The Mercedes-Benz S-Class acts as the benchmark of luxury, combining both build quality and pioneering new technology. Jeremy Clarkson proclaimed in the early 2000s that to find what would become commonplace in the motoring world in twenty years we only need to look at the current S-Class. Now Maybach takes the S-Class and turns this prophetic model into a hyper-luxury car in the same way Brabus transform these cars into hyper-muscle cars. Maybach first came under the Mercedes-Benz umbrella in the late 1990s. The Volkswagen group had just bought Bentley. BMW acquired Rolls-Royce. To stay the king of luxury sedans Mercedes-Benz's new Maybach division sold the Maybach 57 and 62. These were short and long-wheelbase versions of the contemporary S-Class.
Not content with where they sit in the market comes the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture. Designed in partnership with legendary designer Virgil Abloh. Before his death, in November 2021 Abloh rose to the top of the ladder at Luis Vuitton. Matching this history of designer goods the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture first saw the light of the world in France. According to Maybach, the car takes inspiration from Project MAYBACH where Abloh and Wagener built a futuristic electric vehicle. In front of the car sat luxury handbags, shoes, and hats with excessive-looking fur and a shared gold and blue motif with the car.
Designed by Virgil Abhol this concept beats Rolls-Royce at their own game.
How Is This Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture Special?
Sat in a mirror-laden room in Nice, the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture showcases what Maybach will do soon. From the outside, this car attracts a little more attention than a usual Maybach. With a two-tone exterior, this certainly turns away from the subtle black long-wheelbase S-Class-based models that find their way into the hands of oligarchs the world over. The main body of the car is in an opulent shade of champagne. The cabin is a regal blue. The Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture attracts attention without shouting about its wealth.
However, this all changed in the interior. Ivory white leather adorns every surface of the car. With contrasting flourishes of the gold fixing it to the center console. This gold motif is prevalent throughout with a gold and blue patterned bouclé material along the cabin walls. Bouclé is yet one more of the finer things in life that presents itself on the Maybach. This particular design comes from the Black Forest region of Germany. Matching the gold accents along with the door. A concept car but still hinting at the lifestyle of those who would own this car, in the cup holders sit a bottle of champagne and two flutes, these are of course gold. This car only has two rear seats, with the space down the middle taken up with a large center console with both technology and storage.
What Does The Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture Share With A Regular Maybach?
Mercedes-Maybach produces what Mercedes-Benz market as the Ultimate Luxury. The brand offers three main models, a version of the GLS, EQS, and the more well-known Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. According to the marque, "Our Aspiration Is To Surpass Yours", Maybach strives to take the S-Class to the same level of opulent, yacht-like luxury as those cars that leave the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe. Sat in the center console comes a large infotainment systems running MBUX. Although most customers wont use this choosing to sit in the back.
Maybach features cutting-edge technology. Interior assistant monitors your movements and illuminates only what you need, truly ambient lighting taken to another level. The Maybach offers the driver and passenger their seatbelt. The seats of the car offer "purposeful relaxation with wellness effect and truly exceptional long-distance comfort", this comes with their massaging functions. Maybachs all come with all the multimedia and infotainment systems a discerning consumer expects. All of this is present in the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture.
Beneath the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture sits the top-of-the-line S-Class, this means the S680 V12 engine is sat nestled beneath the car's hood. Capable of 60mph in 4.4 seconds and limited to 155mph these vehicles don't describe themselves as performance cars but instead as the height of luxury. Although in a tricky situation these limousines can make a quick getaway.
Will The Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture Make Production?
Mercedes-Maybach suggests this car will launch for the 2023 model year. But putting a price on the most luxurious Maybach ever will seem less than likely. If you have to ask you likely can't afford this impressive car. However, sitting in the car a luxurious plaque claims this concept is 1 of 150. This and Virgil Abolh's name illuminate in an angelic white signifying that this Maybach is even more special than usual.
Showing the firm's commitment to this concept they cut no corners. Often places where customers don't go, marques save a few dollars to increase their profit margins. Not Maybach. Continuing the same ivory white leather from the interior in the trunk the Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture has no expense spared. All of this leather is hand-stitched like on the luxury handbags that Luis Vuitton and Abloh produced.