Is Maybach on the rise?
That’s the question raised by the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 coupe, a concept that was unveiled in the suitably grandiose automotive environs of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance festivities.
After being dormant for nearly 70 years, the Maybach brand was resurrected in the early 2000s to do battle against Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but that effort eventually was abandoned. Now Daimler’s highest-buck nameplate is relegated, for the time being, to ultraluxury versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-class. But the appearance of this dramatic concept suggests that Mercedes is mulling a higher-profile future for Maybach.
The Eyes Love It
Even in the superheated atmosphere of Pebble Beach, this Maybach is a stunner. The “6” in the name refers to the car’s length of nearly six meters. At 224 inches, it’s some two feet longer than an S-class coupe; it’s also nearly four inches lower. The dimensions are extravagant, with an ultralong hood, the two-plus-two-seat cabin set far rearward, and an extended rear overhang. Mercedes says the proportions “recall the aero coupes of days gone by,” and indeed, the concept has a classic-era elegance about it. That vibe is reinforced by the gullwing doors, the split backlight, and the boattail rear. The body-color inserts on the 24-inch (!) wheels are translucent, with the aluminum spokes visible behind. Up front, the grille with 25 chrome vanes and topped by a three-pointed-star hood ornament is purely decorative—because this extravagantly proportioned show car is an EV.
That’s right. Under the miles-long hood is . . . trunk space (with fitted luggage, naturally). This megacoupe is powered by four electric motors, one per wheel, fed by an 80-kWh battery pack that lives under the floor. The EV powertrain is said to be “currently in series development” and produces 738 horsepower, enough for a postulated zero-to-62-mph time of less than four seconds and a governed top speed of 155 mph. Mercedes claims the car also offers a driving range of more than 200 miles. And with DC quick charging on the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard, a five-minute jolt can add 62 miles of range; the car also can be recharged wirelessly.
Wrap-ture
The inside is as modern as the outside is classic. Although there are two analog gauges set atop the steering column, they’re dwarfed by the digital display screen that runs the full width of the dash and even onto the door panels. Additionally, the windshield itself functions as a giant head-up display and is operated via gesture controls. Continuing the wraparound theme, the seat bottoms extend up into the door panels and the center console. The seats themselves are upholstered in white leather, with button tufting that’s supposed to suggest a chesterfield sofa. Rather than carpet, the floor is covered in open-pore elm wood, which continues up onto the lower door panels, for what Mercedes characterizes as “a refined yachting look.” Metal accents are rose gold. Drivers have plenty of opportunity to gaze at their surroundings, since the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 also can operate autonomously.
During its modern phase as a full-fledged brand, Maybachs appeared only as four-door sedans: the 57 and the 62 (plus a demi-convertible Landaulet version, of which a handful were built). There was, however, back in 2004, the Exelero, a one-off coupe that might have been styled by Darth Vader (it can be seen in the Jay-Z music video “Lost One”). So the idea of a Maybach as an ultraluxury two-door isn’t entirely original.
What, then, to make of the Maybach 6? A Mercedes insider characterized the car as a “pie in the sky” concept—but one that indicates future thinking about Maybach. All we can say is, at an event where one is surrounded by high-classic Mercedes-Benz models such as the SSK from the 1920s and 1930s and the Gullwing from the 1950s, it’s great to see a new car with the three-pointed star that is just as faint-dead-away beautiful as any that have gone before.
- CarAndDriver
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