Tested: 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680Mercedes-MaybachNo matter the form, Maybach's take on the Mercedes S-Class is not for the sort of person worried about the optics of arriving in style. For the past decade, Maybach has been turned into a theater of opulence. Over the top is the whole point, with the Maybach logo as prominent on some cars as the Louis Vuitton emblem on hugely expensive bags. So it makes sense that Maybach goes one step further.The V-8-powered Maybach S580 is there if you want it, and any rational person probably should, but the ultraluxury-sedan buyer is rarely rational. For those who demand the most Maybach version of a Maybach sedan, the S680 still packs 12 cylinders of silky-smooth urge under its elegant hood.Our expert editors test every vehicle we review. Read more about how we test and review cars here.The LowdownFred SmithThe 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680 is, as its name implies, positioned about 100 points of badge better than the S580. The key distinction here is a twin-turbocharged V-12 that can trace its origins back over 20 years. The rest will look familiar, from the traditional three-pointed star hanging atop the massive front grille to the light-up Maybach wordmark below it. V-12 aside, the centerpiece is still the air suspension, Airmatic in Mercedes-Benz parlance, that is in this application aided by tech that scans the road to adjust the system for whatever it faces next.AdvertisementAdvertisementDespite having 50 percent more capacity and cylinders than the V-8 S580, the range topper's power output is not correspondingly higher. The S680 makes relaxed peaks of 621 hp and 664 lb-ft, those figures being 91 hp and 111 lb-ft higher than the corresponding ones for the smaller-engine car. Mercedes claims identical 4.3-second 0–60-mph times for both cars. But numbers will only ever be a small part of the story for cars like this.Vehicle Tested: 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S680Base Price: $249,000Price as Tested: $289,500Location: Los Angeles, CaliforniaMore SpecsEngine: 5980-cc twin-turbo V-12Power: 621 hp @ 5800 rpmAdvertisementAdvertisementTorque: 664 lb-ft @ 2000–4000 rpm0–60 MPH: 4.3 seconds (manufacturer claim)Transmission: Nine-speed automatic, all-wheel driveEPA Fuel Economy: 12 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, 14 mpg combinedMercedes-MaybachHow Does It Drive?Many modern Mercedes products, AMG badged ones in particular, are harsh and explosive things. For the past decade, the company's performance badge has been building all shapes and sizes of car that explode off the line with turbocharged power and stay flat under heavy cornering loads. The Maybach S680 does none of that.The twin-turbocharged V-12 produces a superabundance of torque, but the 664 lb-ft delivers an effortlessness that makes it easy to experience acceleration that is both impressive and relaxing at the same time—satisfying an owner-driver behind the wheel but not disturbing them if they experienced the same forces while luxuriating in the back. Braking, too, mostly comes in the form of champagne stops, bringing the car to a rest without spilling a drop of a passenger's drink. The S680 can stop itself in a hurry if it needs to, but the normal slowdown won't disturb a sleeping occupant.Fred SmithIn a world where powerful cars fight hard to defeat body roll and the once-sluggish response of automatic transmissions, the S680 is a throwback. It experiences noticeable lean under cornering loads, and it never feels responsive even in its sharpest Sport drive mode. The gearbox also decides to shift to its own agenda, rather than where a driver might expect it to. Rolls-Royce used to describe this sort of stately performance as "adequate," and while the Maybach is capable of lifting its skirts in a way that old Rollers never could, the descriptor is still perfect for the way it delivers without ever seeming to break a sweat.AdvertisementAdvertisementSure, it felt a little out of place on a quick run up and down the famous Angeles Crest Highway, a road with as many corners as straights. But any buyer looking for an S-Class to excel in that situation would most likely opt for the S63 AMG version. The Maybach is nobody's one-car performance solution; it's an ultraluxurious product designed to waft along the road in style.What's It Like to Live With?Mercedes-MaybachMaterials are spectacular, particularly at this price point, which is well below what you'd pay for a similarly optioned Bentley or Rolls-Royce product. This is nobody's idea of a subtle car, but those worried about the perceived stealthy nature of an ultraluxury sedan based on a mere luxury sedan can make their S680 stand out with a wide array of options from Mercedes's Manufaktur range. That list includes more than 50 unique colors or combinations, plus a couple of dozen leather finishes. Buyers looking for something even more exclusive can head to the new Made to Measure studio in Los Angeles to spec a car from hundreds of individual options.Mercedes-MaybachThe red interior optioned on the car I tested was certainly striking. Plenty of the two-tone options that have become a hallmark of Maybach offerings are available, including this far-from-subtle black and dark gray metallic pairing that could arguably stand to be a little bit more ostentatious. The key option is a $6000 Executive Rear Seat package. This drops the middle seat and all the compromises that come with it, leaving room for an $1100 refrigerated rear center console and a $3200 set of silver-plated champagne flutes. Those options might not exactly be a must, but the reclining right-rear seat is a particularly special place made all the more spectacular by the car's impressive Burmester sound system.Buyers choosing the S680 for the noises its turbocharged V-12 produces may be disappointed to learn that excellent sound dampening kept things quiet throughout the cabin. This is a good thing, though; more than anything else, that peace and control over the environment inside the car is what makes an ultraluxury car feel special.Should I Buy One?Fred SmithThe hallmark of the V-8 car, the Mercedes-Maybach S580, is that it is the standout bargain in the ultraluxury-sedan segment. The extra sum of cash to buy the V-12 moves the S680 back toward the range of the Bentley Flying Spur, an all-time great car that is significantly better at the performance tasks the Maybach intentionally ignores. Still, this car starts at a lower number and should typically come out to be less expensive after being optioned to a similar level. Plus it has a V-12, whereas the Spur has a hybridized V-8. The Rolls-Royce Ghost has 12 cylinders, but it also costs over $100,000 more.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe S680 comes with the key advantage of sitting at the very top of the Maybach pecking order. This is the car people think of when they say the name, the closest thing to a successor to the 57 and 62 sedans that relaunched the brand for 2003. Wearing the two-tone paint that best shows off the massively extended rear doors that come with the 7.1-inch wheelbase stretch over the standard S-Class, the Maybach S680 manages to look the proverbial million dollars at what's nearly a 75 percent discount. For the buyers Mercedes is targeting, the massive presence is a huge selling point.That leaves one major question: Why opt for the V-12 over the V-8? The extra torque certainly helps move the hefty sedan in effortless comfort, sure, but the real answer might be even more simple—for some, bigger will always be better. As happy as we are to see the V-12 live for another generation, the S680's advantages over the S580 are more emotional than rational. But if you're going to buy a Maybach, wouldn't you want it to be the best one?Fred SmithHighlights and LowlightsWe Love:Laid-back luxury that makes no compromises in the name of performance.Audacious options that stand out in even the most absurd valet circles.The luxurious silence that comes with thick sound dampening.We Don't:AdvertisementAdvertisementLacks fury even at full throttle.Complex and impressive tech made a bit less special by being common to the entire Mercedes lineup.Favorite detail:Fred SmithLounge-style rear seating is a must for anyone optioning out a car like this, and the Maybach team has a strong understanding of how to make that space feel special. With the seat fully reclined, massage functions active, and chilled champagne in those ridiculous logo-adorned silver flutes, a properly equipped S680 is rolling serenity.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State