2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600

New for 2016

The 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 is an all-new model based on the S-Class.

An Illustrious Rebirth  

Mercedes-Benz has long been the maker of some of the very finest automobiles ever to grace the earth. Yet, despite its well-earned cachet, it has struggled to break into the ultra-lux segment occupied by Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

For a brand with the oft-used motto “The Best or Nothing” that simply won’t do, so Mercedes-Benz is addressing this challenge head-on, and charging into this segment by resurrecting the Maybach name. The result is the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600, an even more powerful, plush, and prestigious version of the already stunning S-Class.

Powertrains and Performance

Choices can be daunting, which is why the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 is brought to life by the only engine available to it: a turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine that generates 523 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque.

For the Mercedes-Maybach S600, power is ushered to the rear wheels via a standard seven-speed automatic. The combination of engine, rear-wheel drive, and a seven-speed transmission make acceleration seamless and effortless. With a mere tap of the foot, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 can dash from zero to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds. So whether you’re merging into traffic or passing on the highway, you can expect unrivaled performance.

You may think you’ve experience a comfortable ride before, but it likely pales in comparison to the adjustable and predictive air suspension fitted to the Mercedes-Maybach S600. With its industry-leading MAGIC BODY CONTROL®, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 delivers an uncanny balance of comfort, agility and composed confidence in any situation.

The Mercedes-Maybach S600 also offers multiple modes and 4-wheel leveling. Its camera-based Road Surface Scan can actually identify imperfections ahead – making bumps feel more like pebbles -- and proactively adapt the suspension to quell them—all in real time.

The Mercedes-Maybach also features an ECO Start/Stop system that adds to the vehicle’s efficiency. It returns an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 15 mpg combined (13 city/20 highway).*

Features and Trims

The 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 is priced starting at $189,350.* While it commands a princely sum, it also commands admiration and respect, given the sheer amount (and quality) of features fitted on and throughout its handsome frame.

Needless to say the Mercedes-Maybach S600 delivers a feature-rich list of comforts owners will enjoy, such as 20-inch wheels, LED lighting (including adaptive headlights), and automatic wipers with advanced washers and heated blades. A heated windshield makes cold climate mornings easier to manage, while a panoramic sunroof stretches on for what seems like miles. 

Also standard is a power trunk closer, adaptive cruise control, and an automated parking system.

Inside, you’ll find quad-zone climate control, complete with air purification and cabin fragrance system, a night vision system, 12-way power front seats, which offer heating, cooling, and massage memory settings.

Should you be inclined to take command of the vehicle yourself, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 features a head-up display and a power tilt-and-telescoping heated steering wheel. If you’d prefer to delegate driving duties to someone else, you can do so knowing that the rear seats are both ventilated and heated.

Technology is another area where the Mercedes-Maybach S600 shines. The vehicle’s Mercedes-Benz COMAND® interface incorporates two 12.3-inch displays, with one acting as a gauge cluster and the other displaying infotainment functions. A rearview camera, Bluetooth®, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a 24-speaker Burmester® surround-sound audio system that’s sure to please even the most discerning audiophiles.

We don’t envision entering the Mercedes-Maybach S600 to be difficult but exiting might be harder given all its comforts. As such, the vehicle even provides soft-close doors.

Design

The impressive nature of the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach is not limited to its arsenal of features and comforts. There is a lot to be admired about its exterior design. Naturally, similarities will be drawn with the S-Class, but the Mercedes-Maybach is altogether a more thoughtful experience.

Eight additional inches of wheelbase heighten comfort and lengthen legroom. Its proportions are at once majestic and modern, and its elegantly sculpted lines are set off by 20-inch wheels. Meanwhile, brilliant chrome adds radiance to its grille and side windows.

Inside, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 delivers a sensory experience few other vehicles can match. Rich leather stretches from floor to ceiling, replete with beautiful perforations and stitching. Six choices in hand-finished wood include exotic Metallized Ash and Black Piano Lacquer in a "Flowing Lines" motif.

The spacious cabin is resplendent in its display of handcraftsmanship. In truth, no detail has gone unnoticed, a claim back up by the pair of matching diamond-stitched leather throw pillows included with every model. You can even sip chilled champagne from a pair of bespoke sliver flutes, or indulge in a hot stone massage.

Safety

All of the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600’s features would be for naught if it didn’t provide impeccable safety features. Thankfully, it delivers in every way imaginable.

Standard equipment includes: traction and stability control (with crosswind mitigation), antilock brakes, front and rear side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag. Additional electronic safety features include 360-degree cameras, a driver inattention warning system, and a forward collision prevention system that will warn the driver of a potential impact and fully apply the brakes if necessary.

Standard Driver Assistance technology includes an active blind-spot warning system (which will steer you back to your lane if you fail to heed its warning), an active lane-departure warning system, pedestrian recognition for the collision prevention system, a rear-impact detection and preparedness system and an advanced adaptive cruise control system.

Other standard safety features include a night vision system (detects pedestrians and animals through infrared sensors and displays them in the instrument panel) and the Mercedes-Benz mbrace® emergency telematics, which includes automatic collision notification, stolen-vehicle location assistance, alarm notification, and SOS emergency services button, to name a few.

Bottom Line

The 2016 Mercedes-Maybach is luxury on a grand scale. It’s an elite vehicle designed for individuals that value master craftsmanship and the very best that German design and engineering have to offer. It carries itself with grace and sophistication, two qualities we envision the ideal Mercedes-Maybach owner will no doubt embody.

For more information, or to schedule a test drive, contact or visit Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis.

* Excludes all options, taxes, title registration, $925 transportation charge and dealer preparation fees.

** EPA estimated fuel economy. Compare the estimated mpg to the estimated mpg of other vehicles. You may get different mileage depending on how fast you drive, weather conditions and trip length. Your actual highway mileage will probably be less than the highway estimate.

Image: Mercedes-Benz