Maybach is back: Mercedes to revive luxury moniker with stretched S-Class at LA Auto Show

By Andrew Hard October 22, 2014

Mercedes S-Class — Image used with permission by copyright holder

For whatever reason, Maybach’s dream of battling Rolls Royce and Bentley was never meant to be.

The Mercedes-Benz subsidiary was revived in 2002 after a long period of post-WWII hibernation, but things didn’t go so well. Despite being heavily hyped by the entertainment industry (which included Rick Ross’ record label Maybach Music Group), the brand sold less than 3,000 units over a ten-year period.

And thus, Maybach was killed off. Or so we thought.

Car and Driver has confirmed that Mercedes will revive the Maybach moniker with a stretched version of the S-Class (pictured) at the LA Auto Show.

Gordon Wagener, Mercedes’ global Head of Design, said the elongated sedan would be nearly 10 inches longer than the current range-topping S600. The ‘Mercedes Maybach’ will reportedly measure 5.5 meters (approximately 18 feet) and feature more luxurious elements than all the current flagships.

High-rolling customers can rest assured the Maybach will equip biturbo V12 power, wear only the finest interior materials, feature a fully-reclining seat, and fit exclusive Maybach livery throughout.

As we reported in July, we expect the limo-esque car to offer a power-operating partition and sofa-like rear seats. Insiders are also predicting the big Merc’ to showcase the brand’s Magic Body Control Suspension, which uses a stereo camera to scan the road conditions and adjusts suspension firmness, damping, and ground clearance as necessary.

Reports indicate the Maybach will be rear-wheel drive.

Related: Next Mercedes-Benz S-Class could feature gesture-recognition tech

It will likely cost a lot more than the $222,000 asking price the S65 AMG Sedan as well. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the most effective comparison would be the defunct Maybach 57, which retailed for $341,750.

The LA Auto Show commences November 21^st.

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Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV preview: The EV lineup grows again

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

As Mercedes-Benz has steadily expanded its EQ range of electric cars, the lineup has become a bit like the late stages of a Tetris game. It’s mostly complete, but with a few gaps still left. And the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the piece that perfectly fits one of them.
Mercedes recently launched two other electric SUVs at opposite ends of the price spectrum. The EQS SUV is positioned as the lineup’s flagship, while the EQB is the entry-level model. The EQE SUV slots between those two in size and, presumably, price. The latter hasn’t been confirmed yet, and likely won’t be until the EQE SUV’s planned March 2023 on-sale date.

Design
As the name says, the EQE SUV is a utility-vehicle version of the EQE sedan, which will likely beat it to showrooms by a few months. Mercedes did the same thing with the EQS, which is available in both SUV and sedan body styles.
With its tall, upright profile, the EQE SUV definitely looks like a proper SUV compared to the low-slung EQE sedan. Park it next to an EQS SUV, though, and you’ll have to get out a measuring tape to spot the differences.
The EQE SUV is 0.6 inch narrower and 1.2 inches lower than the EQS SUV, but the most significant difference is in length. The EQE SUV is 10.3 inches shorter than the EQS SUV, with a 2.1-inch shorter wheelbase. And while the EQS SUV has three-row seating, the EQE SUV has two rows. Based on our experience with the EQS SUV’s third row, that’s not a big loss.
The interior design theme carries over from other Mercedes EQ models, with an expansive sloping dashboard designed to accommodate many screens, and multicolor ambient lighting that should look pretty dramatic at night. However, leatherette upholstery is standard, rather than real leather, which Mercedes is now spinning as a vegan option.

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We need more 7-passenger EVs, but the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV has room to improve

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to expand its EV lineup, this time with a model aimed at (wealthy) families.
As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
That makes the EQS SUV an important vehicle not just for Mercedes, but for the cause of EV adoption in general. While the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S also offer three rows for family-hauling duty, there’s a lot more room in the market for another entry. Given the popularity of equivalent gasoline luxury SUVs like the GLS, Land Rover Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade, the EQS SUV arrives not a moment too soon.
The EQS SUV is scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships this fall in three guises. The base rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ starts at $105,550 with destination, while the all-wheel drive EQS 450 4Matic and EQS 580 4Matic start at $108,550 and $127,100, respectively. Although it will be built in Alabama, the EQS SUV won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit because it exceeds the $80,000 price cap for SUVs.

Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
More disappointing is the third row, which should be the EQS SUV’s defining feature, but seems more like a useless afterthought. Adults will find it difficult to insert themselves into the third-row seats, let alone tolerate riding in them. As in most three-row vehicles, the rear seats also pretty much eliminate cargo space. And if you want to fold them down to create more cargo room, you’ll have to do it manually as Mercedes didn’t include a power-folding system — a bit disappointing for a six-figure car. The EQS SUV also lacks a frunk; like the EQS sedan, the hood is sealed.
The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.

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Lux and refreshingly livable, Mercedes’ EQE moves EVs mainstream

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan.

Mercedes-Benz wants its EQ sub-brand to be an all-electric counterpart to its current lineup of gasoline luxury cars, and it’s working toward that goal by starting at opposite ends of the price spectrum and working toward the middle.
Where the EQS sedan and SUV are the flagships of the lineup, and the EQB serves as an entry-level offering, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan aims for the middle of the market. It’s pitched as an electric equivalent of the Mercedes E-Class, one of the automaker’s bread-and-butter models. And like the E-Class, the EQE will compete against sedans from Mercedes’ German rivals, such as the Audi e-tron GT, BMW i4, and Porsche Taycan. It will likely be cross-shopped against the Genesis Electrified G80, Lucid Air, and Tesla Model S as well.
The EQE sedan arrives at U.S. dealerships in late 2022 in four guises: base rear-wheel drive EQE 350+, all-wheel drive EQE 350 4Matic and EQE 500 4Matic, and an AMG EQE performance version. Mercedes hasn’t disclosed pricing for any of these models, but the EQE 350 4Matic we tested for this first drive will likely be a mid-tier trim level. Like its EQS sibling, the EQE will also get an SUV variant, which will launch sometime after the sedan version.

Design and interior
The EQE has the same lozenge-like shape as the EQS sedan, which is dictated by aerodynamics. The appeal of the design is up for debate, but the smooth shape reduces aerodynamic drag, which helps improve efficiency and range. Under the skin, the EQE is also based on the same EVA2 architecture as the EQS sedan.
But while the two EQ sedans look similar at first glance, the EQE is a bit smaller than its sibling. It’s 10.6 inches shorter than the EQS sedan, with a 3.5-inch shorter wheelbase. Rear-seat passengers might notice the difference, but like its gasoline E-Class counterpart, the EQE is aimed more at drivers than passengers. Its tidier proportions were also a bit more pleasing to our eyes, making the EQE look sleeker than its sibling.
The interior design is minimalist while still maintaining functionality.