G-Class [Official] Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet

[Wolfgang]

The mad Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet has sold out
Confirmation that all 99 Maybach Gs were snapped up following Geneva show unveil

The Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet is an absurd thing. We love it, but we probably wouldn’t buy one. Mostly because we can’t quite pull it off, but also because it costs €630,000 before taxes and, get this, Mercedes reliably informs us it sold out almost immediately after it was revealed at this year’s Geneva motor show.

Yep, all 99 were snapped up by very wealthy individuals without a moment’s hesitation, which we guess is unsurprising. A biturbo V12, portal-axle’d SUV Landaulet isn’t the sort of thing you buy after days of deliberation. It’s the kind of thing you buy on a whim, without telling your wife.

A quick recap on the mad G, not that you need it: it’s a Maybach-badged, AMG V12-engined convertible Mercedes G-Class. It measures in at a subtle 5.3m long and 2.2m high, with a ground clearance of more than half a metre thanks to those portal axles. It’s strictly a four seater, and though the driver and front passenger get a proper roof, the rear passengers are treated to an electrically folding fabric roof that stows in an unspecified amount of seconds to reveal much sky. Press another button, and a glass partition further separates front and back passengers. Another push of a button, and said glass changes from transparent to opaque. Shady.

Those individual rear chairs have been lifted from the S-Class, which means they can be fully reclined, offer massage programs and get a calf rest. There’s also a business console with cup holders that allow your chosen refreshment to be either cooled or heated. Even the tables have leather inserts to allow for a “comfortable writing surface”.

About that engine: AMG’s monster 6.0-litre biturbo V12 has been deployed, which - as in the G65 AMG - produces 621bhp and 737lb ft of torque. It’s got 100 per cent diff locks too.

Mercedes also tells us that for the time being, it has no plans to halt production of the current G. We thought the 650 was some kind of swansong, but no. The G is set to last at least until its 40th anniversary in 2019, and beyond. It will no doubt be updated with new engines, technologies and styling tweaks, but we’re assured the fundamentals will remains the same (the 650’s door handles are, we’re told, totally interchangeable with a ’79 G-Wagen’s. True fact).

Excellent news (we’re in this camp), or should the G have died years ago? Comment away.

The mad Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet has sold out

 

[Wolfgang]

• FIRST DRIVE

Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet review: outrageous SUV driven

What on earth…

We know. The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is what happens when you equip a Geländewagen with the 6.0-litre, biturbo V12 from the S65, the portal axles from the G 500 4x42 and the rear seats from a Maybach S-Class. Then stretch the wheelbase by more than half a metre and fit a Laundalet-style soft-top. And yes, it still has three diff locks. The 650 is, quite simply, outrageous.

Erm, why?

Why the hell not? People love the G-Wagen. Mercedes is selling more than ever (including over 1,000 4x42s to date…), most of them AMGs (AKA, the expensive ones). So it seems there’s no shortage of people willing to spend vast sums of money on a car that was conceived in the mid-Seventies, hasn’t changed all that much since and is thus in many ways objectively worse than modern SUVs. But since when has the G-Wagen been about objectivity?

Walk us through it, then.

It has presence, the G650. And so it should – at 5345mm long and 2235mm tall, it’s substantially longer and taller than a long-wheelbase Range Rover. The portal axles also give it much ground clearance, like the 4x42. The G650 adds sidesteps that deploy electronically when you open any of the G’s four doors, then retract once you’ve clambered aboard. Development boss Pamela Amann tells us this is because when she went to look at an early prototype modelled on a 4x42, she was wearing a pencil skirt and thus couldn’t physically clamber up and in. The problem was solved in the short term with a small step-ladder.

The front is typical G-Wagen, albeit beautifully trimmed. Behind the two front seats there’s a glass partition that can be raised, lowered, or made completely opaque with the push of a button. Said button is in the back, as is the button to raise and lower the roof which, interestingly, isn’t fully electric. A motor does the heavy lifting, but first you have to manually unlock it with a couple of fantastically mechanical-feeling handles above the partition screen. Mercedes tells us this is entirely on-purpose, because it’s in-keeping with the nature of the car.

And the back?

Better than the front. The chairs are a direct lift from the Maybach S600, so they heat, cool, massage and move about on request. The 578mm wheelbase extension means there’s enough room for a six-footer like myself to stretch his legs out properly, too, towards the console (designed to look like the G’s dash, but a bespoke part) on which the twin screens are mounted. A small wind deflector means bluster is kept to a minimum and the positioning of the seats relative to the windows, folded roof and spare tyre mean you feel surprisingly cocooned. You barely notice the gawping, the waving, the hurled expletives…

The seats even take the sting out of the G’s ride. No G rides well, but as you’ll remember Chris Harris saying in his review of the 4x42, all the serious suspension work that’s gone in to make it better off-road has had the perhaps unintended effect of making it more comfortable and controlled on it. The 650 rides OK. For a G. Ultimately an S-Class is (much) more comfortable, but it can’t scale tall pointy things.

What if I want to drive it?

Don’t. I mean, it’s quite entertaining in a perverse kind of way – because it’s massive and way, way quicker than it need be (0-62mph in less than six seconds, 112mph-limited top speed), but the steering is imprecise and curiously willing to self-centre at every available opportunity. Even while stationary. Rearward and over-the-shoulder visibility is poor because of the partition, and placing it is tricky because there’s more than a foot of invisible carbon-fibre wheel arch either side of the bonnet. And it attracts attention. A lot of it. Mostly positive, admittedly, but if you live your life behind tinted glass this isn’t the car for you.

Bet it’s expensive.

Naturally. €630,000 before taxes, which in Germany means €749,000 all-in. The price, then, like the car itself, defies rationalisation. This is a car without competition. You can’t help but love (or loathe) it for its absurdity, however objectionable you might find it.

Specs:

5980cc biturbo V12, 621bhp, 738lb ft, 112mph, 0-62mph in less than six secs, 3,350kg

Wait for the next issue of Top Gear magazine for the full story.

Images: Dennis Noten

Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet review: outrageous SUV driven

 

[Sovereign]

I feel good being a MB fan because this company does things that others don't dare to do. SLR Sterling Moss was one of those that was so out of this world and so is this Maybach G class Laundaulet. I am also anticipating that the AMG Hyper car would be another one of those that are uniquely done, as it appears due to the powertrain. This company knows how to keep the fans happy.

PS. I am not happy at all with the tail treatment of the new E class. The design is so lame IMO. Just wanted to get it off the chest.

 

[Rainer271]

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[sako97]

The convertible top looks likes the work of one of those aftermarket convertible companies. The one's that'll turn whatever car into conervertible or roadster in a week's time.

 

[Sunny]

The whole thing screams aftermarket hack job. Those half black fenders look like what the boy racers do to their civics - tack on black plastic fenders. The wheels are so not even in the fenders - like one of those jumping pimp cars.

The interior is such a mishmash of different eras, like someone stuck some tablets on a 80s car.

This is what a proper G class should be like -

Every new version is a bigger travesty than the previous one, like one of those plastic surgery/botox gone horribly wrong pics.

Hope they put it out of it's misery and build a whole new one.

ps. Sorry someone had to say it - emperor had fcuking one too many horrible plastic surgeries.

 

[Wolfgang]

The convertible top looks likes the work of one of those aftermarket convertible companies. The one's that'll turn whatever car into conervertible or roadster in a week's time.

This is what a proper G class should like.

Yes, it's a parts bin production. The fabric roof was adapted from the discontinued G Cabrio.

Production end of the short wheelbase G-Class Cabrio

You read that model designation correctly: The team working under Dr. Gunnar Güthenke, CEO of Mercedes-Benz G (yep, the Geländewagen platform has its very own CEO), started out with a basic G-wagen, took the portal axles of the ultra-aggressive 4×4² version, stuffed the G65 AMG’s twin-turbocharged V-12 under the boxy hood, stretched the wheelbase by 22.8 inches, and added the “first-class” rear seats from the Mercedes-Maybach S-class. For good measure, the rear portion of the standard fixed roof has been replaced by a power-operated fabric top (last available nearly four years ago). Sure, it’s a parts-bin production—but using only parts from the shelf above the top shelf. Cars don’t get much more extreme. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche reacted with enthusiasm when he first saw the project and jacked up the production target, originally planned to be minuscule, to 99 units.

2018 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet First Ride – Review – Car and Driver

 

[picsoubmw]

IVM Automotive: Baur G-Cabrio XL

Automotive Intelligence

IVM-Automotive presents the Baur G-Cabrio XL at the Geneva auto show 2002

Off-road cars are hot! The Detroit Motor Show in January 2002 proved it once again, that off-roads, crossovers and leisure cars represent a future trend. No surprise, that IVM Automotive, a German based engineering company, decided to develop its own view on a "German touch" off-road vehicle.

The result is the Baur G-Cabrio XL, a convertible based on the Mercedes-Benz G-class and manufactured by Baur Karosserie- und Fahrzeugbau, IVM's own body and assembly works. Probably not by accident the G-class was chosen, because the G-class - originally not produced by Mercedes-Benz, but by a contractor company Magna Steyr in Austria- is experiencing a renaissance in the US.

The Baur G-Cabrio XL is a long wheel based version and 440 mm longer than the original G-class long version with a total length of 5,147 mm. The vehicle was added with additional comfort, like the memory functions for the front seats. In order to enhance the off road capabilities, the body was stiffened at the C-post. The rear is covered by a soft-top.

 

[hannaz]

I have to agree the fact that the present matketing guys in Daimler is really smart, they know how to pack & present and sell the products.

IVM Automotive: Baur G-Cabrio XL

Automotive Intelligence

 

[Yaz]

Used properly:
12:00 mark

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[sako97]

Used properly:
12:00 mark

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I'm sorry, but not only does the G650 look dumb, it's now been dated by the 2018.

 

[Yaz]

True, but that interior.

 

[hannaz]

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[Tarek]

The new one is gonna poop on Cullinan and Bentayga.

 

[Rainer271]

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[Centurion]

DJ Khaled is a Maybach Landaulet owner and should trade up to this one. It's one hell of a coach built car and from the outside you would never guess that it has a backseat the size of a royal box.

 

[Wolfgang]

Supercar Blondie Checks Out The Ludicrous Maybach G650 Landaulet

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The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet could be the G-Class taken to its most extreme. It takes the already lavish entry-level G-Class and turns it into a flashy limousine for the well-to-do. It's so flashy that if you ponder the possibilities of when you'd be able to use the convertible top, you will quickly understand the definition of finite.

However, this is more than a G-Class with a snazzier interior. The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is something else entirely. Thanks to a new video from Supercar Blondie YouTube channel, we can get up close with what makes the G650 Landaulet so luxurious. https://www.motor1.com/news/381086/supercar-blondie-maybach-g650-landaulet/

 

[Wolfgang]

Some recent news from Dr.Z. might fit in this thread?

Children in a school in Pendjari National Park, Benin - Foto: Marcus Westberg

Why I am committed to African Parks
Published on December 4, 2019 -- By Dieter Zetsche

Until recently, you have been able to follow my life as CEO of Daimler on LinkedIn. As you know, I have handed over this exciting task to Ola Kaellenius in May of this year. I have since dedicated myself to a number of new tasks, one of which I would like to briefly mention here. I am in the process of establishing a German foundation for African Parks, an organisation headquartered in South Africa with satellite foundations in the USA, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

What is African Parks? African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that manages 11 million hectares of land in 10 African countries. It assumes full responsibility for the management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities and is committed to the conservation of wildlife in these areas.

Investments in education, healthcare, employment and law enforcement account for much of the success of African Parks. In 2018, the organisation built or supported 280 schools, provided medical care to 80000 people, created 5000 jobs and deployed 1000 well-trained rangers to protect wildlife.

There are more and more areas in which the evolution of our species becomes a growing burden on the planet. With professional management, African Parks is able to effectively protect and regenerate wildlife in large areas of Africa and provide people on the ground with work, healthcare and education. This inspired me and moved me to get involved.

In a few weeks, I will travel to Africa to get an impression of the work of African Parks. I am very much looking forward to this trip and will keep you updated.

More information: www.africanparks.org

Why I am committed to African Parks

Until recently, you have been able to follow my life as CEO of Daimler on LinkedIn. As you know, I have handed over this exciting task to Ola Kaellenius in May of this year.

www.linkedin.com

 

[Wolfgang]

He just returned.

Impressions from my trip with African Parks

Dieter Zetsche -- linkedin

At the end of last year, I announced my support for African Parks and my upcoming trip to Africa. I have recently returned to Europe and would like to share some of the incredible things we experienced in Zambia and Rwanda.

Our group visited Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia and Akagera National Park in Rwanda. We had extremely interesting and informative conversations with Peter Fearnhead, the CEO, who joined us in Akagera and demonstrated how crucial leadership is for a successful organization.

Ecosystems in Africa can only function and thrive long into the future if people benefit from their conservation. In Liuwa Plain, over 12,000 people legally reside within the boundaries of the park, deriving livelihoods from its resources. When African Parks assumed management of Liuwa Plain in 2003, poaching was rampant, the park employed only 13 people and had no infrastructure or tourism. Only one surviving lioness, Lady Liuwa, roamed the plains. Today, wildlife is abundant in Liuwa, with 12 lions, 500 hyena, 40,000 wildebeest and many other important species.

Liuwa is now the largest employer in the region with over 90 percent of its workforce consisting of residents. It supports 28 schools serving over 11,000 students and has been featured by TIME Magazine and The New York Times as one of the world’s greatest travel destinations.

[...]

Back in Europe, our conversations are still dominated by our experiences on this trip. Shortly after our return, African Parks announced that Iona National Park in Angola joined its management portfolio, now spanning 17 parks in 11 countries across 13.5 million hectares. African Parks is a remarkable organization that makes decisive contributions to the conservation of Africa’s unique flora and fauna for the lasting benefit of people and wildlife on the continent. This justifies every effort to support African Parks.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/impressions-from-my-trip-african-parks-dieter-zetsche?articleId=6632658745790865409#comments-6632658745790865409&trk=public_profile_article_view

 

[J.E]

I understand that they are dangerous beasts, but damn, double damn... Lions are beautiful.