This article was originally produced on November 22, 2019, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

If you feel that the already lavish Mercedes GLS is not luxurious enough, there is now a solution in the form of an all-new Maybach version of the brand’s largest SUV.

In a ”secret” photo studio near the Mercedes headquarters, I, as the only Scandinavian media, get the opportunity to photograph the at the time secret and brand new Maybach model. The car is based on the model GLS, which is Mercedes’ largest SUV and will be presented at the time of writing at the LA motor show.

The first thing that strikes you when you see this creation is the grill. Big and massive in chrome, it shines like a big dollar grin. Instead of having the star in the grill as in other suv models from Mercedes, it has been placed on top of the hood. Something all Maybach models now have, but the first time for an SUV.

It should be clearly visible that it is a Maybach GLS that arrives even when it is dark

The history of Maybach goes back a long way. Right up to 1909 when Wilhelm Maybach started manufacturing airship engines, but from 1919 also cars. The company was badly damaged during the war and in 1960 it was bought by Daimler-Benz to be part of MTU which produced diesel engines. In 2002, the brand was reintroduced to the market. Then as extremely luxurious limousines based on the Mercedes S-Class but properly modified and with a remarkably high price. Unfortunately, the brand could not be made to work financially and eventually it disappeared and was instead resurrected as versions of existing Mercedes models.

The Maybach GLS will be the first SUV model with the Maybach emblem. However, a Maybach based on the G-Class has been produced and has the name G 650 Landaulet. A further development of the G500 4×4 with a longer wheelbase and with a so-called landaulette construction of the roof. A type of cabriolet construction which means that the driver sits under a normal roof and those in the back seat can open a sunroof.

When designing the Maybach GLS, they wanted to make a unique car that stood out from other luxury SUVs. The biggest competitors are the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls Royce Cullinan. However, the price of these two is to the right of the Maybach GLS where the Cullinan is the most expensive. If you look below the Maybach GLS, you will find, for example, the Autobiography’s version of the Range Rover Vogue.

Among the exclusive things you get when you order a Maybach GLS, eight two-tone paint options are one of them. This means that the hood and roof are painted in one color and the lower part of the body in another. What separates the colors is a thin chalk line stripe. A detail that is mainly found on historic luxury cars. The lower parts of the car are painted glossy black instead of matte black plastic on the regular GLS. In addition to the grill that I have already mentioned, a lot of work has been done with the headlights to get a special look that distinguishes the Maybach GLS from a regular GLS. It should be clearly visible that it is a Maybach GLS that arrives even when it is dark. The amount of chrome used on the Maybach GLS definitely exceeds what you would normally see on a regular car. Both the front, rims and many other details are in shiny chrome.

Another detail that can be found in several places is a design element in the grill that can be found in several places on the car. It is the vertical ribs in the grill that are narrow at the bottom, but just before they meet the upper part of the grill, they bulge on one side. This shape can also be found on the exclusive 23 inch rims and the electronically controlled steps. The steps are also equipped with the Maybach emblem. The Maybach emblem can also be found in several places on the car. It is clear that they want to signal this brand with the associated logotype. At the back of the d-pillar sits a shiny glossy Maybach emblem, just like on other models, made in a larger size for the Maybach GLS.

Unlike the regular GLS, the Maybach GLS can only be had with one row of back seats and not three. However, you can choose a way for three people, but to prefer a row of seats intended for two with seats that can be folded out so that you can lie straight in the seat. The advantage of only having two seats is that you can fit a properly prepared wine cooler between the seats that holds up to three bottles of champagne or water if you prefer. The beautiful wooden panel that covers the refrigerator is called the waterfall and is of course equipped with a Maybach emblem. It’s not often that wooden panels do well in modern cars, but here you can’t complain as they really shine with luxury. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to find a single surface that is not in chrome or wood or covered in nappa leather. It’s not just in the back seat that you should feel like it’s a Maybach you’re traveling in. Even the driver’s seat has a lot of exclusive things that only the Maybach GLS has. For example brand new and unique Maybach pedals as well as steering wheel and gear selector with Maybach emblem. But above all, a driving program unique to the Maybach GLS, which also has its own interface in the digital dashboard in front of the steering wheel. The fully digital infotainment system can be controlled either via the 11.6″ large touchscreens at the rear or via a tablet that can be separated from the car. Here you can set most things such as seat heating etc.

Many of the features in the Maybach GLS are taken directly from the sibling S-Class Maybach. In addition to the fantastic panoramic glass roof, the cabin is also filled with light from the backlit panels everywhere. Of course with the color you prefer. What also fills the cabin with warmth is the magnificent sound system from Burmester. It is not only the sound system that makes the cabin of the Maybach GLS sound so good. Even the nappa leather on the interior panels has a dampening effect on unwanted noise. The car is also equipped with acoustic glass that removes outside noise. 

The unique driving program for the Maybach GLS is completely designed for maximum comfort in the back seat. A variety of powertrain and air suspension parameters have been tuned to achieve the desired result. Something we’ll be allowed to come back to when it’s time for a test drive. On the engine front, there is only one alternative, which is a four-liter V8 that generates 558 horsepower. Thanks to ”mild hybrid technology”, you get an acceleration from zero to hundred in under five seconds. The power can be distributed dynamically between the front and rear axle with so-called ”torque on demand”. 

The Maybach GLS is primarily intended for the American and Asian markets as well as the Midlands. How many will be sold in Europe and Scandinavia is difficult to answer given the prevailing attitude towards luxury cars in this format. But if you can and want to travel in a car in a way that is rather found in a private jet, a Maybach GLS is the way to go.