1.17 Crores INR ($189,350)*. That’s what your plutocratic self needs to pay for acquiring the ultimate in German opulence on the move. Of course, that doesn’t sound like much, considering it’s “normal” S-Class money in India, but import a Mercedes Maybach S600 here, and it’ll set you back by more than double that listed figure. And that just buys you an entry to the club. Before you finish appointing your chariot with all the posh options, you’ll be nudging Rolls-Royce Ghost/Bentley Flying Spur W12 money.
That princely sum does not, however, make the Maybach version of the latest S-Class the company’s most expensive sedan. That honor still goes to the ridiculously powerful and absurdly priced S65 AMG, which starts at 1.4 Crores INR ($222,000).
The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is specifically designed to be chauffeur-driven. However, for the driver and front passenger comfort, there have been no compromises made compared with a “normal” S-Class. Here, however, the real sense of spaciousness is to be found in the rear.
The benefits of extending the wheelbase by 200 mm are felt entirely in the back of the vehicle where the specification has been refined even more. Due to the roofline, it was also possible to further raise the head clearance. Mercedes has developed a new kinematics system for the executive seats at the rear, wherein the backrest can be adjusted individually without the footrest sliding up and outwards.
Billed as the “world’s quietest production saloon car,”Mercedes says the cars boast impressive “aeroacoustics,” with extensive wind-tunnel tests and special seals and insulation used to reduce wind noise inside the car as much as possible.
The top-of-the-range model is the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 will be powered by a 5980cc V12 biturbo engine that would generate an output of 530 hp and maximum torque of 830 Nm. The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 completes the sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 5.0 seconds, while the top speed is 155 mph (electronically limited). The Mercedes-Maybach S 600 comes with the latest evolution of the 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission. The 4663 cc V8 biturbo engine in the Mercedes-Maybach S 500 would produce an output of 455 hp. Its peak torque is 700 Nm. The Mercedes-Maybach S 500 is equipped as standard with new 9G-TRONIC, the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission in the premium segment.
Like the S-Class, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is available with numerous new assistance systems that make driving even more safer. Intelligent Drive systems include PRE-SAFE Brake with pedestrian detection, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, Brake Assist BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus. Executive seats in the rear as standard come with the innovative seat cushion airbag. The airbag is located under the seat cushion upholstery, but on top of the plastic seat shell, which is moved by the seat mechanisms. This means that the airbag is always in the right position relative to the occupant.
The Mercedes-Maybach S-class debuts internationally next month with the S 500 costing $156,000 and the S 600 priced at $218,500 (incl. 19% VAT).
*excluding $925 destination charge and VAT.
