New 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S580 in Downtown L.A.
A new black 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S580 with Maybach Exclusive ""Champagne Flute"" wheels driving in Downtown Los Angeles.
Mercedes-Benz already builds one of the world's finest luxury sedans with the S-Class. But what if you want something even more luxurious - say, at the level of Rolls-Royces and Bentleys - without the ""filthy rich"" attention those marques often attract? Mercedes came up with the perfect solution - a stretched and vastly upgraded S-Class with all the luxury you'd expect from those British rivals, but wrapped in a package that can (sort of) blend in with ""regular"" luxury cars. In other words, you can look rich but feel filthy rich.
Aside from the confusing ""Mercedes-Maybach"" and ""Mercedes-AMG"" branding, (how does poor old Karl Benz feel about having his name removed from the brand's finest offerings?), I think the Maybach-trim S-Class has matured with every update. This latest iteration, based on the W223 S-Class, has just enough visual pizzazz to remind you it's not ""just"" an S-Class while still maintaining a conserative appearance especially in solid color like this example. (A two-tone paint option is available for an extra $12,750 to $14,500 if you want to stand out a little more.) With a starting price of $184,900, it's more affordable than anything in the Bentley and Rolls-Royce portfolio. But it eschews fancy hood ornaments, self-balancing hubcaps, and other outward displays of status for the sake of focusing on interior luxury and comfort. This car is meant to impress you more than it's meant to impress the people around you. In that sense, it may actually have greater appeal to some shoppers than its competitors do. The 496-hp V8 biturbo engine isn't bad, either, though this car is definitely best enjoyed from the rear seats (especially if you have the $6,000 Executive Rear Seat Package Plus option.) If you prefer to do the driving yourself, Mercedes has you covered with the new AMG S63.
What do you think - is the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class a worthy competitor in the ultra-luxury segment? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!