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

By Andrew Hard Published October 22, 2014

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.

Recommended Videos

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.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

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

Cars

Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is old-school luxury — electrified

Front three quarter view of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is preparing for an electric future with its EQ models, a line of EVs with futuristic aerodynamic styling and all of the latest infotainment tech. With several EQ models already in production, Mercedes is shifting focus to more traditional luxury.
The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is the first all-electric vehicle from Maybach, the ultra-luxury subbrand of Mercedes. It takes the EQS SUV launched in 2022 and bathes it in opulence, adding more chrome on the outside and more creature comforts on the inside.
Scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. this fall, the Maybach is an unusual EV proposition, taking what is supposed be a forward-thinking design and wrapping it in old-school luxury. Ahead of its launch, Digital Trends got an up-close look at the Maybach EQS SUV to see how Mercedes is trying to balance those two aspects.

Germany's Rolls-Royce goes electric
The Maybach name has great historical significance for Mercedes. Wilhelm Maybach was one of the earliest automotive engineers. He designed the first Mercedes-branded car for the Daimler company (now Daimler-Benz), but struck out on his own after a falling out with company management. His eponymous company built Zeppelin engines, luxury cars, and, during World War II, engines for German military vehicles.
Daimler-Benz took control of Maybach in the 1960s, but left the passenger-car business dormant. Mercedes then revived the Maybach name in the early 2000s as a competitor to the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, both of which are owned by rival German automakers. Given Wilhelm Maybach's history with Mercedes, it essentially brought things full circle.
The 21st-century Maybach brand started out with standalone models in the form of the Maybach 57 and Maybach 62 sedans (as well as the stunning Exelero prototype), but production ended in 2012 amid dwindling sales. Mercedes then switched to making Maybach-branded versions of existing models like the S-Class sedan and GLS-Class SUV, a pattern that continues with the Maybach EQS SUV.

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV first drive review: ’90s look, cutting-edge tech

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

Mercedes-Benz is one of the oldest automakers in existence, but it's been among the quickest to launch a lineup of electric cars. It may not have the freshness of a startup, but what it does have are actual cars to sell to customers.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the middle child of Mercedes' electric SUV lineup, slotting between the entry-level EQB and the flagship EQS SUV, and targeting electric luxury SUVs like the Audi E-Tron, BMW iX, and Cadillac Lyriq. Like the EQS, the EQE SUV is based on an existing sedan, hence the "SUV" suffix. In a previous first drive, we found the EQE sedan to be a good balance between luxury and livability, giving the SUV version a lot to live up to.

Cars

Mercedes is finally bringing an electric van to the U.S.

Front three quarter view of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric van.

Mercedes-Benz might be known for luxury cars, but it also makes vans, and it's finally bringing an electric van to the United States.

Scheduled to start production this summer, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter is an all-electric version of the Sprinter full-size cargo van that's already a favorite of delivery services like FedEx and Amazon, as well as camper van converters. While the automaker has been selling electric vans in Europe since 2010, the new eSprinter is the first one aimed at the U.S. market.