Mercedes-Maybach S-Class officially unveiled

Mercedes has simultaneously unveiled its Mercedes-Maybach S-Class at the Guangzhou and Los Angeles Motor Shows. Besides the extra name, the luxury limousine is all about the wheelbase.

Measuring 5,453mm in length with a 3,365mm long wheelbase, the car is 200mm longer than even the long wheelbase S-Class. As expected, most of that is for the benefit of the rear seat passengers, where most owners will lounge in a pair of quilted leather ottoman seats.

The key distinguishing feature of the Maybach S-Class is the new side line: by comparison with the long-wheelbase version of the S-Class, the rear door has been shortened by 66mm and therefore appears to meld seamlessly into the overall composition. The door has no triangular window because this has been relocated into the C-pillar. As a result, the rear seats are situated beyond the door cutout, which creates a feeling of exceptional privacy and exclusivity. The elegant Maybach Manufaktur logo – a double M inside an arched triangle – adorns the C-pillars on both sides.

The are two models in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class range, the S600 which is powered by a 6.0-litre twin turbo V12 generating 390kW (530hp) and 830Nm, and the S500 (also optionally available in 4MATIC) which is propelled by a 4.7-litre twin turbo V8 delivering 335kW and 700Nm. Both models is capable of hitting 100km/h from a standstill in 5.0 seconds.

Inside the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is said to be the world’s quietest production sedan, with a low level of wind noise in the rear, despite the large windows, and betters even the quietest car in the world – the S-Class Coupé. For an exclusive look, the front centre armrests with nappa leather or exclusive nappa leather upholstery feature embossed Maybach crests. Another special feature in the dashboard is the analogue clock with an IWC design.

The high quality standards of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class are evident from the doors, which even have hand-stitched door trim as part of the standard equipment. This extravagance is part of the interior’s luxurious, hand-finished “Manufaktur” character. Exclusive features used in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class are trim parts in wood/chrome and leather at shoulder height in the door panels, chrome-plated tweeter grilles and fibre-optic cables for the ambience lighting to the side on the armrest. Together they create a unique atmosphere conveying a sense of capacious style.

In addition to all the amenities of the conventional S-Class, a number of exclusive interior touches underscore the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class’s ambition to lead. These include the exclusive Maybach perfume AGARWOOD for fragrancing as part of the AIR-BALANCE package and two silver-plated, handcrafted champagne flutes (both optional extras). Voice amplification is a novel function emphasising the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class’s positioning as a chauffeur-driven vehicle, which makes it much easier for occupants in the front to communicate with the rear passengers. The Burmester^®high-end 3D surround sound system offers a unique optical and acoustic experience. As a visual highlight, the tweeters in the rear doors of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class are particularly sophisticated and can also be moved towards the passengers in a spiral motion.

These rear seats offer a unique level of comfort thanks to a special adjustment kinematics system. In contrast to the norm, the backrest is adjusted separately while the footwell and seat reference point remain unchanged. The cushion can be adjusted separately, with inclination and horizontal adjustment combined.

For the executive seats, the maximum backrest angle is 43.5 degrees. The most upright backrest position of 19 degrees allows relaxed working in the rear. The reclining seats feature a calf support, which is freely adjustable for length and angle. As standard, the luxury head restraints come with an extra cushion.

The Chauffeur package is also part of the standard equipment. A “chauffeur position” for the front passenger seat is one of the key components: due to changes to the kinematics system, the rear seat occupant on the front-passenger side has 77 mm more footroom compared with a normal front passenger seat in the furthest forward seat position. In addition to this “chauffeur position”, the front passenger seat can be folded forward and the rear seat placed in an extended recline position for breaks. EASY ADJUST luxury head restraints come as standard for the driver and passenger, and the one on the front-passenger side is folding. For the rear passenger, the Chauffeur package also includes a heel support, which extends from under the front passenger seat. This allows a reclined position that sets new standards in the automotive sector with respect to sleeping and resting comfort.

Individual seat functions in the rear, and those of the chauffeur seat, are of course electrically operated via the typical Mercedes control panels in the rear doors. The rear armrest has a double cup holder, stowage space and wood trim.

As an option, it is possible to boost comfort for rear passengers even further. The Rear Seat Comfort package includes individually adjustable multicontour seats, for example, and an ENERGIZING massage function based on the hot-stone principle.

The First-Class rear suite (centre console in the rear) is a visual continuation of the front console on the centre tunnel. It is equipped with innovative thermo cup holders, which use Peltier technology to cool or warm drinks over a longer period of time.

Like an aircraft seat, the centre console is available with two tables, which can be easily folded in or out using one hand. Two articulated joints on the stem and underside of the table enable it to be adjusted to almost any position. The table supports and surface are made of a light alloy, combining great stability with a high-quality look. The table surfaces have leather inserts to provide a comfortable writing surface.

To deliver maximum climatic control in the rear compartment, there is a second, standard-fitted THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control system in the rear with two additional climate zones for the rear seats. A control panel on the back of the centre console allows the temperature and air distribution to be set individually for the left and right sides. For targeted climate control, there are two nozzles in the centre console and also on the B-pillars and in the rear footwell. Using COMAND Online, the driver can conveniently adjust the automatic climate control system for the back of the vehicle too.