The S-Class is the most luxurious and comfortable sedan from Mercedes. But this is the Maybach, a variant of S-Class which is the epitome of luxury on wheels. The car offers all kind of luxury, performance and technology. In 2015, the Maybach variant was introduced in India. The lower S560 trim is available to us via the CKD route while the flagship S650 is imported from Germany. India is the only country in the world after Germany where the Maybach is being assembled.
Exteriors – The revised design of the S-Class is carried forward to the Maybach along with some additional changes. The Maybach lettering sits on the grille, the 20-inch wheels are very classy and there is a Maybach logo on the C-pillar. One can easily make out that it’s not a regular S-Class from the sheer length and wheelbase of the car. There is V12 badging on the front quarter panels of the car too.
Interiors – The quality of materials used on the inside is top-notch. The rich and luxurious materials along with usage of wood and leather provide the passenger with an extravagant feel. There are many buttons and switches on the centre console and some of them are for radar-based features.
The single-piece glass on the dash houses two 12.3-inch screens, one for the instrument cluster and other for the infotainment system. The COMAND unit can be controlled by a rotary knob or the touchpad. The tachometer side can be switched to display maps, accelerometer and real-time torque usage.
At the rear, there is ample amount of knee room and legroom and the seats offer good under-thigh support. The left rear seat can be converted to almost a bed along with a footboard! There’s a 10-inch display behind both the front seat headrests. The display comes with individual remotes and wireless headphones. All four seats come with massage, heating and ventilation functions. The panoramic roof changes its colours according to the temperature. The car comes equipped with a 360-degree camera and Burmester 3D surround sound speakers.
Performance – Mercedes-Benz offers two engine options on the Maybach – S560 and S650. The S560 gets a V8 motor while the latter one comes with a 6.0-litre bi-turbo V12 engine that churns out 630 BHP and 1000 Nm of torque. The car can do a 0-100 km/hr sprint in just 4.7 seconds. The engine delivers the power very linearly and the motor is so refined that it redefines the meaning of the word refine.
The S650 pulls off the line so effortlessly, that you don’t even realise the speed at which the car is moving. The top speed of the car is limited to 250 km/hr and the engine is mated to a 7G-TRONIC automatic gearbox. The gears can be shifted manually with the help of paddle shifters. However, with all the performance and luxury on offer, the car returns a fuel efficiency close to 5 km/l.
Driving Dynamics – The car weighs close to 2.3 tonnes but while driving you cannot feel the weight of the vehicle. The steering is very light at low speeds and as the speed increases it weighs up eventually. The car gets four driving modes – Curve, Comfort, Sports and Individual. The modes alter the steering, suspension, engine and transmission settings of the vehicle.
The Magic Body Control adjusts the suspension by studying the road surface ahead. The car comes with many driving aids and assists which includes an automatic braking system, lane keep assist, crosswind assist, self-levelling suspension and anti-slip regulation. The power from the engine is supplied to all four wheels via the Mercedes 4MATIC system. The brake rotors on this car are drilled for better cooling, these rotors are sourced from AMG.
Verdict- The Mercedes-Benz Maybach S650 cost almost twice the regular S-Class. But at this price what you get is a limousine that measures 5.4-metres in length and offers luxury, technology and performance. The only Mercedes-Benz that offers more comfort than Maybach is the Pullman.
