SEATTLE -- Mercedes is a very well-known brand. The Mercedes S600 Maybach? Not so much. Car guy Tom Voelk got the chance to take one out for a test drive.
Maybach traces its luxury lineage to 1909. Back in 1960, Daimler-Benz bought the mark, where it lay dormant until the 2004 model year. The resurrected Maybach produced cars that averaged $420,000 a copy, but running headlong into the Great Recession, the brand sank.
Maybach is now an ultra-luxury sub-brand of Mercedes, much like AMG is to performance - but costs much less. Still, at upwards of $204,000, it's likely not many people are cross-shopping it with Camry and Accord.
Think of the long regal Maybach as an overachieving S-Class, with a wheelbase stretched nearly eight inches to benefit those in the rear. Inside the Maybach, the heated and cooled seats, massage feature, and infinitely adjustable features – right down to the power leg rests – make it the fastest and most luxurious La-Z-Boy on the planet.
Exceptionally quiet, the Maybach whispers up to 60 miles an hour in five seconds. Built-in cameras watch the road ahead, scanning for things like potholes. The system then preps the suspension to react as the tires hit them. The ride quality can only be described as serene.
Those rare occasions where owners choose to ride up front are particularly enlightening, with small and impressive touches everywhere. The seats don't just massage - the side bolsters actively hold passengers in place when cornering.
Few can afford the base price of $190,000, but compared to Mulsanne and Ghost, that's akin to scoring an Hermês briefcase at Nordstrom Rack. Maybach has been down for the count twice in the past. Looks like the third time is a charmer.
