Since it emerged into the mainstream about 40 years ago, the SUV has completely supplanted the sedan as the default automotive genre. You will find them in all sizes and prices, with many areas of focus, from economy to performance to luxury to off-road capability. This leads many to wonder: What is the ultimate SUV? A good argument can be made for The Maybach GLS 600, which can be purchased here at Mercedes Benz of Plano. Enthusiast site Autoblog took such a Maybach from Detroit to Virginia Beach and back to test this premise.
An Ultimate SUV Requires SUV Experience
Today, you can find ultra-luxury SUVs from brands such as Bentley, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, and even Lamborghini. However, one thing that separates the Maybach GLS 600 from all these other exclusive brands is that it is not a one-off SUV model from a company specializing in something else. Maybach with Mercedes-Benz is a company that knows SUVs, having made excellent ones in various sizes, from the small GLA to the hyper-capable G-Class. The Maybach GLS 600 isn’t some kind of experiment in unknown territory but simply at the top of the hierarchy.
Seven-Seater Room for Just Four
The Maybach GLS 600 that Autoblog took for their cross-country trip (to a wedding, FWIW) had an as-tested price of $201,400*. While undeniably exclusive, there are more expensive SUVs being marketed. The goal of the Maybach isn’t to be the most expensive SUV, just the best. It is built on the bones of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580. However, where the Benz is a 3-row SUV that can seat six or seven, the Maybach uses all that space to seat just four. And those four will be quite comfortable. The second-row seats lean back and bring up legrests like the world’s most luxurious recliner, and each seat features no less than three pillows: one attached to the headrest, one for the lumbar, and one for the legrest.
Both the front and rear seats have massage systems with multiple settings. The Autoblog editor was unable to decide if “Hot Relaxing Back” or “Wave Massage” was his favorite, but he did say that the Maybach as a whole made 12 straight hours of driving feel like “a relaxing day.” Furthermore, an ultimate SUV must have the ultimate audio system, and here, the editor was “fairly certain” that the 27-speaker Burmester system with Dolby Atmos spatial audio has “ruined every other car audio system in existence for me.”
Effortless Power
Propelling the Maybach GLS 600 is a Maybach-specific 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 550 hp (40 more than the MB GLS 580) and 538 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the four wheels through a 9-speed automatic transmission. If called upon, it will accelerate this large vehicle from 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, but that almost misses the point with this vehicle. The Autoblog editor points out how “the throttle and brake pedal tuning were designed with smooth driving in mind…You won’t find a more progressive or easy-to-modulate brake pedal in the business”. The Maybach driving mode exemplifies this even further. This is a powerful vehicle in which the power is never felt.
While it wouldn’t be most drivers’ first thought to take the Maybach off-road, the engineering is there to ensure that the vehicle also excels in that area. The editor points out the “Free Driving the Assist,” which is designed to help free the vehicle from deep sand or mud but can be deployed at any time to bounce like a lowrider just in case the mere presence of this vehicle doesn’t draw enough attention.
Experience it for Yourself
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This is the ultimate SUV from a brand that understands them and knows how to make the best. If the best appeals to you, you will not have to special-order the model from Mercedes-Benz of Plano—not the dealer with the most extensive Mercedes-Benz inventory in the country. So, even if you are just curious about what the best is like, visit our store in Plano and see the truly impressive Maybach GLS 600 for yourself.
*Base MSRP excludes transportation and handling charges, destination charges, taxes, title, registration, preparation and documentary fees, tags, labor and installation charges, insurance, and optional equipment, products, packages and accessories. Options, model availability and actual dealer price may vary. See dealer for details, costs and terms.
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