S-Class (W222/C217/A217) [Official] Mercedes-Maybach S600 (X222)

[hannaz]

Mercedes Maybach S600 Guard Revealed

Mercedes Benz taken the wraps of Maybach S600 Guard. The Maybach S600 Guard is world’s first car to offer VR10 ballistic protection. The new Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard has been officially certified by the Ballistics Authority in Ulm; for the first time it meets the requirements for VR10 protection rating according to Directive BRV 2009 Version 2 (Bullet Resistant Vehicles). These guidelines specify that the bodywork and windows must be able to withstand hardened steel core bullets fired from an assault rifle. The vehicle also has an ERV 2010 rating (Explosive Resistant Vehicles).

Already at the bodyshell stage, protective components of special steel are integrated into the cavities between the body structure and the outer skin. Special aramid and PE components help ensure the protection offered by the vehicle. Intelligent overlapping systems at particularly critical points, such as material transitions and interstices, provide comprehensive ballistic protection. The windows are a fixed and essential part of the protective elements and particular attention was paid to selecting the appropriate materials and thicknesses. The windows are coated with polycarbonate on the inside for splinter protection, and have outstanding visual characteristics, despite their laminated structure.

The interaction between all the components provides the occupants with a highly effective protective space which not only includes ballistic protection, but also comprehensive protection against explosive devices. In the event of an explosive charge detonating at the side of the vehicle, the armouring protects the occupants as effectively as it does in an assault with explosives beneath the vehicle: the new underbody armouring, already tried and tested in the S-Class, entirely covers the underbody under the occupant compartment, a unique feature in the civilian special-protection segment.

http://fly-wheel.com/mercedes-maybach-s600-guard-revealed/

 

[Wolfgang]

MB sent some photos of the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Guard unpacking in Geneva.

rated VR10 ex factory
470,000 EU base price (w/o tax)
4350 kg curb weight
available to order since last year

 

[Matski]

Maybach S600 Guard... Hell of a beast, but 4350kg!

Does it receive any extra power or performance to compensate?

 

[Wolfgang]

^ It's basically the same engine, but comes with a reinforced rear diff, different rear ratio and also includes driver training. Auto Motor and Sport drove one recently.

http://www.germancarforum.com/threads/mercedes-benz-s-600-v222.50051/page-17

 

[Merc1]

9590lbs!!!!!! Youch!

M

 

[Wolfgang]

Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard is insanely well armored

Mercedes-Benz did independent testing and certification for the armor level.

S600 now has VR10-level armor for protection against rogue nuclear states

If you're a frequent buyer of armored European sedans (as we're sure many of our readers are), the debut of the Mercedes-Maybach S600 Guard is like the release of a new iPhone. Armorers and coachbuilders release several new models each year, but Mercedes' own factory-armored luxury yacht has reached a new benchmark in ballistic protection: VR10 level.

As specified by Directive BRV 2009 Version 2 (Bullet Resistant Vehicles) and Directive ERV 2010, VR10 is certified to protect against hardened steel-core bullets fired from assault rifles at the bodywork and windows. This is the first time the Ballistics Authority in Ulm, Germany, has certified an armored passenger car to this standard -- until now, automakers such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes have only offered a VR9 level of protection in their top offerings.

The body and, more importantly, windows are rated at VR10 -- no small achievement.

Mercedes' latest armored limo is an evolution of previous Guard models that go all the way back to the S-Class of the 1990s; Stuttgart designed the S-Class frame and body to be easily modified with armor at the bodyshell stage, instead of having to work backwards from a half-finished car. Aramid composite armor elements and anti-splintering polycarbonate layers for the inner windows are just a couple of new technologies and materials that Mercedes used; in the process Mercedes carved out a few extra inches of rear-seat legroom -- passenger comfort here is a bigger priority than trunk space -- and it's a detail that won't go unnoticed by the parastatal tycoons oligarchs shopping for cars like these.

Mercedes has also altered the interior just a little bit to carve out some extra legroom.

Speaking of shopping, how much dough will heads of state need to divert to fund an armored S600? Amazingly, just around half a million dollars, which is a tremendous bargain for this level of armor in such a luxurious wrapper.

Want to spend more? There is still the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman limousine, which will surely gain VR10-level armor, as well. Expect to budget around a million dollars for that one.

Autoweek

 

[hannaz]

Mercedes Maybach S600 Guard Launched In India at Rs. 10.5 Crore (Ex-Showroom, Delhi)

http://fly-wheel.com/mercedes-maybach-s600-guard-launched-in-india-at-rs-10-5-crore/

 

[SCOTT27]

Soon you will all be able to buy your own Maybach.

 

[vios1]

Soon you will all be able to buy your own Maybach.

Yes this is good and affordable, I can buy at least 3 units different colours. But the details are not so smooth.

 

[Monster]

Yes this is good and affordable, I can buy at least 3 units different colours. But the details are not so smooth.

These are still pre production models, we should see the final production version in a few months
The engine detail looks pretty good though

 

[hannaz]

I will definitily get one or more to add on to my collection.

Very recently I saw the Mercedes-AMG S65 scale model, that one is not so good in finish I guess (from pic). Anyways only one color of that is available right now which is white.

 

[Monster]

I will definitily get one or more to add on to my collection.

Very recently I saw the Mercedes-AMG S65 scale model, that one is not so good in finish I guess (from pic). Anyways only one color of that is available right now which is white.

This one is a resin model with no opening parts, resin models are generally more fragile but they cost more because these models are usually limited in production number.

 

[hannaz]

Finally is Maybach getting a direct rival????

BMW preparing high-end models to go after Mercedes-Maybach

BMW has announced it’s working on more luxurious models that will be positioned above the 7 Series flagship and will obviously come with a price to match the status.

Speaking to Automotive News, BMW’s development chief Klaus Froehlich said the company is developing new models which will cost $170,000 (€150,000) and more. For the sake of comparison, the most expensive 7 Series on sale today in Germany is the 750Li xDrive which begins at €115,100. It will soon be dethroned by the M760Li Excellence that debuted earlier this month in Geneva.

These new additions to the range will bridge the huge gap between the 7 Series and Rolls-Royce, and will compete directly with Daimler's Mercedes-Maybach division. It’s unclear at this point whether the new luxurious models will be higher end derivatives of the 7 Series and/or if BMW is cooking up an entirely different family of models, such as an 8 Series.

A while back we’ve heard the confirmed X7 three-row SUV is set to spawn a posh four-seater version and chances are this is one of the models hinted by the company official. What we do know is BMW will not follow the recipe used by Mercedes-Maybach, with Froehlich saying the Bavarians won’t do “4 or 5 wheelbases [in length] and add varyingly thick chrome packages.”

Chances are we will get a taste of what’s to come later this year when BMW will allegedly unveil a limited-run 7 Series Centennial Edition. As the name implies, it will serve as a celebration for BMW’s 100th birthday and will reportedly come with a more premium interior, special exterior tweaks, and a plethora of standard equipment.

BMW preparing high-end models to go after Mercedes-Maybach

 

[hannaz]

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[Wolfgang]

Mercedes-Maybach S600: The Cary Grant of Cars
Understated elegance, V-12 power and yacht-like interior make this luxurious car stand out.

The lap of luxury: 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

My wife, Lisa, has sat beside me for test drives of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and other rockets, but cruising in the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 was an altogether different experience. “It’s the silver fox of sedans,” she said. “I thought Cary Grant might pop out of it.”

Lisa nicely grasped the car’s essence. Even die-hard Mercedes fans might be hard-pressed to distinguish the Maybach from the less expensive S-class models; only demure double-M logos on the C-pillars in the back and the nameplate on the trunk reveal its identity. But for a car that doesn’t draw attention to itself, it has plenty of panache. It’s 18 feet long and doesn’t look fast, but its V-12 engine sure hauled us down back roads when I wanted it to. And while it isn’t cheap at $189,350, it offers a storied name and value compared with hand-built superluxury rivals one or two price notches above it. Car lovers who appreciate understatement will get the Maybach.

Maybach-Motorenbau—hence the logo—was founded by Wilhelm Maybach early in the 20th century, and from 1921 to 1940 his opulent automobiles ferried around everyone from Enrico Caruso to the Dutch royal family.

This is Mercedes’ second try at resuscitating the brand; starting in 2002, it sold a total of just 3,300 superluxury Maybach 57 and 62 models, priced at $375,000 to $450,000, that were meant to challenge Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Production was finally halted in 2012. Still, Mercedes remains a master at volume production of luxury cars and has learned from its mistakes.

The Maybach comes with a six-liter, V-12, 523-horsepower engine, and a seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. With power to zoom from zero to 60 miles per hour in five seconds, the ride is surprisingly silent, smooth, and elegant. The only jerkiness is the annoying stop/start fuel-saving technology. Despite the car’s 5,200-pound weight, it offers excellent control and a snappy response to a nudge on the accelerator. Move to the sport adjustment and you get a tighter but rougher experience, as you might expect, but less rugged than Mercedes’ high-performance sporty versions called AMG.

Driving through Southern California, we took the car into the Angeles National Forest. It’s in the acceleration and the climb on hard curves that you feel the car’s solidity; the V-12 confidently powers the Maybach’s weight. The $189,350 retail price, $20,000 more expensive than the smaller S600, includes the semiautonomous autopilot system. The coolest part of it is called Distronic Plus with Steering Assist, a self-driving system that works better than the name sounds, and provides a glimpse into what our vehicular future will look like.

Traveling in heavy traffic on Interstate 5, I nervously let go of the steering wheel, and the Maybach smoothly took over. It locked on to the car in front of us, keeping the correct speed, and braking when the car in front did. A pretty cool capability, but it functioned less well in street traffic, where cars are more unpredictable.

The Maybach has a yacht-like interior feel. Photo: Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

The self-drive system works best at speeds below 45 mph, but it sometimes turned itself off at lower speeds for safety reasons. When you tap the brakes, the steering assist turns off. But the cruise control still lets the driver stuck in traffic rest his accelerator muscles, by making use of cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors. They guide the car while scanning the road for potholes and speed bumps, modifying the suspension so they’re hardly noticeable. The car can also boost inadequate braking by the driver, and it can detect pedestrians.

The tester we drove was priced at $203,600, thanks to various luxe options. The basic retail price doesn’t include, for example, two silver-edged Champagne flutes, for $3,200; the Executive Rear Seat Package Plus, for $2,000; or the 20-inch wheels with designer paint schemes, for $4,000. The back-seat refrigerator sets you back $1,100. If you don’t like the standard agarwood scent in the “air balance system” that wafts inside the cabin, you can have the car’s odor customized. Gasoline economy: 13 miles per gallon, city, and 20 mpg, highway, for a combined 15 mpg.

The car is comfortable to drive, though it’s better to be driven. Our friends raved from the back seat that it had a spacious yacht-like feel. If you have a chauffeur, spring for the Executive Rear Seat Package; it includes a “hot-stone massage” in the seats, a 43.5-degree recline, and white furry floor mats to keep your toes warm.

“A hot-stone massage? You don’t have to tell me twice. Feels like tiny robot fists kneading your lower back. Where’s the pedicurist?” a friend joked. “I have the seat in maximum-recline position with the massage going, and I don’t really feel like ever leaving,” added another.

I liked the black poplar-wood trim. It was beautiful and lovely to touch. The deep-purple cabin lighting gives the interior a nightclub frisson, and when passengers exit the back seat, it becomes a perfect color backdrop for paparazzi. No wonder actress Monica Bellucci had one in the movie Spectre.

This Maybach can’t compete with a Rolls, but it isn’t meant to. And though it still costs the equivalent of a vacation getaway, it delivers real elegance. After lunch, my wife and I broke out the Prosecco from the car’s cooler and found the Maybach to be the very lap of luxury.

http://www.barrons.com/articles/mercedes-maybach-s600-the-cary-grant-of-cars-1458967048

 

[SDNR]

This Maybach can’t compete with a Rolls, but it isn’t meant to.

Really? Wasn't that the entire point of reviving Maybach in the first place?

I, for one, do consider it to be a worthy competitor with the Ghost and Flying Spur.

Mercedes was wise to maintain the Maybach brand given the enormous amount of money they invested in it.

It is good to see their efforts finally paying off.

 

[Monster]

Mercedes-Maybach can compete with Rolls, it is down to how much more effort and resources they are willing to put in.

 

[Yaz]

If they want to take on the Rolls, they need to spice it up. Completely different car.

 

[Monster]

If they want to take on the Rolls, they need to spice it up. Completely different car.

Agree 100%, at the moment I don't think Mercedes see the need to take that step, I bet they are getting some nice margins on the S-class Maybach.