Get Ready For Waft-Factor 10: The New Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Is Here

When you get to the top end of luxury cars, they often become more about being driven in than driving. That’s certainly the case with the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead we had on test recently, and definitely is for this new Maybach’d-up S-Class. Yep, the Maybach name is back with us. Although as revealed last week, it’s now as a ‘sub-brand’ rather than a standalone model, with the car badged ‘Mercedes-Maybach’, in the same way that hotter Mercs are switching to the moniker ‘Mercedes-AMG’. So just how much swankiness do you get over the already rather posh regular S-Class? Take a look at the image below and see for yourself.

As you’ve probably gathered from that legroom - which even the gangliest of people would find very commodious - the Maybach is longer than the standard car. Stretched by 20cm over a long-wheelbase S, in fact. There’s even a larger head clearance, so there’s less chance of clouting your bonce on the roof if your faithful driver tackles a speed bump with too much vigour.

There are lashings of wood and high-quality quilted leather back there, a fold out table for each passenger, and even a pair of leather Maybach-branded cushions. Obviously.

You’ll be able to choose between an S500 version with a 4.7-litre, 449bhp V8, an S600 with a 530bhp 6.0-litre V12, and eventually an S400 ‘4Matic’ four-wheel drive version with a 3.0-litre V6. Prices are expected to be around £10-15,000 more than the equivalant long wheelbase S-Class. This would make the S600 around £150,000, which almost seems like bargain compared to the old Maybach 57, which had a starting price nudging £300,000.

The new Mercedes-Maybach is on display at the LA Motor Show, and will be launched next February.