Can it cost a little more? Mercedes presents its electric luxury liner

The term luxury is clearly defined in the world of Mercedes. 99 percent of customers in this segment opt ​​for the S-Class, EQS or GLS. However, those who can afford it get into a Mercedes-Maybach. The sub-brand serves extremely well-funded buyers who want it even more exclusive, but may not want to make the jump to the leading automotive elite around Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Before the end of this year, Maybach will launch the first fully electric model, 484 kW/658 hp, with a 108 kWh battery, after the premium offshoots of the S-Class and GLS, under the somewhat cumbersome name Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV 680 and more than 600 kilometers of action radius. Sales will start at the end of 2023 in the US, China and Korea, the luxury brand’s main markets. The SUV will also come to Europe in early 2024.

Technically it is based on the Mercedes EQS SUV, but has been improved in terms of aerodynamics and efficiency. The luxury SUV, which weighs almost three tons, disengages the front-wheel drive when it is not needed and lets the front wheels roll freely. In addition, a heat pump uses the residual heat from the battery to heat the interior.

What costs extra for the normal EQS SUV is standard in the Maybach. For example, the air suspension, for which an additional driving program has been specially programmed. This should make the dampers react even more sensitively and smooth out potholes more gently. The luxury liner is also prepared for light off-road use. A camera scans the environment at speeds of up to 8 km/h and projects obstacles on the display.

Luxury runs worldwide and gives the brand a boost: 21,600 Maybach were ordered last year, 37 percent more than in 2021. At least 170,000 euros you had to splurge for a Maybach based on the S-Class or GLS. The majority of EQS SUV buyers will have to travel considerably more to Stuttgart.

In return, they get a car that offensively shows its origins. On the massive, closed grille – known internally as the black panel – with its vertical chrome trim strips, the car is the only Mercedes to have a vertical brand star, with the Maybach logo below it. The Maybach logo with the double M can be found everywhere: in the bumper, in the door panels or on the seats and even on the pedals. When the doors are opened, the car projects a light show of pulsating logos onto the road in front of the illuminated running boards. And when you start, the headlights and light strip at the rear play their own symphony of light.

Using various tricks, the designers have succeeded in optically removing the impact of the 5.12 meter length of the car. Full-length chrome strips converge on the D-pillar at another Maybach logo. The optional two-tone paint in particular gives the car a certain elegance. A fine stripe below the windows breaks up the lower color area, which is reminiscent of the chrome side strips of the legendary Riva boats.

Inside, digital meets analog luxury, the finest leather – sustainably tanned without chrome, but not vegan – meets a myriad of screens. As with the EQS, the standard hyperscreen with three overlapping displays extends across the entire width of the cockpit. With its own look. The numbers on the speedometer change size depending on the speed and are dynamically shown and hidden. Additional 11.6-inch screens behind the backrest bring all entertainment functions to the rear. Navigation or vehicle functions can also be controlled from there. For example, the 253 individually controllable LEDs that illuminate the footwell, doors, compartments or headliner in 64 colours.

The car is delivered from the factory as a five-seater. But only the first-class version in the back exudes the luxury that the brand wants to stand for. The center console at the front then continues like a floating belt to the rear, complete with a large compartment and a tray between the two seats. In the driver’s position, the passenger seat buzzes all the way forward, while the owner snuggles into the reclining, air-conditioned seat behind it, gets her calf or back massaged, and whiles away the time with a streamed video. The sound is provided by the standard 4D surround system from high-end manufacturer Burmester. Those who can afford such a car also have certain requirements.

(t online)