the effect, along with an active ambient lighting system comprising a total of 253 LEDs. 

Visually the Maybach S-Class gets a unique hood with a chrome fin and the Mercedes-Maybach radiator grille with vertical chrome pinstripes, as well as C-pillars with a fixed quarterlight and Maybach logo. And it would be sheer madness not to opt for the Maybach-exclusive two-tone paint finish, which takes up to a week to painstakingly apply by hand. 

None of this is lost on Virgil Abloh, designer of Off-White and Louis Vuitton’s menswear collections, who recently entered into a creative collaboration with Mercedes-Benz. “For me, what I appreciate about a luxury car is the craft,” he says. 

“I think it’s not that hard of a concept to understand that a car, on one hand, is just an object that gets you from A to B. But once you add craftsmanship, once you add attention to detail, all of a sudden that trip from A to B can become an experience. And I think within well-designed things, that experience stays with you and leaves a lasting impact…. [The] Maybach has this transcendent quality that transforms just a trip from A to B into something that stays with you.”

Mercedes’ elite Maybach branch just debuted the new GLS 600 at the Guangzhou auto show in China, and it’s already being hailed by some as the “world’s most opulent SUV.” 

It’s hard to quantify such a statement, but Merc’s range-topping ride is definitely up there. The exterior exudes high style with chrome-plated vertically slatted radiator grille and lower intakes. 

Car and Driver notes that more chrome accents the the A-pillar, the Maybach badge on the rearmost pillar, and the finishing strip at the base of the tailgate. A set of 22-inch cast aluminum wheels come standard, but forged alloy 23-inch rims are available.

To help the vertically challenged climb into the vehicle, there are 81-inch power-operated steps hidden in the sills that automatically deploy in one second when a door is opened. Adding to ease of entry is the active air suspension, which lowers the GLS’s body by an inch. 

Inside and behind the driver and passenger seats are two reclining chairs with lower leg supports that are set 4.7 inches farther back than in the normal GLS, taking legroom up to either 43.2 inches or 52.8 inches with the front passenger seat motored forward in “chauffeur position.” 

The interior also features multiple touchscreens, 64 color LED lighting, and an optional refrigerated compartment that can chill three full-size Champagne bottles.

C&D expressed concern over AMG 4.0-liter V8, writing that it’s a little dainty for a hulking, 6,140-pound ute. Still, the GLS’ engine and nine-speed automatic transmission are capable of pushing it to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited to speed of 155 mph. 

No price has been announced, but it was previously estimated that the Mercedes-Maybach GLS will run for around $200,000, making it the most expensive car built in the U.S. 

Drake’s latest whip is even more extravagant than his $400,000 iPhone case. 

The “God’s Plan” Grammy winner now owns an ultra-rare Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet, the only convertible version of the G-Wagen in production. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuL1qCKgxxa

Tony Bet, CEO of Toronto-based custom auto shop Driving Emotions Motorcar, posted photos of the rapper’s luxe ride adorned with “Papi” balloons to Instagram. 

“Price tag: $$$$$$$
,” Bet captioned another post, adding that it’s one of only 99 in existence and “not available at your local Mercedes dealer.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BttEQ_nBmcN

As Robb Report notes, location tags indicate that Drake sent his Landaulet to Brabus for unspecified upgrades. 

Given that the German tuning house’s past G-Wagen overhauls cost around $100,000, it almost certainly ran Drake north of $600,000 based on the truck’s estimated $550,000 base price. 

If you get one stock from the German marque, the luxury SUV boasts a turbo-charged Mercedes-AMG V12 that produces 630 horsepower, 22-inch light-alloy wheels and 17.7 inches of ground clearance. 

The seriously swanky interior is decked out in designo leather upholstery and matching finishes, and that’s only the beginning. 

Mercedes-Benz has further details: 

The active multicontour seats with ENERGIZING massage function have inflatable air chambers to provide high seating comfort and excellent lateral support. Massage programs make for enhanced well-being – according to the principle of a relaxing hot-stone massage.

To afford the rear passengers the optimum in comfort, there is a large business console with thermal cup holders between the individual seats. These allow beverages to be cooled or heated over a lengthy period of time. The controls for opening or closing the glass partition are integrated behind the cup holders.

The rear passengers can revel in a maximum of comfort: at the press of a button, a large folding top opens electrically to offer a view of the blue sky.

And here we thought Lamborghinis were the ultimate hip-hop rides. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtvY4gdlpZS

Last year, Mercedes-Maybach delivered one of the most luxurious rides we’ve ever seen in the 6 Cabriolet. The German automakers’ premium brand has an even more stunning concept up their sleeve. 

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury was supposed be unveiled at the 2018 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, but carnewschina.com leaked pics of the insanely decadent SUV a week early.  

Like other Vision models, the high-end beauty is all electric. Official stats haven’t been released, but Autocar has obtained performance specs via “leaked information.”

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury is designed as an electric car, with four synchronous motors that can offer all-wheel drive and a total power output of 738bhp. It will have a limited top speed of 155mph. 

The engines are powered by an 80 kWh underfloot battery, which gives an NEDC range of around 310 miles.   

That limited top speed is actually a blessing—riders can spend more time relishing in the EV’s opulent interior. 

Mercedes-Benz has further details on this stylish design: 

The concept vehicle embodies the Mercedes-Maybach design language, which reflects the traditional brand values while continuing the successful Mercedes-Maybach story.

To tie in with this the Design Team has created a furniture collection, which reflects the design idiom, form and material mix of the show car.  

While we await more info, enjoy photos of the Ultimate Luxury in the gallery above: 

h/t: Jalopnik

Wouldn’t it be great if you could switch out your car every few weeks? And wouldn’t it be even better if each new ride was a brand new, top-of-the-line Mercedes? Then pay attention.

The German luxury carmaker has just announced that the Mercedes-Benz Collection, a subscription service that gives customers access to a variety of cars for a monthly fee, will be launching in June starting in Nashville and Philadelphia.

Pretty sweet, right? Digital Trends has more info.

The Mercedes announcement did not offer any details on pricing, but did say that “multiple subscription tiers” will be available in each location, with a “broad array of Mercedes-Benz offerings including SUV, sedan, coupe, cabriolet, roadster, and wagon models,” as well as high-performance AMG models.

Customers will order cars though an app. Mercedes staff will deliver them at a location and time of the customers’ choosing. This will all be covered by a single monthly fee that bundles maintenance, insurance, and 24/7 roadside assistance, as well as unlimited mileage. Services like this offer drivers the flexibility to have a car when they need one, without having to deal with the hassles of ownership.

Not a bad deal, considering rides like the Mercedes-AMG GT could be up for grabs.

Digital Trends also notes that rivals Cadillac, Porsche, and Audi already offer their own subscription services, and BMW has one in the works.

Clearly, it’s a huge trend for luxury car makers, dealerships be damned.

We might hold off, however, until the Mercedes Maybach 6 Cabriolet concept actually hits the streets… although it’s difficult to imagine ever giving this thing up. 

As China emerges as the world’s largest car market, the Shanghai Motor Show has become an increasingly critical venue for new car introductions. Pricey luxury cars are hugely popular in China, where wealthy buyers expect to be chauffeured in their prestigious rides, and the government has mandated a shift toward electric drive, so those are the models we’re seeing from Shanghai.

Volkswagen I.D. Crozz

Volkswagen is racing to put diesels as far behind it as it can, as quickly as it can, so it rolled out the I.D. Crozz (the name is a weak play on the I.D. Buzz VW bus concept that generated so much excitement at the Detroit auto show), an all-electric crossover SUV.

While the compact electric drivetrain provides the same cabin space as in VW’s current Tiguan crossover within a smaller, sleeker body, it boasts 302 horsepower, a top speed of 112 mph and 311 miles driving range per battery charge. 

That is a longer distance than any battery electric vehicle currently for sale, and a production model is on its way. “This is the car we will build and sell in about three years time,” Volkwagen brand CEO Herbert Diess said, according to trade magazine Automotive News.

Mercedes-Benz Concept A

Mercedes needs to explore better ways to deliver the brand’s signature luxury experience in smaller, more efficient, urban-friendly models, so the auto show in the world’s largest city is the logical place for the company to preview its thinking on future A-Class models with the Concept A sedan.

With the Concept A, Mercedes seeks not only to pioneer new concept car style, but to actually shift the market away from today’s styling themes. “Our Concept A Sedan shows that the time of creases is over,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer. “With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of ‘Sensual Purity’ and has the potential to introduce a new design era.”

The company employs elements of bigger cars, such as 20-inch wheels and the toothsome Panamericana grille seen on the incredible AMG-GT C and R models.

The Concept A is a styling exercise, so Mercedes released no technical details on the car.

Audi e-tron Sportback concept

The Volkswagen Group’s luxury division also wants in on the electric car action, especially in China. 

“We have made a conscious decision to give the Audi e-tron Sportback its first showing here in Shanghai, because China is the world’s leading market for electric automobiles,” explained Dietmar Voggenreiter, member of the board of management responsible for Audi’s marketing and sales. “There are already about 150,000 charging stations in the country, with another 100,000 due to come on stream by the end of 2017.”

With the support of that infrastructure, Audi plans five e-tron electric models within five years, Voggenreiter added. One of them will be the 2018 production version of the e-tron Sportback concept.

This EV features 496 horsepower (in boost mode) with 0 to 62.1 mph acceleration in just 4.5 seconds and a 311-mile range between charges.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The S-Class sedan is the brand’s imposing flagship, and Mercedes has bolstered the car’s interior amenities and technology along with mildly revised sheetmetal to keep this behemoth ahead of would-be competitors.

How about dual 12.3-inch displays bonded into a single glass panel to provide an expansive view? And improved automatic steering and adaptive cruise control that works in even more circumstances than before.

“The development of the new S-Class was extremely extensive,” remarked Ola Källenius, Mercedes’ board member for research and development. “With a whole series of new features and functions, the S-Class remains a technological pioneer,” he said. Which is, of course, the S-Class’s job.

The S-Class has both sporty AMG versions and the uber-luxurious Maybach limousine at the top of the line. The pinnacle of the available engines is the 621-horsepower 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12, which not only provides shocking performance, but it does so without appearing to exert any effort, which is a key ingredient to success in the prestige sedan market.

Lynk & Co. 03

Shanghai is a Chinese auto show, so it is naturally that the nation’s developing auto industry would seek to make a splash. One of the most interesting introductions was from the Lync & Co, brand, which showed its 03 electric concept car.

As a start-up subsidiary of China’s Geely car-making conglomerate, Lynk may make a bigger splash with its support of the planned support of future production models than from the lines of its 03 concept car.

That’s because Lynk announced it will back its cars with lifetime warranties and will provide free traffic data connectivity to buyers. We don’t know the Chinese phrase for “car salesman” but apparently buyers there prefer to avoid them just like we do, so Lynk will sell its cars online, with home delivery. 

Maybe the sales process will be the advantage Chinese cars bring when they come to the U.S.