- All ‘extras’ included – check the price
- 463kW and 1000Nm from its V12
- Only car with seats looking like fur coats
STUTTGART, Germany – The first cabriolet from the Mercedes‑Maybach brand is celebrating its debut at the Los Angeles auto show ahead of appearing in showrooms in early 2917.
Only 300 will be assembled and each is priced, Maybach told The Corner, at 300 000 euros – a mere R4.6-million. So, let’s find out what you get for that kind of tom…
WATCH the Maybach 650 convertible do its thing..
The high-end cabin appointments, Mercedes says, make up part of the vehicle’s special characteristics.
“Unique features include nine additional colour concepts for the cabin, the trim – optionally refined with “flowing lines” – and the hand-finished craftsmanship of the leather seats with perforations in a waterfall-style look.”
The Corner thinks look rather like the outside of an expensive fur coat… You?
Propulsion, of the usual almost inaudible but very well felt Maybach type, uses a six-litre V12 capable 463kW.
The Vision Mercedes‑Maybach 6, which had its European premiere at the 2016 Paris auto show, is being followed by this Mercedes-Maybach S 650 Cabriolet, a series production model which, the automaker says, “with its open-air exclusivity, embodies modern luxury and represents the design philosophy of Sensual Purity”.
“It’s both hot and cool at the same time,” Maybach purrs. Only 300 of the open-top four-seater will be produced, based on the S‑Class convertible and with that car’s aesthetic proportions, dynamic silhouette and coupé-like soft top.”
READ MORE Mercedes features on Carman’s Corner
Exclusive Mercedes-Maybach features include a new front bumper with upgraded lower section and also numerous chromed highlights. The Maybach emblem is “discreetly but elegantly” featured on each wing.
Other special elements are 20″ Maybach forged wheel rims with a powerful design and a bichromatic finish. Open a door and the Maybach logo is projected on the floor/ground as part of the entrance lighting.
Leather, of course, is everywhere in the cabin. Mercedes says the cars use some of the visionary ideas of the Concept S‑Class Coupé shown at Frankfurt back in 2013, among them the dynamic “flowing lines” in the seats whose waterfall effect was achieved with progressive perforations beneath the quilting.
‘YACHT-LIKE AMBIENCE’
Unique trim elements will be commissioned individually for each vehicle based on the colour and grain. In addition to trim on the instrument panel and doors, the Maybach S 650 has its own trim element on top of the soft top compartment with an inlaid Maybach logo.
As an option, the look can be refined with “flowing lines”. In combination with the other trim elements a unique yacht ambience is created – inspired by the Mercedes-Benz Style “Arrow 460-Granturismo” yacht.
The flowing lines are generated by a combination of precision machining and traditional craftsmanship. As part of this, the substrate beneath the fine wood veneer of the three-dimensional trim element is exposed in a special process using a fine milling cutter (diameter 0.8mm).
The individually milled lines follow the shape of the trim to re-inforce the three-dimensional effect.
Other details include deep-pile carpeting, chromed “1 of 300” lettering on the cup holder and steering-wheel.
TAILORED LEATHER BAGS MATCH THE BOOT
All options regarded as optional on the S‑Class Cabriolet are standard on the Maybach, including Aircap, Airscarf and Swarovski headlights. A set of car-matching luggage is also included: two large travel bags and two lifestyle bags made of the same leather as the car’s upholstery.
The bags have been tailored to fit the cabrio’s boot and can be strapped together. They also have the “1 of 300” logo.
However, a real car fan will regard all of the above as mere trappings: the engine will be the love of hisher life.
It’s a six-litre biturbo V12 making 463kW / 1000Nm (not a typo, guys!) tajht drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed G-Tronic gearbox while riding on air suspension.
Fuel consumption is rated at 12 litres/100km; 0-100 at 4.1sec and top speed is limited to 250km/h.
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