Experience opulent, eco-friendly motoring in this luxury barge
Meet the first-ever electric Maybach: the EQS680 SUV. PHOTO FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
The time of gas-guzzling luxury SUVs is definitely coming to a close. Instead, we are now being tempted to buy electron-guzzling luxury SUVs, and the latest entry into the world of super opulent electric mobility comes from none other than Maybach.
This is the Mercedes-Maybach EQS680, a battery-powered palace on wheels that is the first EV from the brand. It promises to treat passengers with all the usual comfort and over-the-top features that the VIPs of the world have gotten used to from the famous name.
The Maybach has a power bump to make it just as powerful as an AMG. PHOTO FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
Let’s start with the technical bits first, and those are nothing short of very impressive. With 658hp and a massive 950Nm of torque, the Maybach version has mutated into the most powerful offshoot of the Mercedes EQS SUV, and has just as much power as the Mercedes-AMG EQS53 4Matic+.
From a standing start, the 5.13m long and 2.03m wide XXL SUV can sprint to 100km/h in a mere 4.4 seconds, and on to an electronically limited top speed of 210km/h. The range is specified as up to 600km, although this is still a preliminary value and will also very much depend on how heavy or light your right foot is.
Only the finest materials and the latest tech in this cabin. PHOTOS FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
Most Maybach owners won’t care much about performance figures. For them, it’s all about luxury, and this is where the poshest of all posh EQS SUVs really outshines its siblings.
Just like the S-Class and the GLS, the Maybach comes with the 1.41m-wide Hyperscreen (consisting of three screens) as standard, and even has special Maybach animations. For example, the needles of the digital instrument cluster are intended to resemble a waving silk scarf that floats in the wind depending on speed and driving style.
Nappa leather seats in Espresso Brown over Balao Brown Pearl come as standard, with Macchiato Beige over Bronze Brown Pearl ones available as an option.
Don't like brown? There's a white cabin if your bank account can accommodate it. PHOTOS FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
If you want to spend even more, then the Manufaktur department will also be happy to fit Crystal White over Silver Gray Pearl leather to the cabin, whereby all cowhides come from sustainable processing.
The leather interior is complemented by wood accents in either brown open-pore birchwood, brown open-pore walnut, or piano lacquer black. For the appropriate flair, Maybach logos are distributed throughout the interior (for example, on the pedals and on the cushions of the headrests).
Nothing screams luxury better than built-in silver champange flutes. PHOTO FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
As you’d expect in this hyper-luxurious barge, the best place to be is in the rear, which Mercedes describes as a “lounge.” Two 11.6-inch displays on the backrests of the front seats are fitted as standard, as is the MBUX rear tablet and the Burmester 4D-surround sound system with 15 speakers.
Executive seats with ventilation, massage, and neck-heating ensure the appropriate seating comfort in the rear. There is even a calf massaging function, and the fitted chauffeur package automatically moves the front passenger seat forward when the corresponding rear seat is being reclined.
If you order the First-Class Rear equipment, then you not only get a center console that seems to float from front to back but also optional folding tables, silver-plated champagne flutes, and a refrigerated compartment.
Just some of the cosmetic differences exclusive to the Maybach. PHOTOS FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
From the outside, the Maybach version can be recognized by a front grille featuring vertical chrome struts in an elegant pinstripe look that extends to the lower part of the front apron.
A number of little Maybach logos in decorative panels left and right of the bumper further emphasize the fact that this isn’t just your average run-of-the-mill Chedeng. The Mercedes star also sits enthroned above the Maybach lettering on the hood, and the whole car does seem more elegant than other Maybach versions.
The chrome surrounds on the side windows and the chromed B-pillar are also typical of Maybach, and illuminated running boards add an extra touch to its appearance at night.
Brand-new for the Maybach EQS SUV are different 21- and 22-inch forged wheels that go really well with the (optional) hand-applied two-tone paint finish complete with a fine pinstripe. The rear with the continuous light strip differs from the normal EQS SUV only in little nuances, such as a chrome-plated insert.
Price? You wouldn't even be asking if you could afford it in the first place. PHOTOS FROM MERCEDES-BENZ
To ensure that the electric Maybach SUV glides particularly comfortably, Airmatic air suspension and rear-axle steering come as standard. In addition, the Comfort mode has been exchanged for the so-called Maybach mode, and noise dampening is said to have been improved again to ensure a whisper-quiet ride.
Of course, this much luxury comes at a price, and while Mercedes hasn’t revealed the official price tag for this machine yet, we can comfortably assume that you’d be looking at over €200,000 (P12.2 million) for one of these back in its home country. Multiply that by two if you wish to order one in the Philippines.
Keyword: Maybach launches its 1st electric model with the EQS680 SUV