Mercedes-Maybach S600 Reeks of Riches... Literally

Daimler just unveiled its new ultra luxury sedan and by now you probably know it’s called the Mercedes-Maybach S600.

Meant as a follow-up to the discontinued Maybach brand that Daimler did away with in 2011, Mercedes-Benz is creating a new sub-brand that it will use to market more exclusive versions of its vehicles, of which the first is the S600.

Mercedes is calling on its 6.0-liter biturbo V12 to provide the car with 523 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque, which is good enough to launch it from 0-62 MPH in five seconds with a top speed of 155 MPH.

Purposeful acceleration is important in such a prestigious vehicle, but it also isn’t designed for outright performance. At least not performance in the same sense that something like the new AMG GT sports car is designed to offer.

Instead, the second row has slightly more headroom and 6.3 more inches of legroom courtesy of an increased wheelbase. Mercedes means to compete with Bentley and Rolls-Royce products with its newest sedan and accordingly it comes equipped to serve.

The rear compartment includes an on-board bar that comes with two silver champagne flutes. The second row seats recline and have calf supports built in. There is even a “chauffeur mode” that allows the front passenger seat to slide three inches farther forward than the normal S-Class allows to offer even more space for someone in the rear to relax.

2014 L.A. Auto Show Preview

Apart from being able to lean back, the rearward compartment is also available with a center console that includes two fold-out tables with leather inserts. The headliner, grab handles and visors are upholstered in Mercedes’ top-of-the-line “Designo” leather that would probably smell pretty expensive were it not for the pricey perfume system that periodically spritzes the cabin.

Mercedes-Maybach made a point to place its crest in plenty of places throughout the vehicle including embossments in the leather upholstery and lettering on the perfume bottle itself. There is also a panoramic sliding glass roof that features Mercedes’ “Magic Sky Control,” which can alter the opacity of the window effectively adding instant tint.

If that isn’t enough, Mercedes-Maybach also claims that its new sedan offers the quietest interior in the world.

Shy of driving the car, or more appropriately riding in it as a passenger, it’s hard to speak to the veracity of that claim. Thankfully, there isn’t long to wait.

Because the S600 is a V12-powered, obnoxiously long S-Class, it won’t be long before it arrives in showrooms. Mercedes plans to begin delivering copies to its U.S. dealer network starting in April, 2015.

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