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Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury SUV Concept Dissected

Photo credit: Car and Driver
Photo credit: Car and Driver

From Car and Driver

From the July 2018 issue
The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept was built to do three things: preview the future of Mercedes-Benz’s in-car technology, express Mercedes’ intent to grow the Maybach brand, and provide a look at the company’s plans for the EV powertrains that will motivate its upcoming EQ line. Apparently “appeal to American tastes” was not in the brief.

Photo credit: Car and Driver
Photo credit: Car and Driver

Unveiled at the Beijing auto show in April, the Ultimate Luxury was designed specifically for the China market, from the ebony trim throughout the interior (the wood is used in traditional Chinese furniture making) to the tea service in the center console. Beneath the flourishes, however, is a vehicle concept of consequence. Mercedes will eventually release a GLS-based Maybach SUV, the long-term goal being to grow the nascent ultraluxury subbrand into something as strong, globally, as the AMG line.

Styling

The look of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach is going to draw plenty of comments, but don’t put too much stock in this design, especially for the U.S. market. If anything like the Ultimate Luxury were to make it to production, it’d likely be for Chinese consumers, who disproportionately prefer high-end sedans over SUVs compared with the rest of the world-hence the choice to essentially build an S-class sedan on a GLS chassis rather than create a more traditional SUV profile.

Photo credit: Car and Driver
Photo credit: Car and Driver


As puzzling as it is to contemplate the decision-making process that went into this thing, it does suggest that Mercedes is zeroing in on a few design signatures for future Maybach models. The body-colored longitudinal element that runs through the panoramic roof and rear window is an evolution of the spar that bisected the back glass on the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 coupe-and, in the realm of real production cars, graces that other pillar of conspicuous billionizing, the Bugatti Chiron. Subtler cues to expect on future Maybach products include the three-light clusters front and rear and the already familiar big-mouthed vertical-slat grille.

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But, yeah, there is the unavoidable ridiculousness of it all, this Maybach equivalent of a C3 Corvette on a K5 Blazer chassis. It forgoes the utility of an SUV and the appealing styling of a car. Fenders bulge to accommodate the 24-inch wheels, trading a big Benz sedan’s normally elegant, understated shape for one that’s more donkified plush-toy S-class.

Photo credit: Car and Driver
Photo credit: Car and Driver


Interior

As you might expect for a Maybach, the Ultimate Luxury is intended to be chauffeur-driven. To that end, Mercedes-Benz claims the cockpit is “reduced to the essentials”-the essentials being ultra-high-end nappa seats, exquisite ebony trim, and the dual 12.3-inch display screens that Mercedes dubs its Widescreen Cockpit. Make the driver too comfortable and next thing you know, he’ll think himself entitled to a raise. The massive center console gives the front seats a look not dissimilar to those walk-in tubs advertised on cable-news channels. The view from the two rear seats is all white leather, exposed rose-gold seat frames, and the aforementioned center-console tea service made of-naturally-the finest china, set on a tray of ebony, which Mercedes notes is known in China as a “magic wood.” Ahem.

More relevant are some of the gadgets and technology updates found inside. The “comprehensive touch-control concept” seems bound for production; it’s an evolution of Mercedes’ infotainment system that adds touch sensitivity to the main COMAND screen. Less imminent is the voice-control logic, which Mercedes says adapts to new words or even a change of language. The system also varies its responses to occupants for a more conversational exchange and enhanced creepiness.

Photo credit: Car and Driver
Photo credit: Car and Driver


Mechanicals

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury is both longer and wider than the current GLS by five inches, but that’s all Mercedes will say for now. The company would rather talk about the Vision’s powertrain. It’s all electric, with an 80-kWh battery supporting a permanent-magnet synchronous motor at each wheel, the same setup that Mercedes used for the SLS AMG E-Cell. That gives it all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution and a claimed 750 horsepower. Mercedes also cites a range of more than 200 miles, an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, and the ability to gain 60 miles of range in five minutes by way of 350-kW DC fast charging.

Daimler is investing heavily in EVs and will roll out a whole new Mercedes-EQ subbrand to push the technology. The company intends to bring an electric GLC platform-mate to market in 2019, with a planned $12 billion investment yielding nine more EVs by 2022. While it’s conceivable that a production Maybach SUV could forgo third-row seating in favor of a more opulent second row, it seems unlikely that such a vehicle, especially an electrically powered one, would be upon us just yet. And we really hope it doesn’t look like this Lada-Maybach.

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