Exotic nameplate of Mercedes-Benz will show a concept car in Beijing this week featuring a three-box SUV body and EV power.
They can’t be serious…
Yes they are! What you see here in official pictures ahead of a world premiere at the 2018 Beijing auto show later this week is the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury.
The latest concept car from Stuttgart’s exotic car division is hoping to add a new twist into car design by featuring a tall saloon body with upright C-pillars and a raised stance of an SUV with huge 24-inch wheels to match.
The suits at Maybach say the two body styles are currently the most popular ones around the world especially in China, the world’s biggest car market.
This unique three-box-shaped SUV is over 5m long and 2m wide to help yield a super-airy cabin for four. Note the gimmicky central divider on the rear windscreen.
The interior itself highlights the usual dash-mounted widescreen, now seen in many Mercs. As Maybach aims for ultimate luxury like in a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, the trim is made as exquisite as possible.
How many electric motors are propelling this shebang?
There are four electric motor in total delivering a combined 750hp of power. The touring range is claimed at 500km and the batteries can be quick-charged in 5min for 100km of driving.
Maybach is keen to point out that the lithium-ion batteries are neatly stacked beneath the cabin floor for optimum weight balance and packaging.
And as today’s Mercedes-Benz GLS flagship SUV is aging fast, the next-gen model could theoretically spawn a Maybach variant using this new flexible platform.
Could there be conventional power?
If Maybach seriously wants to target the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce’s pending Cullinan, it might also have to offer traditional V12 power. That’s because many potential buyers are unlikely to give a hoot about CO2 emissions.
But a couple things are for sure. The front grille design is already being touted as Maybach’s new design language, so that’s how an SUV derv may look like.
Whether that three-box shape should make it to production or not is for you to decide. Quirky or elegant? Cue in the arguments.
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