Events
Eric Killorin
Mon Aug 29 2016 18:00:35 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Thought Maybach was reserved just for Mercedes' hyper-long Pullman super-saloon S-class? Think again.
This dramatic Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Coupe has been unveiled at the 2016 Pebble Beach concours, the name referencing its enormous near-six-metre length.
It's a dramatically long gullwing 2+2 coupe with extraordinary detailing - and an electric powertrain juggling decent range (300 miles+) with zesty performance (thanks to a 550kW electric motor, equivalent to around 750bhp).
It's like an SLS sports car in flamboyant evening robes.
The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6
The official pics reveal the imposing face of the new Maybach show car and the biggest shark-alike grille we've seen in a long time. It'd make mincemeat of any proletariat city cars it came across on the high street...
That vertically straked radiator (inspired by pinstripe suits, we're told) is flanked by narrow, cartoon-like LED headlamps, while the vast – stretching to a Kwik Fit-pleasing 24 inches in diameter – have aero-disc red inlays to match the 6's deep lustrous scarlet paintwork.
Specs, outputs
0-62mph 'Under 4 seconds'
Top speed Limited to 155mph
EV range Over 500km (300 miles)
Electric motor 550kW (equivalent to 750bhp)
Battery capacity 80kWh
Rapid charge 350kW charging ability – 5 mins enough for 60-mile range
Gullwing doors
Maybach Coupe: the lowdown
Merc's designers have doffed their hats to the streamliner aero coupes of the last century; without recourse to spoilers and blunt aero addenda, the profile is carefully cigar-shaped, the boat-tail rear end smoothing airflow around the 5.7m behemoth.
Yes, that's right. Disappointingly, it turns out the Maybach isn't actually six-metres long at all. The official specs reveal it's actually 5700mm long, 2100mm wide and 1328mm tall. Still a beast, but still makes the official name a little confusing.
Perhaps they wanted to bury the 57 connotations of its predecessor, the euthanased Maybach 57 and 62 stretched limos...
Inside cabin of Maybach 6 Coupe
It's still damn long, though. That extraordinary length should make for a very roomy cabin, revealed in the official photos. The wraparound chairs with Chesterfield-style detailing look extrardinary and there's some rather pricey-sounding rose gold used in the cabin detailing.
Those unusual pews pack sensors which tell how hot the occupants are, making climate adjustments as necessary. And they'll even monitor the colour of your clothes, tweaking the ambient lighting to suit.
And check out the new virtual instruments. The windscreen acts as a transparent display – all conventional dials are beamed on to the window and virtual reality overlays provide augmented mapping and points of interest as you drive around.
Matching luggage set, natch
Sounds all a bit sci-fi? It is for now, but you'd better believe it; this kind of tech is under development today.
When will Mercedes launch another Maybach?
This is where things get interesting. We hear that a second model will indeed join the S600 Pullman in autumn 2017. We'd anticipate a launch at the 2017 Los Angeles auto show and the signals are that this is likely to be a more sporting coupe.